Now that we got most of your administrative work for your working holiday in New Zealand out of the way, the next most essential preparation you do when planning your move to New Zealand is making sure you have a roof above your head.
Read previous FAQs on Working Holiday in New Zealand for Singaporeans: 1. Getting There, Preparation, Administration 2. Transportation
Depending on what your intended purpose is, you might just be looking for a cheap accommodation to hole up while searching for a paying job. Or, you might be looking for housing that offers a job as well. Another option is to get free accommodation in exchange for a job. In any case, I break down the different options in this post.
For anyone that’s also intending to car camp but have never done so and are not sure what to expect, check out some of the commonly asked concerns about car camping below. It’s great general knowledge and not just specific to New Zealand, in case you are thinking of car camping sometime in the future. I did my first car camping experience in the US, and can relate to some of the advice here!
Are we able to book accommodation when we arrive or do we have to book in advance?
If you’re coming on working holiday, get your first week’s accommodation booked when you’ve decided which city to fly into. Take the week to sort your administrative stuff, and also decide where to go thereafter.
Try to look for accommodations at least 3 days in advance when you’ve decided that you’re moving on to another town. When you’re travelling and moving almost on a daily basis, it’s possible to book your accommodation 1 to 2 days beforehand.
If you’ve a big budget, it shouldn’t be an issue.
HOMESTAYS/ SHAREHOUSES/ HOSTELS
If you don’t mind crowds and love to interact and meet other travellers, homestays are a good option. If you do mind, look for those private room rentals in the forums.
Each homestay has about 15 people in a house – you can know more people but when it comes to cooking and showering, you’ll have to wait for your turn.
If you’re coming on a working holiday, you’re most likely to be booking sharehouses/ home stays. They’re plenty in both Auckland and Christchurch, and they range between NZD 110 – NZD 140/week. Most of these sharehouses don’t actually require a deposit to secure a booking, so you can contact them one month before arrival to check on availability and book with them.
Is it difficult to secure accommodation during summer (November/ December) period?
December is the school holidays in New Zealand as well.
Thus, you’re bound to find it more challenging to book an accommodation near attractions that are popular with tourists such as Queenstown, so those might be hard to find if you want to book during the summer holidays.
If you’re open to staying further away, you’ll have better luck at finding something.
If you’re flying into Auckland and wish to stay within the city centre, I don’t think there will be any difficulties booking a hostel (YHA or BBH) or Airbnb as well. The earlier you book, the more likely you’ll get a cheaper deal.
If you know that there may be a cricket game happening during that period, be sure to book early too!
What are some places to do homestays?
Noah homestay – Tel: 022 081 0680
Chifang – Tel: 021 258 4708
Richard – Tel: 022 390 4867
What hostels can you recommend in Queenstown?
Read: 9 Best Hostels in Queenstown, New Zealand
Sir Cedric’s Tahuna Pod Hostel
Absoloot Hostel Queenstown – Relatively new
YHA Queenstown Lakeside – It’s clean and has a strong heater. Room 2 is female only. Room 5 and 6 is near the toilet and the staircase to reception, so it can get noisy. If you’re taking the bus, the Intercity bus stop is just right in front of the hostel. It’s a 8 to 10-minute walk to Queenstown city central. You can also stroll along the lakeside while walking to town. Parking is also available on-site.
What hostels/ homestays can you recommend in Auckland?
Big Tree – Very comfortable, clean and the people are helpful. No minimum stay required. Run by a husband and wife, they have 4 houses in Auckland. They will put you in BigTree2 when you first arrive, which is about a 10-minute walk to Botany Town Centre. The only complaint is that they tend to squeeze too many people in one house. On the flipside, it’s a perfect opportunity to find travel buddies to road trip with. 大树 is usually working so Qian Yun (Tel: 642108382100), his wife, is usually more contactable as she’s more involved in the homestay business. Sometimes they will recommend jobs to you too. but that really depends on the season. You can also find them on Facebook; they usually reply within hours or on the same day.
Two H Homestay – At NZD 120/week, the couple taking care of the two houses are really friendly. The husband cleans up the place really well so the house is really clean. He’s a baker too so sometimes there are free bread or pastries from his bakery. Their almond croissants are unforgettable!
They go out of their way to help you with IRD (what is IRD?) and set up your bank account. You can do some grocery shopping too at the same time. The house has no rules at all, unlike others that have rules about shower time, etc. You may have to take the bus to Botany as it’s a 30-minute walk.
Any homestay to recommend in Te Puke?
Ivy, a Taiwanese – Tel: 0226876784
For a list of more homestays in Te Puke, you can check out this Taiwan Backpackers thread. Note that it’s in Mandarin.
What are some good recommendations for accommodation in Kaikoura?
What are some cheap accommodation in Wanaka?
Wanaka Bakpaka – Great view, big kitchen, but limited Wi-Fi.
Camping grounds are quite cheap.
Lake Outlet Holiday Park is another one. At only NZD 15.30 per person/day, it’s more than you can ask for.
Anyone has recommendations for where to camp in the car or stay in Queenstown area?
Haka Lodge – They are hostel beds with privacy curtains and own charging ports (a must!).
Alternatively, you can park at a remote carpark on the road to Glenorchy for a night.
