New Zealand Books

New Zealand (Country Guide)

Charles Rawlings-Way et, al.

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Editorial Review:

Featuring contributions by Kiwi food experts, historians, and musicians, this guide contains loads of information on New Zealand's thriving organic establishments and Maori community-based tourism operators. Expanded chapters on outdoor activities and Maori culture.

New Zealand (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE)

DK Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

New Zealand Eyewithess Travel Guide is great for planning 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Eyewithess Travel Guides give the best overall overview of any travel book or other travel product - good organization; great pictures, maps and other graphics; interesting & concise text and descriptions about history, national foods and beverages, etc.; good suggestions for lodging and eating. They are excellet resource and reference books, but they are concise enough to give a relatively complete overview but short enough to quickly convey information, especially if you do not have a lot of free time.

I believe that carefully reading about a desination is important for planning any trip. The Eyewithess Travel Guides are the best way to obtain that overview and prioritize where you want to go. The New Zealand guide is enormous help to us with our planning.

Editorial Review:

Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell.

Frommer's New Zealand (Frommer's Complete)

Adrienne Rewi

Amazon Price: $15.63 List Price: $22.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Frommers Amazon Marketplace: 53 new & used starting at $12.34

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Alright, could be better 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book because it had a good name behind it, but this guide is lacking what I need, pictures and MAPS! Not a great start to a trip to a country I've never been. After recently browsing a book store I found New Zealand by Insight Guides to be much more sufficient! It is under Discovery Channel so it's legit! Overall this book has been helpful but I think the target audience is older and much better off monetarily than I.

Editorial Review:

Written by a New Zealand resident, and full of personal insights and opinions, this guide takes you to one of the world’s most exciting ecotourism destinations! It’s much more complete and in-depth than its major competition.
Whether you’re dreaming of hiking along the Marlborough Sound, trout fishing in Lake Rotorua, driving the Milford Road, or feasting on sumptuous green-lipped mussels or succulent lamb, this detailed guide will help you plan the trip of a lifetime. You’ll also find the latest on nightlife in Auckland and Wellington and the best places to lay your head after an adventure-filled day.

AA Road Atlas: New Zealand (AA Road Atlases)

AA Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A great help for tourists... 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

If you're planning on renting a car in another country to do some sightseeing, I highly recommend this series of Road Atlas. I have several of them from different countries and all of them are extremely helpful when you want to make your own route for a driving excursion. It is large scale, with excellent detail on roads and routes. A must have for driving in other countries.

Editorial Review:

Discover New Zealand's clearest mapping with this new large format atlas from the experts at the AA in association with Hema Maps. Including information on distances and journey times, map symbols, route planning, and keys to map pages, this is the perfect companion for travelling through New Zealand. Each page is titled with its geographical location so you can turn to the page you need more easily. There is additional information on more than 600 campsites, motor caravan and motorhome dump stations, 20 city maps, plus the Top 25 Places to See and the Top 20 Things to Do. The Lord of the Rings film locations are also shown on the mapping, so you can visit the set locations used for the films.

The Rough Guide to New Zealand 6 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Laura Harper, Tony Mudd, Paul Whitfield

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Rough Guide to New Zealand is the essential guidebook to this spectacular destination, with exhaustive practical information, a full-colour introduction and hundreds of restaurant and hotel listings. Make the most of the astonishing variety of New Zealand, from the craggy coastlines and sweeping beaches, to the bubbling volcanic mud pools and fast-flowing rivers. More detailed than its competitors, this completely updated guide features colour sections highlighting Maori culture, adventure sports and the country’s unique ecology. Catering for every traveller, from wine buffs to Lord of the Rings freaks, The Rough Guide to New Zealand is heaving with historical and cultural detail and is packed with new maps and more photos – it even finds time to teach you the world-famous haka!

Tramping in New Zealand (Walking)

Jim DuFresne

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Easy tramping in New Zealand 4 out of 5 stars.
70 of 70 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book for planning a tramping trip to New Zealand, although it's a bit too much to carry while actually hiking. The book contains good references and maps to the most popular tracks, and some of the lesser known tracks. If your tight on cash, I recommend going to the visitor centers in New Zealand and picking up the DOC pamphlets they supply. D.O.C. has detailed pamphlets on pretty much every track in New Zealand and they only charge about 50 cents (US) for each one. But if you want to plan a trip from home, this is the book to get, it's far easier to understand than the other New Zealand tramping books, and gives good information on what you need to bring. It also gives good info on the New Zealand back country hut system. Buy a hut pass, they're only 35 bucks (US) for a year. It even supplies some decent fly fishing tips for the rivers that border some of the tracks. But be warned that almost every other tourist hiker in New Zealand also has this book, so if you really want to get away from people, you'll have to do some bushwacking.

Editorial Review:

Make tracks across the spectacular range of New Zealand landscapes. The deep valleys of Fiordland and Mt Aspiring beckon, the Marlborough Sounds call, the volcanoes of Tongariro are steaming. Explore on foot the natural wonders of this country from coast to Cook.

