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Planning a trip to one of the most stunning places on Earth?

Planning your first trip to New Zealand? Whether you’re dreaming about hiking through the wilderness, wine country drives, or stargazing in a dark sky reserve, these essential New Zealand Facts and Travel Tips will help you plan with confidence.

When Bill and I spent two unforgettable months exploring the South Island, we learned so much—from currency quirks and tipping culture to time zone and driving differences, and NZ visa requirements.

That’s why I put together this guide, including Kari’s Travel Tips—to save you time, stress, and last-minute surprises. Start planning your epic Bucket List trip today!

Use the Table of Contents below to quickly find the topics you’re looking for, or you can just scroll through all the information to your heart’s content.

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Currency

New Zealand Dollar – expressed as $ NZD. Currently converting at approximately 1.66 NZD for 1 USD. Ballpark Math is when you see an NZD price, the USD equivalent is approximately 60%.

Kari’s Travel Tip: We only used the paper New Zealand currency one time, at a Farmer’s Market where they didn’t accept credit cards. Otherwise, we were able to use VISA or Mastercard every place we spent money, even using Apple Pay on our iPhones.

But here are some other places where you might need NZ currency:

To do laundry if your lodging doesn’t provide it
Public transit in larger cities
Donation boxes at parks and sanctuaries
Tips for private guides (see below)
Farmers markets, flea markets or roadside stands where small vendors don’t do credit cards

Currency Conversion

We always use the Xe app to check the current exchange rates. It’s easy to convert both ways and is always up to date.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Always opt to be charged in the local currency when using your credit or debit card. This reduces conversion fees.

Even if you have a card with no foreign exchange fees, you will still benefit from not having the money converted twice.

New Zealand Facts - using an app like Xe allows you to convert currency on the spot.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Don’t forget to contact your bank before your trip and let them know where and when you’ll be traveling. You don’t want to risk your card being blocked due to sudden use in a new place, especially one so far from home.

Tipping Culture in New Zealand

Tipping is not part of the culture or expected in New Zealand. If someone goes out of their way to provide excellent service, feel free to give them a little extra. It will no doubt be welcomed, but it is not expected like it is in the US. It takes a little getting used to, but I promise, you will quickly adapt!

The only exception I would say is if you hire a private Guide – then for sure tip them for their time and expertise.

Language

New Zealanders speak English, but they have a whole bunch of unique words that have different meanings from our US words. Here’s a few of them:

Kiwi = New Zealander
Track or tramp = Hiking Trail
Return = Round trip (in reference to a hike, track or walk)
Trolley = shopping cart
Torches = flashlights
Overtaking = passing (stay to the left unless overtaking)
Give way = yield
Trading Times = Store Hours
Chemist = Pharmacy
Reserve = park
Chook = chicken
Holiday = vacation
Boot = car trunk
Lollie = candy or sweets
Bottle shop = liquor store
Nappy = diaper
Chilly Bin = cooler
Car Park = parking lot or garage
Bathroom = toilet, restroom or loo

Kari’s Travel Tip: Listen carefully – some Kiwis have heavy accents that make it a bit tricky to understand. If in doubt, ask them! They are among the friendliest people in the world.

Time Zone

New Zealand Standard Time (NZST). All of New Zealand uses the same time zone for both the North and South Islands. On the World Clock on my iPhone, I use Auckland as the city.

New Zealand is 16 – 19 hours ahead of the US Time Zones, and often into the next day because of the International dateline. So if we looked for times to talk to the kids when we were all awake, it was often the day before for them. For example, our Friday morning in NZ was Thursday afternoon back home.

They observe Daylight Savings Time, like most of the US. It starts the last Sunday in September and runs until the first Sunday in April.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Don’t underestimate the Jet Lag effects. That’s a huge time shift from the US. I’d highly recommend having a couple of low-key days to start your New Zealand adventure. Hang out in the town you land in and just take in the local sites.

Always try to force yourself into the new eating and sleeping time frame by staying awake on that first day until at least 7-8:00 PM before you let yourself fall asleep. That will help you adjust a lot faster than if you take a nap when you arrive from your long-haul flight.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Keep the time difference in mind if you want to watch live sporting events or presidential debates. For example, we watched the 2024 Super Bowl live as it happened, but we watched it on Monday afternoon in New Zealand when it was Sunday night back in the States.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Most places in New Zealand use the 12 hour clock, indicating AM and PM for the part of the day. But some use the 24 hour clock (also known as military time). It starts at Midnight, and just keeps going, even after it crosses the Noon threshold. So 1:00 PM is stated as 13:00 (with no AM or PM designation). If it says your tour leaves at 15:00, you need to subtract 12 from that number and show up at 3:00 PM.

Date Format

New Zealand (and a big chunk of the rest of the world) format their dates in a DD-MM-YYYY format. This is different than the MM-DD-YY format that we Americans tend to use to say August 12, 2023 (08-12-23).

So you’ll see things like 03-12-2024 – is that March 12th or December 3rd? In New Zealand, it’s December 3rd. It takes a while to get used to, but you’ll figure it out!

