• New Zealand Regions
      • Hawke's Bay
      • Bay of Plenty
      • Waikato
      • Whanganui
      • Manawatu
      • Northland
      • Auckland
      • Gisborne
      • Taranaki
      • Wellington
      • West Coast
      • Nelson
      • Canterbury
      • Otago
      • Marlborough
      • Southland
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      Hawke's Bay

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      Beaches, wineries and Art Deco. The Hawke's Bay has a diverse economy, including business services that support its sectors to be the second largest contributor to regional GDP in the country. A popular tourist destination, the region has some of the countries best restaurants as well as stunning scenery, markets and festivals.

      Districts

      HastingsNapier

      Bay of Plenty

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      The Bay of Plenty is officially New Zealand's sunniest destination, enjoying short-lived winters and long summer days. The Region offers some of the country's most spectacular views and many ways to enjoy the pristine scenery and natural wonders. Visitors also enjoy exploring the Bay's Māori heritage and pre-European roots.

      Districts

      OpotikiOpotiki iSiteKawerauWhakatane

      Waikato

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      The Waikato is known for its rolling plains, fertile land and the mighty Waikato River. The region is the fourth largest regional economy in New Zealand, with a strong focus on primary production and associated manufacturing.

      Districts

      South WaikatoWaikato District

      Whanganui

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      Welcome to Whanganui. This is our place; where history is full of stories, legends and rich legacy. Where a thriving arts scene, creativity and evolving culture inspire our modern lives. Where breath-taking natural landscapes capture imaginations at every turn.

      Manawatu

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      Located in the lower North Island, Manawatu is heartland New Zealand, offering an authentic Kiwi experience.

      The main in the region are Palmerston North, most notable for Massey University. Palmerston has a vibrant, arts and culture scene.

      The region's economy is based on food production and processing, research and education. The region is also home for the New Zealand defence force.

      Northland

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      Northland was originally home to some of our country's first human inhabitants. Today, it is one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand and home to nearly 189,000 people. Rich in culture and history, the region boasts a stunning natural environment.

      Auckland

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      Auckland Region stretches from the the beaches of the Pacific Ocean in the east to the expansive beaches of the rugged west coast of the Tasman Sea. Auckland City, the largest urban area in New Zealand is considered the main economic center of New Zealand and a popular destination for international students and travellers.

      Gisborne

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      Gisborne is a Region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. It's known for wineries and surf beaches such as Makorori. The region has maintained a strong Maori heritage. The region's economy is made up mainly of agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

      Taranaki

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      Taranaki is a coastal and mountainous region on the western side of New Zealand's North Island. Its landscape is dominated by Mount Taranaki, its namesake volcano, which lies within the rainforested Egmont National Park.

      The port city of New Plymouth is the area's cultural and commercial hub. Taranaki's economy is diverse and includes dairy, oil and gas. The region is the highest contributor or national GDP per capita. 

      Wellington

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      The Wellington Region covers Wellington city in the south, Upper and Lower Hutt valleys to the north-east, and Porirua to the north-west. The region takes its name from Wellington, New Zealand's capital city.

      Wellington is famous for its arts and culture scene and is also the centre of New Zealand's film industry.

      West Coast

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      The West Coast, or as some locals call it, the "Wild West", is a long thin region that runs down the South Island's west coast.

      The region has the lowest population in all of New Zealand. It is famous for its rugged natural scenery such as the Pancake Rocks, the Blue Pools of Haast, and the glaciers.

      The main industries in the region are dairy farming and mining. Tourism also plays an important role.

      Nelson – Tasman

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      Nelson Tasman is an extraordinary, vibrant region where art and businesses thrive together among a stunning natural landscape. With one in five people internationally born, Nelson Tasman has 48 different cultures living in its environs.

      The region prides its self on being New Zealand’s leading Research and Development areas, with the highest proportion of people working in the research, science and tech sectors out of anywhere in New Zealand.

      Canterbury

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      Canterbury is a region on New Zealand’s South Island marked by grassy plains, clear lakes and snow-capped mountains. Its largest city, Christchurch, is famed for its art scene and green spaces.