In This Guide:
Foreword by New Zealand adventurer Peter Hillary.
53 detailed trail descriptions for trampers of all levels.
Color section on the Great Walks of New Zealand.
Two-color contour maps for all featured tramps.
Essential accommodation and transport information.
Expert advice on equipment, health and environmentally responsible walking.

The Rough Guide to New Zealand Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)

Rough Guides

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Best Map of New Zealand W/O a Doubt! 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This is a great map of New Zealand. Its unfortunate that it is becoming hard to find.

The map was printed a few years ago, so some things have changed, but for 95% of the areas you would be traveling to it is very accurate. Most of the changes are not the addition or changing of streets but rather the condition of the roads. Many roads that are said to be unsealed are now sealed, especially in the North Island.

The map is also made out of a plastic type material that is waterproof. You could dump a bucket of water on the map and it would still be fine, maybe just cleaner! Wish they made all maps out of this material.

Great map if you can find it, and its worth the hunt!

Straying from the Flock: Travels in New Zealand

Alexander Elder

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 39 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Kindle your Wanderlust! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful travel narrative: entertaining, informative, fun. As I eagerly turned pages, I felt I was taking a "virtual trip" to NZ (both North and South islands), and one that provided me a sense of familiarity when I made an actual trip there in March 2008. Dr. Elder shares his quirky observations about the people, "straying from the flock" alternative lodgings like homestays and farmstays, the country's history, the local food and wine, and some key destinations on both islands. His highlights of places to see -- like Auckland, Queenstown, Rotorua -- and activities unique to each guided me in planning my own itinerary. The only aspect of the book that proved somewhat "dated" was the reported cost of everything. Clearly, when Dr. Elder made his trip, the exchange rate was much more favorable to the US$ than it is has become in the last year or so. (For example, when he paid NZ$100 for something, it cost him less than US$50. That would translate into about US$80 in today's market.)
In summary, for anyone contemplating a trip to NZ, or just curious about this faraway land, I recommend this book as an essential part of your research and planning.

Editorial Review:

An illuminating road trip through the history, life, and attractions of one of the most beautiful countries in the southern hemisphere
The beauty and grandeur of New Zealand has captured the imagination of movie-goers over the past couple of years, and the country is a dream destination for many around the world. Straying from the Flock is an intimate and personal account of one passionate traveler's visit to this incredible country, its mountains and beaches, fjords, rainforests, vineyards, and hidden eateries. Each of the fifty chapters describes one day in his travels-fishing, flying, cattle herding, befriending locals at every turn. Filled with colorful stories and memorable personalities, the book not only describes the trip of a lifetime, but captures a life-altering experience for its writer. From mountains and rainforests to cities and beaches, Straying from the Flock is both a moving memoir and personal travel guide to this amazing country.

Fodor's New Zealand 2009 (Fodor's Gold Guides)

Fodor's

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Editorial Review:

Fodor’s. For Choice Travel Experiences.

Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. Although you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in New Zealand!

·Updated annually, Fodor’s New Zealand provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.

·Fodor’s New Zealand features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.

·If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in New Zealand.

·Experience New Zealand like a local! Fodor’s New Zealand includes choices for every traveler, from sunbathing and surfing to bushwalking and horseback riding, and much more!

·Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.

·Includes unique, color photos that illustrate the country's history and local activities and a full-color, pullout map of New Zealand.

Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.

New Zealand (Country Guide)

Carolyn Bain

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Disappointed with this guidebook 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

For years I have relied on Lonely Planet guidebooks as one of my primary travel sources for information. After returning from a self-guided 2 week car trip through New Zealand's north and south islands, my wife and I were both in agreement that this guide was not up to par and disappointing compared to other LP guidebooks. Restaurant information in Christchurch and other towns was already outdated. Hotel information was not comprehensive and I found better information for planning our lodging on the internet before we left home. Things to see and do in towns besides nightlife and museums was sparse, and excursions to interesting places off highways was sketchy. We finally put the book away and stopped referring to it since we were better able to explore on our own. New Zealand has one of the world's best tourist information systems throughout the country which helps travelers find or plan lodging, activities, transportation, virtually anything that would be helpful to the tourist. Offices are located throughout the country under the "i" signs for information, even in the smallest towns. Maps are freely available everywhere, as are also helpful free booklets and brochures for each region you may visit. For general information, this guidebook will answer many of your basic questions, but I would suggest looking at several other books for planning your journey and guiding you along your way in New Zealand.

Editorial Review:

The sun shows up here first for a reason. Come for bracing light or caverns underground, glacial valleys or black volcanic sand. Tour every landscape on earth, all rolled into one country. Dig for pipis on the beach, or sample oysters on a platter. Savour solitude with a view, or city culture. Things are never just black and white in New Zealand.

Stick Out Your Tongue – taste the freshest seafood, world-class wines, or the best lamb roast there is.

Roll Your Eyes – yet another magnificent view of mystical mountains, braided river plains or calming coastlines.

Slap Your Thighs – a good time’s easy to find, from happening Auckland to waterfront Wellington.

Stand Up Proud – and experience Maori culture firsthand: take part in a powhiri, or fill your puku at a hangi.

Run At It Shouting – bungy jump, sea kayak, surf, trek and hit the white water with the best of them.