From late November to early December 
Lupin season, the weather is nice in early summer
There is a large temperature difference between day and night, with some places dropping below 10 degrees at night. If you’re sensitive to cold, bring warmer clothes.
If you plan to hike, it’s recommended to bring a waterproof jacket as it rains easily in the mountains.
Stay in the North Island for the first and last 2 days (for rest and transit)
Stay in the South Island for 10 days
A self-drive trip for 2 people
Costs calculated per person
Flight tickets
4,644
Includes seat selection, front two-seater area on airline, one section is considered a quiet zone (behind business class)
KUL-AKL, AKL-KUL 4,104 Airline 
35kg, direct flight over 10 hours
AKL-CHC, CHC-AKL 540 Jetstar 23kg, 7kg carry-on (carry-on luggage was weighed on the return trip)
13 nights of accommodation
3,466
Mostly Airbnb/motels
Approximately 350-700 per night (Queenstown is more expensive)
Coffee, tea, salt, and pepper are provided
Even for a one-night stay, some hosts prepare a simple breakfast in the fridge (milk, bread, avocado spread) and cornflakes, and also give two pieces of Whitaker chocolate
Car rental
10 days in the South Island Pegasus 
Toyota Corolla station wagon 1133
2 days in the North Island, same model car 249
Gas prices vary by region, around 2.5-2.6 NZD per liter, see Figure 17
Use Gasby to find nearby cheaper gas stations, see Figure 18
Activities
Hiked four mountains in the South Island, which were donation-based and did not require tickets
Te Anau Blue Glowworm Caves 385 including boat ticket
Queenstown Deer Park 148 per vehicle
NZETA & IVL (entry visa, valid for 2 years, can be applied through the NZETA app)
141 (NZD 52) The app is cheaper than the website
NZETA – NZD 17
IVL – NZD 35 (will increase to NZD 100 after 1/10/24)
eSIM
Vodafone (30 days, 28GB)
123
Accommodation in New Zealand was cheaper than I expected
I really enjoyed the countryside, close to nature, and there were a few nights we stayed next to cattle and sheep, which wasn’t smelly at all. I will share more about the accommodations in the next post.
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