What to Do in New Zealand (Part II)

...continued from What to Do in New Zealand (Part I)

6. Bungy jump at Queenstown's Kawarau Bridge Bungy Jump Lookout or Lake Taupo. Or skydive at Nelson and Queenstown in the South Island or Auckland, Lake Taupo and Tauranga in the North. These can be combined with white water rafting or a jetboat thrill ride, which we tried at Queenstown and Lake Taupo's Huka Falls respectively. No, we did not skydive.

What to Do in New Zealand (Part I)

This is the longest trip I have ever taken – 17 days and 15 nights in New Zealand, also my most memorable and enjoyable. When asked which three places I liked best about the trip, my instant reply was "too many". Indeed, the country offers so much diversity that it was difficult to choose. And in a relatively small geographic area, that there is something for everyone. I have instead curated a list of 12 things to do in "Home of the Middle-Earth", including a few that we have not tried like bungy jumping:

Where to Stay in New Zealand

After staying 15 nights at 13 accommodations for a 17 days New Zealand trip, these are our top three picks:

Lake Tekapo, South Island
Of course, we have to stay at Lake Tekapo. In Maori, Tekapo means night sleeping place. Kidding, my travel companions and I chose it over Mount Cook so we need not drive another hour up and down New Zealand's tallest mountain that we would not be climbing anyway. As for its supposedly spectacular glacier views, we would be walking close to the Terminal Face of Fox Glacier on a guided tour a few days later. With limited choices of accommodations in Lake Tekapo, we settled on Peppers Bluewater Resort – our most expensive stay on this trip. Of the 27 (at the time of writing) Peppers resorts or hotels, five are in New Zealand, one is in Bali and the rest are in Australia. This sits in the heart of Mackenzie Country, 3 hours away from Christchurch by car. Clean, contemporary and tranquil with a breathtaking view of Lake Tekapo. Now, this is what you call a holiday.