The Do’s and Don’ts of a New Zealand Road Trip

If you are an adventurous sort of a person, then you should definitely choose to go for a road trip in New Zealand. While New Zealand may be small, there is no dearth of natural beauty here. In fact, the two islands of New Zealand very closely resemble the distinct beauty of Middle Earth. At New Zealand, there are no shortages of picturesque sights. The unique beauty of New Zealand lies in its remoteness and the best way to explore it would be to go for a road trip. Therefore when you are looking to go on a holiday tour to New Zealand, you must go for a road trip.

Here are the do’s and don’ts that you should follow while planning a road trip in New Zealand.

Do’s

Decide whether you need a car or a campervan for your trip
Whether a car or a campervan would suit your needs would depend on your personal preferences, itinerary and budget. If you have got sufficient money to splurge, then you can get a car as it can offer you the flexibility you need to stay at different hotels during your trip. On the other hand, if you are mainly a backpacker traveler, it would be better for you to get a campervan. During the peak season that run from December to March in New Zealand, budget hotels, hostels and other accommodation options are not easy to come by, unless you book them several days in advance. In such cases, a campervan can be just the thing that you need as it can help you to stay in any of the holiday parks around the country.

Decide on the locations you want to visit and the length of your trip

You should have a clear idea beforehand about the locations that you want to visit, making sure that the trip conforms to a definite time period. Although New Zealand is small when it comes to the total area, the roads of NZ are often narrow, windy and ice-covered. Therefore when you are going to family vacations to NZ, you may want to slow down and take your time when you want to enjoy the local scenery. When you take a road trip in New Zealand, it also provides you with the opportunity to travel the less frequented roads which are equally beautiful and interesting as the popular ones. Leading travel agency Freedom Tourism recommends you that you follow all road travel regulations closely.

You should also follow the

regulations discussed below:

• Always drive straight down the road;
• Make sure that you stop at the red traffic light signals or STOP signs;
• If you see an accident during the middle of the road, stay calm and contact your tour operator to let them handle the situation.
• Do lock your car when you are not inside it.
• Make sure that you drive only on roads and not on the footpath even in case of an emergency.

Don’ts

Do not abuse the camping rules in New Zealand

While there are many great locations in New Zealand that you can choose for camping, you should remember that it is not legal to camp anywhere at all. There are laws in NZ to prevent complete camping freedom which are placed to prevent unnecessary litter and waste. Therefore you should choose your camping sites carefully.

Do not forget to keep to the left while travelling on the roads

If you are new to New Zealand, then you might find the rule of keeping to the left of the road rather confusing. However, you will find yourself getting adjusted to driving on the left of the road rather easily. You should also be aware of all the rules and regulations associated with driving on New Zealand roads.

Make sure that you also follow these other regulations:

• You should never honk your horn as you drive your car. Horns are considered to be an abusive gesture for the other driver.
• Do not stop on the motorways except in emergencies; keep your hazard lights on as you do so.
• Do not use your mobile phones while driving. If you have to use the phone, make sure that you stop the vehicle before doing so.
• Do not overtake another car on the road.
• Do not throw any rubbish on the road.