Australia vs. New Zealand. If you had 2 weeks for vacation which would you visit?

Question

Have 2 weeks in late April to visit Australia or New Zealand. Having traveled to over 40 countries, including Austalia, I prefer longer in one country, rather than skipping around. So, given that, which would you visit? New Zealand or Australia. I do scuba dive and I skydive, so I know there are lots of opportunities for both in both countries.

Answer 1

Im an Australian, but I recomend you go to New Zealand. 2 weeks isnt really long enough to see it properly, BUT, it's nowhere near long enough to see Australia.



In New Zealand, if you move at a constant rate, you will have time to see quite a few big sites, such as Bay Of Islands, Fox Glacier, Milford Sound & Queenstown etc. You will get quite a good cross section of New Zealand from doing that.



In Australia however, you wont see as much as that unless you are willing to take quite a few domestic flights around the place. For example, if you fly into Sydney, you will really have to rush to get to the Great Barrier Reef by land. You wont have much chance of seeing much in between etc.



I recomend seeing New Zealand. Come to Australia when you have more time on your hands.



Oh yeah, and if you choose New Zealand, make sure you go diving in Milford Sound. It's the only place in the world where a deep water ecosystem (black coral etc.) exists in shallow water (10 - 20m), so it's the only place you can see that sort of stuff without doing a full on deep water dive with helmets etc.

Answer 2

To scuba-dive and sky-dive, April is just about getting a bit cool for New Zealand if you're out of luck; on the other hand, if you don't mind that, and since you've seen Australia, I suggest New Zealand to you also because you are more likely to be able to cover some ground and actually see a fair percentage of the country in 2 weeks, as opposed to Australia, which would be more suited to some pinpointed stays if 2 weeks is all you have.

Answer 3

Another Aussie who says New Zealand.



If you don't have a very specific idea of what you want to see and do Australia is too big. New Zealand is compact (annd I would be tempted to restrict things to the South Island).



Two weeks would be enough time to do a chunk of Australia, such as Uluru and Alice Springs, or Darwin, Kakadu and Katherine, or part of the Barrier Reef.

Answer 4

OK I'm biased cos I'm from NZ, but I think NZ because in two weeks you can get a good overall impression of the country (it only takes two days to drive from one end of the country to the other including interisland ferry), which you would have no hope of doing in Aus. Being relatively small compared to Aus you can get a wider variety of locations in a shorter time and internal travel is cheaper than in Aus. Distances between destinations are shorter so you have more time to relax and we're just so friendly to tourists that you feel really relaxed and chilled out being here. Diving is best in our sub-tropical north (north of Auckland) but you can get a good dive in most places. In Wellington there are three coasts and you can always find one to dive no matter what the weather. Skydiving is fully catered everywhere. Two weeks is really too short for NZ or Aust but you get more bang for your buck here in NZ. I've been to Aus too and love it, but you've been there already, and we're very different. I saw a post on this site today which said that the North Island and the South Island are like two different countries with the same name. This was posted by someone from overseas, but it is kinda true, the people are different but we are all NZers.

I hope you decide to come here, we'd love to have you.

As the Aussies say " Where the bloody hell are ya?" I think your answer should be I'm here in New Zealand and I'll catch up with you West Islanders (Australians) later.







ps I thought Aus was more expensive than NZ

and thee weather in April is usually still pretty mild and quite settled. It starts to get winter cold in May.

Answer 5

Eastern Australia

Answer 6

Australia, only because I hear that as a bucket list vacation more than NZ. I'd like to visit both eventually.

Answer 7

If you been to Australia, then you should visit New Zealand!

Answer 8

Australia hands down. The hard part would be deciding where in Australia to go with only 2 weeks.

Answer 9

New Zealand, where is that? It's insignificant lol. Go Australia!!!!

Answer 10

I'd go to New Zealand, I have a friend living there that I haven't seen in about ten years.

Answer 11

Given the time you have I would go with NZ. Although it's not small enough to see everything in 2 weeks, but if you do just the south island it will be an awsome experience. I travelled the south island in 2 weeks, it wasn't enough time to see everything, but it was enough time for me to make up my mind and move there to live.

Answer 12

Well i live in Australia so i would probably choose NZ. But if I hadn't been to neither (Aust. or NZ) I would probably say Australia hands down! Oh, & 1 thing you should know. NZ is very expensive. So if your on a limited budget I would choose Australia!

Answer 13

Hi,

I'm a Fair Dinkum True Blue Dinky Di Aussie, so this is very had for me to say.



"Go to New Zealand"



New Zealand is a beautiful place with loads to see. Before you go read up about the place so when your there you will enjoy it even more.



Hire a Campervan and drive yourself around. NZ has very good campervan sites to stay in.



My son teaches scuba diving and he told me NZ has some great places to Scuba Dive, and they do Sky Diving, you sound like a bit of a dare devil so you must check out Bungee Jumping, Caving, Abseiling, Swim with Wild Dolphins, Paragliding and River Sledging.



http://www.newzealand.com/travel/sights-activities/activities/land-activities/land-activities-home.cfm

http://www.newzealand.com/travel/sights-activities/activities/water-activities/water-activities-home.cfm

http://www.newzealand.com/travel/sights-activities/activities/land-activities/miscellaneous-madness.cfm

http://www.ki-wi.co.nz/new_zealand_things_to_do.htm

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/top_things_to_do.ehtml?o=196&NAV_guide_class=&NAV_Region=&NAV_SubRegion=



New Zealand is one of those rare places that you can go surfing and snow skiing in the one day.



Places that I thought were great to visit and do was.



Rotorua

Craters of the Moon

Glow Worm Cave

Black Water Rafting

http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/nzsports/a/waitomo2.htm



This is a must do when you are in Queenstown.

http://www.rafting.co.nz/index.cfm/triple



The other good thing about NZ is because it a small country you can get to see alot more and not waist so much traveling time.





If you go to New Zealand you won't regret it.

"Far out! that hurt to say that"



From Sydney Down Under

Answer 14

i would spend more time in new zealand. australia is wonderful but i wish we had had more time in nz. the country is so green and so clean. i had an amazing time in the 3 short days we were there.

Answer 15

I would spend a week in each country. considering that it is only a 3 hour flight between countries, which is a shorter distance than going from one side of Australia to the other!

Answer 16

Both are GREAT destinations !



Since you have never been to New Zealand, I would choose there. A new place to discover.

Answer 17

Hey there! Someone in my Facebook group posted this link so I came to give it a look. I'm definitely loving the information. I'm bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers!

Answer 18

Australia, go to the Gold Coast, or to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, they are the best places on earth

Answer 19

My prediction -the top run scorer for the first innings would be Ricky Ponting. Well, not exactly a prediction but just a wish!

Answer 20

Australia, the women are hot.

Answer 21

I was curious about this too