New Zealand - it's going to cost you!

In our discussions with other travelers we met in Hawaii and Fiji, we heard more than once that New Zealand was an expensive destination. That sort of surprised me, because New Zealand is the poorer cousin of Australia in two important respects – weaker currency and weaker economy.

When we landed in New Zealand, we soon found out why – tours and activities are prohibitively expensive.

New Zealanders love the word “booking”. It seems that one must “book” tours to see most landmarks around here.

You want to see the Royal Albatross? It’s going to cost you – $45 for a 45 min tour. It basically costs $45 to get a tour guide to bring you up to the observation deck where you get 45 minutes to watch nestling Royal Albatross. Of course the “independent tour” is not offered – the authorities have fenced off the whole mount to make sure tourists pay for the hefty tours.

You want to see fur seals, sea lions, and penguins? You can if you are willing to spend $75 for a 90 minutes tour that makes a point to mention that there is no guarantee you’ll see any. They just take you to the area where penguins and seals occasionally come to shore. Thanks but no thanks, I saw all the seals and sea lions I wanted in San Francisco and Hawaii for free.

You want to see the Moeraki Boulders (ball-shaped rocks in the ocean)? Sure, provided you find a way down to the beach. The only close access is a stairway behind a restaurant – cost $2.

Want to visit the Information Centre at Milford Sound? For a meager $27, you get a 20 minutes documentary and a few explanations about the local rock formations. This is no joke!

On our last day in New Zealand, we were tempted to visit the famous village “Hobbiton” from the movie The Lord of the Rings.

After learning that a 2-hour tour in the Shire will cost us $52 each, we elected not to approach the Middle-earth, as our wallets would look awfully light after our little escapade. This is an absurd price for an activity that incurs little operating cost to the owner.

Even “free WIFI” is often “free” only for 30 minutes…after you make a purchase from the owner.

I couldn’t help but compare with all free or $5 activities that abound in Hawaii (remember the Astronomy Centre).

I can now fully understand why travelers moan about New Zealand being expensive – because it is.

P.S. McDonald, the American heavyweight, is changing the local culture – it has introduced real free WIFI. This is the first time in my life that I find myself asking “Is there a McDonald in the area?”. Thank you Uncle Sam 