One of the top vacation destinations in the world at the moment, New Zealand welcomes more than 2 million visitors annually from different parts of the globe. The great part about visiting New Zealand is that you can do so at any time of the year, as the temperatures between summer and winter vary only slightly. Plus, you have an abundance of locations to choose from with their own unique climates, making New Zealand a must visit place for anyone looking for an adventure.

Getting to New Zealand by Air

Getting to New Zealand is pretty easy with a number of airlines coming here from all over the globe. New Zealand’s national carrier, Air New Zealand also has the distinction of being one of the truly global airlines in the world at the moment. Air Canada, British Airways, Cathy Pacific, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas and United Airlines are just a few of the many airlines that come to New Zealand on a regular basis. If you are thinking of using any of these airlines, it is advisable to contact the airline directly for their flight schedule.

New Zealand’s international airports are located at Wellington, the capital, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Queenstown and Palmerston North. The main entry points for international flights into New Zealand are at Auckland and Christchurch, with Auckland serving numerous destinations and airlines from Sydney to Tokyo. New Zealand’s other airports normally service smaller aircrafts from Australia and the South Pacific Islands.

Do keep in mind that before leaving New Zealand all passengers over the age of 12 are required to pay a NZ$22 – NZ$25 departure fee at the airport.

Getting to New Zealand by Sea

Due to its relative isolation, it is quite a long journey to get to New Zealand by sea, unless you are sailing here from the South Pacific islands or from Australia. Auckland, Wellington, the Bay of Islands and Whangarei are all popular ports of entry into New Zealand, with March and April being the best time to go sailing in this region.

New Zealand Visas

To enter into New Zealand you need to hold a valid passport and visa. Australian and British citizens may enter without a visa, with Australians being allowed to stay without any restrictions on them. Citizens of a large number of countries are granted visitor visa’s of up to three months upon their arrival, while those countries that are not on this list require their citizens to apply for a visa first before coming here. To see which if you do or do not require a visa, check the Immigration New Zealand website.

New Zealand Quarantine

You might be surprised to learn that New Zealand has strict quarantine laws. As the country’s economy is agricultural based, there are a number of restrictions in place to protect New Zealand from any plant or animal diseases. You are not allowed to bring any kind of food into the country unless it is commercially packaged. Plant materials, animals, and even soiled footwear needs to be declared at Customs and is inspected thoroughly. If you are considering bringing your surf board or golf clubs or any other kind of gear and equipment with you on your trip, make sure you clean it properly and declare it as you go through Customs. Failure to do so can result in you paying a very heavy fine.