Three days in New Zealand shattered my spending philosophy
Three days in New Zealand shattered my spending philosophy😭💸
It turns out there really is a place that can slim down my wallet successfully, yet make my eyes and social circle feast like crazy! November in New Zealand is like a springtime limited edition oil painting world in the Southern Hemisphere🏔️🌸.
Day 1: Lake Tekapo · Lupins and the Milky Way “Double Kill”
Set off early from Christchurch by car, the snow-capped mountains outside the window looked like a matcha cake with cream🍦🏔️. After a 3-hour rush to Lake Tekapo, I was instantly surrounded by a sea of pink and purple lupins—the lake was Tiffany blue, the flower sea was Monet colors, and this Instagram lover screamed until my phone storage was full📸💖!
The Church of the Good Shepherd is free to check in, with small window frames framing the snowy mountain and lake view like a world-famous painting. But the real jackpot is at night! This is the world’s first dark sky reserve, where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye🌌. I looked up until my neck stiffened, and I made three wishes on shooting stars in one go (getting rich, losing weight, and coming back again).
Lunch was a wild salmon donburi feast at the lakeside Kohan restaurant, the fish was jiggly like jelly, and the wasabi hit straight to the brain🐟💥. At night, I stayed in the starry sky room at Peppers Bluewater, where the skylight lets you lie down and chase the aurora (unfortunately didn’t catch it, but the host’s hot chocolate was so sweet it was worth it!).
Day 2: Mount Cook · Glacier Hiking and “Bankrupting” Helicopter Ride
On the second day, we headed straight to Mount Cook, passing by Lake Pukaki (the real emerald lake!). I originally wanted to save money by hiking, but couldn’t resist splurging on the glacier helicopter tour—my wallet hurt but I was happy! When the helicopter roared to take off, my hands holding the camera were shaking: beneath me was a thousand-year-old blue glacier, and the distant snow mountains looked like giant cream cakes. Another item checked off my life list✅🚁.
But the cost performance was really unbeatable! New Zealand glaciers are half the price of those in Northern Europe, and the pilot kindly hovered so we could take enough “pretending to land on the moon” shots. After descending, we went to a salmon farm where the freshly sliced sashimi was sweeter than first love. Eating while watching the snow mountains reflected in the lake instantly made me understand what “scenery with food is priceless” means🍣🏔.
Day 3: Queenstown · Snow Mountain Hot Springs and Burgers Bigger Than Your Face
On the last day, we rushed to Queenstown and took the Skyline gondola straight up. Coffee at the top with a panoramic view, the butter croissant was so fragrant it should be reported🥐, but even better was the sunset scooter ride—rushing down the mountain against the pink-purple sunset, the wind singing “Wild Wolf Disco” in my ears🎢💨.
In the afternoon, I booked the Onsen cliffside wooden barrel hot spring, which I had to reserve two months in advance! Soaking in the 40°C private hot spring while watching the Shotover River freeze, starry sky + mulled wine = soul out of body✨♨️. The key is the hot spring temperature can be adjusted yourself, and with the press of a button, the roof can open or close, so you don’t have to worry about getting drenched in the rain.
Dinner had to be the legendary Fergburger. The guy in front of me in line said, “This place supports half of Queenstown.” Biting into the juicy lamb burger, the pickles and sauce danced in my mouth, and the size was two times bigger than my face. I was so full I had to lean on the wall, and it only cost 80 yuan🍔💥.
I spent nearly 5,000 yuan in three days, but every penny was spent on the G-spot of scenery! New Zealand’s high prices are clearly marked as “worth it on earth”—hiking is free, stargazing is free, snow mountains as background music are free, and while my wallet got slimmer, my social circle got fatter. This trip was not a loss📮💖.
📌 November Survival TIPS
🌦️ Weather changes faster than an ex: November’s late spring winds are strong, so a windbreaker + fleece liner is a lifesaver. Use skirts for photos, then wrap up like a dumpling after shooting.
🚗 Rent a car with snow tires!: We didn’t, and the car danced a waltz on the ice, almost performing “drifting on Akina Mountain.”
📸 Lupin photo spots: The densest flower sea is on the east side of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Shoot in the afternoon with the light for a bluer lake.
💳 Hidden perks: Some merchants offer exchange rate discounts with Alipay, but ask about fees before using cards (some charge 1.8%).