Kari’s Travel Tip: This date format becomes especially important when filling out your eVisa application (more on that below) – you want to get your birthdate, your passport issue date and your passport expiration date recorded properly. Pay close attention to how they display the information you are supposed to enter on the application!

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Driving in New Zealand

Kiwis drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car – the opposite of what we do in the US. This takes a little getting used to, but then it’s pretty easy.

Here’s everything you need to know about how driving in New Zealand is different than driving in the US.

Kari’s Travel Tip: You can use your US drivers license to drive in New Zealand.

Kari’s Travel Tip: If you have two people, it’s immensely helpful to have one navigate while the other drives. Even with Waze or Google Maps, the roads veer and swerve so often, that you have to stay on top of it or you miss a turn.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Pumping gas and using a credit card at the pump is sometimes challenging in New Zealand. I’m not sure why that is, but when possible, we looked for gas stations that had an in-person office so we could go inside to pay.

Seasons

Because New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, their seasons are roughly opposite those of the US. June – August is their winter/ski season so it can be snowy and some of the mountain overpasses might be closed at times.

Since December – February is their summer season, and the kids are off school for a month-long holiday break, many New Zealanders are also on vacation, increasing the demand for hotel rooms and rental cars.

Kari’s Travel Tip: I highly recommend planning ahead so you can secure the accommodations and transportation that you want in that timeframe.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Fall and Spring are great times to visit New Zealand because the weather is great and the crowds are much smaller.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Sunscreen is SUPER important in New Zealand due to changes in the ozone layer over the island.

International Phone Code

New Zealand’s International Code is +64 (followed by the 8 digit phone number)

To get the + sign, push the zero key for a whole second when in dialing mode, and it will insert the plus symbol. Then add the country code (64) and the local number.

Airalo eSim

Airalo is an eSim company which offers access to data without needing to spend hundreds of dollars on roaming costs.

I use an Airalo eSim in my iPhone to get affordable access to data while traveling. This saves me hundreds of dollars in International Roaming costs.

Airalo offers a specific eSim for New Zealand called Nzcom.

They also have a regional eSim called Oceania that covers 8 countries in the area, including Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Purchase and install the eSim before you leave home. When you get off the plane, use the free WiFi at the airport to activate your eSim. This will give you access to data when you leave the airport and begin navigating to your first destination.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Make sure your phone is registered with your carrier for International Roaming and that it’s “unlocked” to accept the eSim. You might need to call your cell phone provider to check on this.

WhatsApp is the primary app that Kiwis use for calls, texts, and file sharing in New Zealand (and many other places such as Europe and Southeast Asia).

They simply don’t use traditional texting or calling services like we do in the US.

Kari’s Travel Tip: I recommend downloading WhatsApp before your trip and learning how it works. It’s incredibly useful for communicating with your drivers, guides, accommodation hosts, and other travelers you meet.

We use WhatsApp to keep in touch with family while we’re abroad. As long as I’m on Wi-Fi or using my Airalo eSim for data, I avoid international roaming charges from my US carrier.

WhatsApp uses your US phone number, but it only works with others who are using the app. If you’re sharing your number, make sure to include the +1 in front of your area code. You can also create a QR code on WhatsApp for them to scan.

Plug Adapter

New Zealand uses the Type I plug in. Kari's tip - if you have the right adapter kit, you'll be all set to go for Australia and New Zealand

New Zealand uses the three-pronged Plug Adapter Type I and a voltage current of 230. This is the same as Australia.

A multi-national adaptor kit such as the Ceptiks Universal Travel Adapter Kit will include Type I. I use this kit as I travel all over the world and I highly recommend it.

Kari’s Travel Tip: Most computers and phones are already set for dual voltage. If you want to bring a hair dryer, a curling iron or some other electric device, make sure it’s one set with dual voltage.

Grocery Stores

If you like to cook your meals while you’re traveling (we do!), or if you just want to pick up some snacks, you’ll be interested in the grocery store options available in New Zealand. We shopped at all of these during our extended time in New Zealand.

Most of them are medium sized grocery stores. The only really big warehouse style store we found was the PAK’nSAVE in Queenstown – it had tons of options.

Countdown
Four Square
Fresh Choice
New World
PAK’nSAVE
Woolworth’s New Zealand

Can I Drink the Water?

Yes, in New Zealand, you can generally safely drink the tap water. For sure in urban areas. In really remote or rural areas, it’s best to ask a local if the water is safe to drink.

Toilet Things to Know

Clean public toilets are readily available all throughout New Zealand. Every town we visited had one.

Kari’s Tip: Ask a local for a bathroom and they may be puzzled. Toilet or restroom are more common words for Kiwis.

Sign on public restroom reminding visitors to only flush the 3 Ps - pee, poo and paper!

In New Zealand, you can flush the toilet paper. Mind the three Ps – pee, poo and paper!

Visa Requirements

From Travel.state.gov website: U.S. citizens traveling to or transiting through New Zealand under the visa waiver program are required to have an NZeTA. This is also true for cruise ship passengers. It can take up to 72 hours to process an NZeTA so apply well in advance of your trip. The NZeTA is valid for multiple visits for up to two years.