There are also car-friendly, free campsites just further down from Cromwell, but it’s a bit of a drive out from both Queenstown and Wanaka.
DOC ones are cheap but most of them have no shower facilities
Do you know of any accommodation around Twizel? Homestays?
High Country Lodge, Motels & Backpackers
COUCHSURFING/ WWOOF/ HELPX
How does Couchsurfing work? How is it different from Airbnb? Where can you go to find places to Couchsurf?
Couchsurfing is an online platform where there are hosts that would host you for free because they are genuine about making new friends and learning about a new culture.
On the platform, you pick hosts based on the location you’re visiting and you can send requests to stay with them. If they’re free and willing to host you, they’ll accept your request. If they’re not, they might choose to meet you for dinner or to hang out.
Usually, they’d host you in their house for 1-2 nights, though there’re hosts that’ll let you stay for up to a week!
Couchsurfing in Cologne, Germany
I first tried Couchsurfing in Europe during my 6-month semester exchange there, and got hooked! Check out the rest of my Couchsurfing experiences here.
Is Helpx or WWOOF-ing a better option than Couchsurfing?
Helpx and WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) work in the way where you will work for your employer in exchange for free food and/or accommodation. You usually have to put in ~4hours/day. This is one way for you to save money and use the free time to look for a paying job.
As for Couchsurfing, the platform is not 100% foolproof. Depending on how well you sift through, you might encounter incredibly nice people or absolute weirdos, men who hosts only girls for sex or families who genuinely want to learn a new culture.
Read: Is Couchsurfing Safe? 6 Couchsurfing Lessons & Tips From Travelling Solo
If you just want to try out different types of jobs in NZ, then consider doing a work exchange instead, like Helpx. A lot of hosts on Helpx take in short-term helpers. It’s an ideal way to experience a breadth of different jobs in NZ.
Do alpaca villages offer WOOF-ing?
Yes and there are also jobs for backpackers. The landlord can find a job for you but you have to commit and stay there for a minimum of 3 months.
CAMPING
Has anyone slept in the car at South Island in winter?
Yes, and it’s fine.
Where do you get laundry done?
There is a laundry shop in every town.
Where do you get showers, cooking facilities if you’re camping and on a budget?
There’s one place at Gore in the South Island, among others. At only NZD 2-5, you get hot shower, power, laundry, dryer and a bar!
Go to a swimming pool to shower.
Go to McDonalds to brush your teeth and charge your electrical devices.
Go to I-Sites or petrol kiosks to brush your teeth.
Read: Prevent Pickpockets and Travel Worry-Free with These 10 Easy Tips
For sleeping in cars, do you need to go to designated areas like camp sites?
Yes, there are designated areas to sleep in.
What do you use as windows curtains for when you sleep in the car and where do you get it?
You can get those rolls of shades from a warehouse. They sell per tube and they have a lot of designs to choose from. Then DIY by attaching them with magnets or tape on your car.
Alternatively, use insect screens.
How do you deal with ventilation when you sleep in the van at night? Open windows? Won’t there be sand-flies or bugs flying in?
Unwind the windows a little bit just enough to prevent a hand from fitting through the gap. It does get cold at night.
Alternatively, you can still sleep without ventilation – it actually keeps you warm in winter. Wear thick winter clothing and sleep in a sleeping bag or have a duvet and it should be alright.
There aren’t bugs in the winter.
Did you guys also have a portable stove and cooler to cook food out of the back of the van or do you mostly dine out?
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- Eating our homecooked food in the campervan
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- Great weather calls for eating outdoors!
It’s always good to have a portable stove and extra canisters. You never know when you will get stuck / trapped somewhere with no food.
It’s possible to dine and cook in the front seat of our van because it was in the winter. It’s a better alternative than to cook at the back of the van where the air was cold, the fire was small, and it’s freezing.
Have a stable top to put your stove over. The stove is operated with a gas canister.
On that note, you should always have a fire extinguisher just in case of emergencies.
What’s the weather like at night?
It could be -6˚C in winter or colder, depending on where in New Zealand you’re in. As long as you use a good sleeping bag with thermal wear, layer well with clothes and have a thick duvet, you should be able to get through winter.
Other tips
Have pillows stuck at the bottom of the sleeping bag and some clothes at the door so less chill wind will get into the car and to your toes.
No matter what you do, do NOT sleep with the engine on.
It’s not advisable to sleep in the car in Queenstown as the police are quite prompt. There’s a campsite near to Queenstown, about a 20-minute drive.
Is it possible to sleep in the car in Taupo area?
Yes. There’s a campsite right by the river. It’s pretty nice, with a few flat grounds. You don’t need to be there early; usually even at 8-9pm, you can still get a spot.
The toilet is a walkable distance, though please make sure to have a torch or a head lamp because there aren’t any lights.
On good, sunny days, the mornings in Taupo is super foggy so drive safe if you plan to wake up early.
Read: What Exactly Happens When You're Skydiving at 15,000 Ft in Taupo, New Zealand?
Where is a secret safe spot to sleep in a car in Wanaka?
“I slept on the street behind in Wanaka. It’s quiet and kind of dark though, but there’s a streetlight. There were some other cars parked there cause it’s a housing street. We pretended it’s a “parked” car.”