      Otago

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      There are few places in the world which will leave you with a lasting sense of difference. Central Otago is undoubtedly one of them from its landscapes, its seasons, its people, its products and experiences.

      Marlborough

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      Marlborough Region is on the north-eastern corner of the South Island. The region is well known for its winemaking industry, and the Marlborough Sounds, an extensive network of coastal waterways, peninsulas and islands.

      Apart from the wine industry, aquaculture, agriculture and tourism play an important role in the local economy.

      Southland

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      Southland is New Zealand’s most southerly region and includes the World Heritage ranked Fiordland National Park.

      The region's only city Invercargill offers a relaxed pace of life with wide streets, little traffic, spacious parks and gardens, striking Victorian and Edwardian architecture and impressive sporting facilities including New Zealand’s first indoor velodrome. Southland's location is such that views of Aurora Australis or the Southern Lights are common.

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Mobile phone

  • Spark
  • Vodafone
  • 2Degrees

There are also a lot of smaller operators that rent the towers from the main NZ operators and sell their plans at a discounted price:

  • Skinny Mobile (Spark Network)
  • Warehouse Mobile (2Degree Network)
  • Compass (Spark Network)
  • Blue Sky (Spark Network)
  • Slingshot (Spark Network)

 

Locked Phones
If you have bought your phone through a cellphone carrier back in your home country, then you will have to make sure that they unlock your phone so you can use it overseas and with other networks. Be aware that some mobile companies will have fees or terms and conditions forbidding you to do so. In that case, you have two choices:

  • Unlock it through a third party unlocker (This will break your warranty)
  • Buy a new phone for your trip in New Zealand. In that case, we suggest you get yourself a “cheap as” cellphone when landing in New Zealand, this will help you save money on hefty internet bills and you won’t be crying too much when you break it during a hike.

 

The New Zealand Phone Networks Coverage and Network Speed
New Zealand has three main cellphone operators that share the market: Spark, Vodafone and 2Degrees. Aside from the difference in technologies used by Spark, Vodafone and 2Degrees, there is also a considerable difference in coverage.
First things first, the coverage in New Zealand is usually stated with this kind of statement: “Covers 90% of places where Kiwis work and play.” This means that a network may only cover 50% of the country but 90% of the place where the population lives.

  • Spark: Covers 98.5% of places where kiwi work and play
  • 2Degrees: Covers 98.5% of places where kiwi work and play
  • Vodafone: Covers 98.5% of the New Zealand population

 

New Zealand Cellphone Network Speed
It is also worth noting that any operators using the Spark mobile network usually have the fastest speed internet due to the new XT-4G network rolled out by Spark which is faster than 4G. Vodafone is not far behind on the mobile network speed with a good number of LTE-A sites and 28 sites of 4G Band. All three netowrk providers are currently rolling out 5G.

 

Cellphone Plan Terminology:

  • Prepay: This is a type of phone plan that has no contract. You pay as much or as little in advance towards your phone bill.
  • Plan: It is a general term for the offer that you will be using to use your phone. It is often monthly but can also be weekly.
  • Pay as you go: Paying per text, call, data usage at a flat rate. It is the opposite of a “plan”.
  • Combo:It is a type of Prepay Plan. Each cellphone carrier offers multiple combos of their prepay offer to suit different needs. Combos are also known as “Bundles”, “Value Packs” or “Packs”.
  • Add-On: An Add-On is an extra small bundle added to a Combo to complement it. For example you are running out of data before the end of a month, you can get an Add-On of data.

Mins, Texts, Data

  • Mb: Mb stands for MegaBytes, this is the unit of measure for any data charge on a plan. If a plan includes 1gb of data, this equivalent to 1000mb.
  • Min: Min stands for “Minutes”. This is the unit of measure for any call charge on a plan. If a plan includes 1 hour, this equivalent to 60 minutes. Note that all mins mentioned are minutes spent calling New Zealand numbers, not overseas.
  • Text: Those are text messages sent from one phone to the other. Be aware that picture texts are called MMS and do not fit in this category.
  • When are you charged? In New Zealand, you will only be charged a minute or a text when you are calling or texting somebody. You are not charged when receiving a phone call or a text.

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