You can apply online at the New Zealand Immigration Site or on the NZeTA app.

You’ll have to upload pictures of your passport and a plain head and shoulder picture of yourself.

The app is also where you can monitor your approval status.

Your US Passport must have 3 months of validity on it beyond your planned date of departure from New Zealand. The cost in 2025 is $91 NZD (approx. $53 USD).

The great news? Your NZeTA is valid for 2 full years! So if you love New Zealand as much as we did, you can plan a return trip.

Kari’s Travel Tip: If a site asks you to pay more than that, stop and check. You might be on a fake, government-looking site that is pretending to be the NZ Immigration Site. The correct site is https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/visitor-visa/

Kari’s Travel Tip: I HIGHLY recommend applying for your NZeTA Visa well in advance, for sure at least 72 hours, or even weeks or months in advance.

We applied only 2 days before we went to NZ (because we were too busy having fun in Australia). So ours didn’t get approved until the morning our early flight left.

It was very stressful and it was touch-and-go about whether we’d be allowed to board the plane to New Zealand or not. Learn from our mistake and apply EARLY!

Immigration Requirements

Upon arrival in New Zealand, all visitors must complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) which collects travel, customs, immigration and biosecurity information. The Airline or cruise line will provide this form to you.

New Zealand is more open about bringing food items into the country than Australia is, but you must declare ALL items to the Immigration officer. I have heard of a visitor being fined $400 for an undeclared croissant in the luggage!! Here is a list of what you cannot bring into New Zealand.

Kari’s Traveler Tip: When we pack to leave each country, I make a list of all our food items in a note on my phone. Every single item, big and small.

Then when I fill out the declaration form or if the Immigration officer asks me, I can quickly name everything we have with us. It saves me from digging through my luggage in front of Immigration.

Safety

When traveling overseas, the US State Department website is a great resource for safety information and tips on what to watch out for. They rank all countries by their level of risk: Level 1 (travel with normal precautions), Level 2 (travel with increased caution), Level 3 (reconsider travel) and Level 4 (Do not travel).

They also offer the STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), which lets you provide details about where you’re staying. In emergencies, you’ll receive important alerts, such as about nearby protests or changes at the embassy. We’ve been warned a few times, allowing us to avoid problematic areas.

Embassy Assistance for U.S. Citizens

U.S. Consulate General Auckland
Citigroup Centre, 3rd Floor,
23 Customs Street East
Auckland, New Zealand

Telephone +(64)(9) 303-2724
Emergency +(64)(4) 462-6000
Fax +(64)(9) 303-1069
Email AucklandACS@state.gov
Website https://nz.usembassy.gov/

Metric System Conversions

New Zealand (like most of the world) uses the metric system for things like measuring distance (meters and kilometers), temperature (Celsius), weight (grams and kilograms) and volume (liters and milliliters).

Kari’s Travel Tip: I keep a Note on my iPhone with some conversions for handy reference. Here they are for you to use:

Temperature: Celsius to Fahrenheit

0 C = 32 F
10 C = 50 F
15 C = 59 F
20 C = 68 F
25 C = 77 F
27 C = 80 F
30 C = 86 F
40 C = 104 F
45 C = 113 F
Formula for calculating: C x 1.8 + 32 = F

Weight: Kilograms to Pounds

This is especially useful for checked and carry-on luggage limits on different airlines. Internationally, the limits are often quite a bit smaller than on US Airlines so it’s important to check. And they do tend to weigh the carry-ons sometimes.

7 kg = 15.4 pounds
10 kg = 22 pounds
15 kg = 33 pounds
20 kg = 44 pounds
25 kg = 55 pounds
30 kg = 66 pounds
32 kg = 70 pounds
35 kg = 77 pounds
Formula for calculating: kg x 2.2 = Pounds

Area: Square Meters to Square Feet

This is helpful when looking at potential accommodations – how big is the space?
20 square meters = 215 square feet
25 square meters = 269 square feet
29 square meters = 312 square feet
30 square meters = 323 square feet
40 square meters = 430 square feet
70 square meters = 753 square feet

Conclusion: New Zealand Facts

I hope these fun and practical New Zealand facts and travel tips help you feel more confident and prepared for your adventure. From currency and time zones to tipping culture and sunscreen (yes, really!), it’s the little things that make a big difference when you’re exploring a new country.

New Zealand truly is one of the most breathtaking places on Earth—and having the right info ahead of time lets you focus on the magic of it all. Whether you’re road-tripping through jaw-dropping landscapes or chatting with friendly locals in a small town café, these tips are here to help you travel smarter, not harder.

So go ahead and bookmark this post, start sketching out your itinerary, and don’t forget to pack your curiosity. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from our time in New Zealand, it’s this: the more you know before you go, the more epic your trip will be. Safe travels!

New Zealand Facts & Travel Tips for First Time Visitors

Planning a trip to one of the most stunning places on Earth?

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FAVORITE TOOLS