More New Zealand Info
- Visas/Documentation Needed to Enter New Zealand: They don’t exactly call it a “visa,” but as of October 1st, 2019, you need to pay to enter New Zealand. Please apply on the New Zealand Government website or their free mobile app. The two fees you need to pay before entering NZ are below. You can take care of both of these fees by following the link provided.
New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA): cost $9 NZD on the official app or $12 NZD on a browser.
International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL): Costs $35 NZD for each person entering New Zealand. The fees will be put toward conservation of New Zealand’s land and nature as well as tourism infrastructure. Citizens of Australia and some South Pacific Islands are exempt.
- Currency is the NZ dollar. Currently the exchange rate is $1 NZD = 59¢ USD or $1 USD = $1.70 NZD.
- NZ is 18 hours ahead of the US and there are 2 time zones in NZ. Time can vary by as much as 45 minutes from East to West.
- Internet in New Zealand sucks!
- There are many places that you will not get cell service, especially on South Island.
- There is a hole in the ozone layer above New Zealand (and Australia), so the sun will burn you more quickly than you may be used to. Even if it’s not sunny or hot outside, still put on a layer of SPF to protect your skin.
- The Warehouse or an OP Shop
This “big box store” is essentially New Zealand’s version of Target or Walmart. You’ll find The Warehouse in just about every decently sized town, and they carry everything from clothing to toiletries to snacks
- Sandflies are bad (like really bad). While they live in most parts of the country, we found them to be worst in the South Island — on the West Coast in particular.
How to prevent sandfly bites: They tend to come out around dusk, so be sure to cover your skin as much as possible. And for any exposed areas, you can apply a bit of baby oil (or other type of oil), as they can’t bite through this slippery layer. Oh, and they don’t live in the sand. They get their name from their sandy brown color.
- Tipping isn’t necessary. Unless you receive exceptional service, it’s not compulsory to add a tip. And in some restaurants, a service charge will already be added to your bill, so there’s no need to add any extra cash.
- Prices will always be rounded. The smallest coin in New Zealand is a 10-cent piece, so the total cost will always be rounded up to the nearest zero.
- Sales tax is included. There is sales tax, but it’s included in the price you see so there are no surprises when you get your bill.
- Tap water is safe to drink in New Zealand, folks! And it is delicious (especially in the South Island). You’re basically drinking from a glacier. So, there’s really no reason to buy the bottled stuff. Bring your reusable water bottle and fill ‘er up!
- Aotearoa is New Zealand’s real name (pronounced ow-te-ah-row-ah). This is the Māori name for New Zealand, and it translates roughly to “the land of the long white cloud.”
Some “Kiwi” English
- Kia Ora= Māori word for “welcome”
- Togs= swimsuit
- Chilly Bin= cooler
- Sweet as= “that’s cool”
- Dairy= local convenience store
- Tramping= long-distance hiking; usually when you spend the night at mountain huts
- Jandals= flip flop sandals (the name comes from combining Japanese + sandals)
- Wop-wops= in the middle of nowhere (aka “We’re driving through the wop-wops now!”). Can also be shortened to just “wops”.
- Fizzy drink= soda
- Capsicum = bell pepper
- Aubergine = eggplant
- Courgette = zucchini
- Coriander = cilantro
- Kumara = sweet potato
- Rocket = arugula
