Using a Bicycle around New Zealand to Discover Real Beauty

Like many true travelers I pride myself on trying something different from the usual run of the mill tourist traps when I visit a country. One of the ways I’ve enjoyed in my travels throughout the years is bicycling over a number of days, going from town to town.

Why Do I Use a Bicycle?

As much as I like using other forms of transport on my travels, I get the most enjoyment from cycling because;

• It keeps me fit; admittedly the large quantity of beers I drink at night while on vacation counteracts most of the health benefits of cycling but at least it is something!
• I feel that it lets me experience the countryside in a more up close and personal way. I tend to notice a lot more things while riding at a slower pace.
• Also the sense of achievement I get from finally cresting that steep hill to be shown some stunning mountain or other landscape.

Which Island Should I Choose?

As I’m sure you already know New Zealand is comprised of two islands which we conveniently call the south and north islands. I admit they are not the most original of names but at least you know where they are!

Unless you have a very long time to spare for your vacation, I wouldn’t recommend trying to fit both islands into your trip. So you need to choose one of them.

There is no ‘best’ island for cycling, both have lots of stunning places which are great for bikes but here is some information to help you make a decision.

The North One

• The north is generally slightly hotter than the south, especially in the Coromandel region and the area north of Auckland.
• For the artistic of mind, it is home to various art loving locations such as Napier, a city famed for its art deco buildings and a great destination for a cycling tour.
• It has Auckland, the busiest city, where you can find a huge range of nightlife if you are into that kind of thing.
• It is also home to the capital city of Wellington which is much smaller than Auckland but still have lots of things for you to enjoy; day and night.
• While the mountain ranges of the south island are more famous, the north still has some very impressive ranges which are ideal for cyclists.

The South One

• The south is where (in my opinion) the most impressive mountain ranges exist in New Zealand and I personally think the world.
• It is much quieter than the north which I personally found more enjoyable.
• The south has a number of seaside towns that offer all kinds of sea adventures such as swimming with dolphins. There might be some in the north but I didn’t see any.
• Maybe it was just my luck but I seemed to find more unusual places in the south such as Lake Tekapo with its very bright turquoise water color.

You can also check out http://www.newzealand.com/int/ which is a popular website here that has all kinds of useful information of both islands.

What Places Stood Out For Me?

There are far too many places to list them all but here are some to wet your appetite;

• Coromandel Peninsula: Fantastic ride east of Auckland with lots of beautiful beaches.
• Rotorua: This city is a great choice to include in your cycling tour. Go there from Auckland then continue on to Taupo. You can easily stay in Rotorua for at least a couple of days to relax in the volcanic hot springs and enjoy the Maori historical tours.
• Napier: It’s a great place if you’re into art. I enjoyed the art but also the wide range of great restaurants from different cuisines.
• Nelson: This is very sunny city on the south island which has some great roads for cycling, to the west of the city, I loved it!
• Arthur’s Pass: The roads through this national park are great for cycling with some amazing mountainous views all around.
• Otago Rail Trail: This is a very famous route for cyclists in the south island. You’ll ride over bridges, through tunnels and over long stretches of gravel tracks. It’s a great ride to be enjoyed with friends.
• Queenstown: The views around Queenstown are simply stunning, perfect for cycling in my opinion.

Should You Use a Touring Company?

For a trip where you’re going to be riding over a week or two, you’ll need to plan more than a simple day’s ride around a small area. With this in mind you can either plan it all yourself which is fine but you need to careful about various parts of the planning process, especially if it is your first time.

What a number of travelers do it to pay a cycling company like http://www.pedaltours.co.nz/new-zealand-cycle-tours/ where they have different preplanned routes and go along with you with a cyclist from their company. They also choose and book all the accommodation, so it’s the easy way of doing one of these tours. It’s obviously not a choice for those travelers on a very strict budget though.

So if you have the budget then using one of these companies could be a good choice.

There is nothing wrong with doing it yourself of course. Here are some important tips to help you if you want to do things this way;

• Take your time planning the route well in advance and leave lots of margin for error in the route. It is not fun falling behind schedule and having to ride late into the night to catch up! Use http://maps.google.com/ for planning the route, it’s a great map site.
• Even in summer you need to pack good quality and light all weather clothes; something to keep out the wind and rain. Don’t buy the cheapest you can find because it probably won’t do the job properly.
• Pack a travel repair kit, small tool kit and a good flashlight.
• Learn how to repair the bicycle. I’ve found that http://bicycletutor.com/ is a good resource for tutorials.
• If you don’t cycle regularly before your vacation, then you need to get fit enough for the trip. Remember you’ll be cycling most days.

I hope this post has given you some inspiration for your next New Zealand vacation.