If romance had a shape, it would definitely be November in New Zealand❄️🌸—snow still on the mountaintops, flowers blooming by the lake, hiking all day, soaking in hot springs and counting stars at night… Here’s the guide, like for guaranteed love and wealth in 2025!
The skyline in Queenstown is similar to other cities in New Zealand, and Luge is worth a try. However, buying multiple tickets may be worth it, but it may be a waste if you get tired of playing. My friend just finds queuing and taking the cable car very tried, although she bought six tickets but only played twice.
Family trip, bring children with you. For children, the scenery on the top of the mountain is not impressive, but the skyline luge is really fun.
The cable car experience is not much different from that in China, but Queenstown is really beautiful, the bird's-eye view is amazing, and you can take photos and download electronic photos for free with your ticket. In addition, the scooter is really fun, and the 6-lap ride is cost-effective
A global Internet celebrity attraction that is definitely worth checking in. You must check in, you must check in, you must check in. I say it three times! During the peak tourist season, you must buy tickets in advance, otherwise you will have to queue up at the ticket office to buy tickets and then queue up to exchange tickets.
Today I finally reached the top of Queenstown Mountain. I stayed in Queenstown for 5 days. Today is the 3rd day. The weather was very good a few days ago, sunny and cloudy. Today it was cloudy and there were showers, but the weather was relatively cool today. We struggled for a few days and chose the not-so-good weather to go to the top of the mountain, because we will leave Queenstown the day after tomorrow. The most important thing I want to say is that I did not take Skyline. I climbed to the top of the mountain by myself. It is said that Queenstown is the birthplace of extreme sports. Today I will experience mountaineering, because the mountaineering road is not as easy as imagined. There is basically no proper road. Sometimes you need to use all four limbs at the same time. Speaking of this, I want to say that because I am no longer young, I am a 53-year-old middle-aged man, so it took us a total of 2 hours to reach the top of the mountain. And today is my 53rd birthday, which is very meaningful. Along the way, we walked through the forest and picked up two wooden sticks, which helped me climb to the top of the mountain. The scenery is beautiful, completely different from the scenery seen on the cable car. This is my first time to experience this kind of mountaineering and I will never forget it. We took SkyⅠline to go down the mountain. Because it was raining, it was better to take the cable car. The one-way ticket is 25 SGD per person. The scenery is also beautiful. In short, it is worth coming here today.
You can take the Sky Cable Car to the mountains near Queenstown, which is the best place to overlook the beautiful scenery of Queenstown. The cable car is divided into two types: glass cabin and air seat. You can choose according to your preferences. Especially the cable car with seats, it is a bit scary, but the scenery is really beautiful.
The Sky Cable Car in Queenstown is definitely worth a ride. It goes up the mountain slope. The surrounding scenery is in full view, with snow-capped mountains in the distance, lakes nearby, and towns below. It is really beautiful beyond words, and it is really refreshing and makes people sigh at the beauty of nature.
Taking the Sky Gondola + overlooking Bob Peak is the first choice for many tourist projects in Queenstown. Bob Peak is on the north side of Queenstown, and the Sky Gondola is on the south slope of Bob Peak. The lower station of the cable car is 340 meters above sea level and is located on the north side of the commercial district in the center of Queenstown; the upper station is 790 meters above sea level and is located in an open area on the south slope close to the top of the mountain: the track elevation is 37.1º, which is the steepest cable car track in the Southern Hemisphere. Walk north from Leith Street for 10 minutes, climb the 30-meter-high white Bob steps, and you will arrive at the lower station of the cable car. Sit in the spacious and bright 4-seater cabin. As the height and perspective change, the scenery gradually moves away and the scenery becomes more and more beautiful. After 8 minutes of comfortable and smooth operation, you will arrive at the upper station of the cable car. The upper station of the cable car is connected to the Sky Gondola Restaurant. On the outer edge of the second floor of the restaurant, there is an L-shaped sightseeing corridor and several protruding viewing platforms. Standing on the viewing corridor and viewing platform, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown from 270°. Looking south, you can see beautiful scenery from far to near. In the distance, the Remarkable Mountains are undulating and majestic. In the near distance, the roads in Queenstown are crisscrossed and the roofs are lined up. At the junction of the near and far, the two peninsulas (Queenstown Golf Course and Queenstown Gardens) and the two bays (Queenstown Bay and Frankton Bay) on the surface of Lake Wakatipu are clearly visible. The sparkling lake, the green peninsula, and the winding and elegant coastline constitute the most beautiful picture of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The photos taken are representative works of New Zealand's beautiful scenery.