I was so happy to make the decision to drive out to Rotorua from Auckland. First of all, the drive is beautiful and breathtaking. And that’s saying a lot because I truly hate driving. The landscaping is something out of a movie, literally lol Here is why I said that. On your way to Rotorua you’re gonna want to make a stop in Matamata. It’s about 2 hours + from Auckland. Here is where the Hobbiton Movie Set is located. It’s like a dream. Like being in an actual movie. Very whimsical, magical, fun, great place for million pics. It’s where the Lord of the Rings was made. And if you’re a LOR fan, you will go crazy. I’m not even one and I loved it. After you’re done with all the fun in Hobbiton, you can continue with the rest of your drive to Rotorua. It’s about 1 more hour drive from Matamata. I found Rotorua to be very charming little town. It doesn’t look it but there is so much to do. Lots of activities. If you’re looking to relax, lots of spas and mud baths. I took off a star in my rating for relaxation b/c it’s not an idle location for me for relaxation. Love beachy destinations for that. But so much adventure. You have the Skyline Rotorua for example where you could partake in various activities such as the Luge, Zipline, Mountain Biking, SkySwing, Wine Tasting and much more. You definitely want to take the ride up to top of the mountain to partake in amazing view of the city and I’d advise you to stay so that you can enjoy the sunset over drinks at Stratosfare Restaurant when you’re on top. Great food and wine selection and of course amazing view. You can also go to The Agrodome Rotorua and hang out with farm animals. Per some lambs and bunnies. I never thought this would be fun but it was and spent couple hours just enjoying being around nature and creatures. Lots of hiking, waterfalls, drive out to the beach where you can dig yourself a hole and enjoy a hot spring, enjoy an evening of good food and show at the Tamaki Village where you get to experience indigenous people and culture. Some of my other favorite things to do was jogging around town and exploring the little boutique interesting stores like a cat cafe with adorable kitties where you can have great coffee and hang out with the kitties. Or just admiring the government building structure and gardens. Such a beauty. There are lots and lots of options for dining for many palate. But I can’t talk about Rotorua and not mention the stink. Lol he’s you read that right. The whole town does stink of sulphur. To me it smelled of rotten eggs. It comes and goes depending on where you are and which direction wind blows. It’s a geothermal wonderland, therefore the beauty comes with some of the yuck :) But if you are in Auckland, you want to visit as there isn’t much to do in Auckland. Just another city and Rotorua isn’t so much more fun and interesting.

Melbourne was a wonderful surprise to me. I visited after Sydney and my first impressions wasn’t so great since I loved Sydney so much. But incense I started exploring it was amazing. I stayed in the CBD at the Langham. Amazing hotel and luxurious accommodations. I highly recommend. It was really easy to get around the city. Even though they have Hop On Hop Off buses I wouldn’t recommend Bc the city has free Tram that you can get in and it gets you in most of the city’s cool places. If you venture out of the free tram zone the fee is minimal or you could simply walk. A very walkable city. If you’re a foodie, you will be in foodie heaven. It’s a melting pot and you can find all sorts of cuisines - from Korean, to French, to ITALIAN, to Vietnamese and so much more. My favorite was a small Cafe I stumbled across while walking called Breizoz French Creperie in the Fitzroy area. It was simply best crepe I’ve ever had. Even better than those I’ve had in Paris. And the coffee just like all cafe’s in Melbourne is amazing. If you’re a coffee snob like most Australians, you’re also in coffee heaven when you’re in Melbourne. I never thought I’d love the coffee as much as I did and when I left I knew that would be what I would miss most. It’s different and it tastes amazing. You can’t go wrong at any Café. I suggest getting on the free tram and making your way to the Federation square and walking Dow. Swanson st. Lots to do and see. So much shopping too if you like that. The National Art Galleria of Victoria should be high on your list if you love art and want to Fred your creative palate. Its also free to enter and explore. The streets are filled with different characters and it’s great to just ppl watch while sitting at a cafe. Be sure to also enjoy quiet time at Victoria Botanical Garden. It is exquisite and was one of my favorite things to do. If you’re in Melbourne you must do a day trip or couple days trip out on the Great Ocean Road. The view is simply amazing. You can see the Gorge and Shipwreck beach. There is nothing I can put in words that would remotely describe the beauty. But even more amazing is the 12 Apostles. Especially at sunset as you gaze upon the sky turning orange and teasing the Pacific. Just being there, taking it all in is a feeling that I’ll always cherish.

I didn’t care much for Auckland. It’s just another city imo. It’s always nice to be in a new city but no need to stay more than a day maybe 2 in Auckland. It makes sense to come to Auckland if planning to explore the northern parts of the country like going to Rotorua, Matamata Waitomo, Waiheke, Bay of Islands etc. if going to the northern part of the country, then definitely it’s worth checking out Auckland for a day or two. You have queen street where you can find your high end shopping stores. Personally I don’t like to go halfway around the world to do shopping at stores I already have access to in my own home country. I prefer doing things that are unique or site seeing etc. If you're In Auckland I recommend checking out Skytower. It’s really beautiful by day and night seeing the city from from so high up in the sky. If you’re a dare devil you can also do their SkyJump, or SkyWalk. I wouldn’t dare. LoL take sometime gazing into the city and get coffee or ice cream at the Sky Cafe. I’d also suggest taking queen street and waking all the way to the harbor where there is more shopping and dining options. I recommend dining at Oyster & Chop. It’s an awesome sea food dining and their cocktails are also pretty good. You can also take a day trip to Waiheke Island and explore vineyards and have fun wine tasting. Other than that I highly recommend renting a car and taking a drive to Matamata to visit Hobbiton Movie Set (you won’t be disappointed) - about 2 hours drive from Auckland. About an hour from Matamata you have the town of Rotorua. If you’re exploring northern part of the island I highly suggest staying in Rotorua. There is lots to do there for adventure, relaxation and dining etc. If it is your first time in New Zealand and you have a lot of time, then you should take a flight to the South Island - such as Queenstown. The South Island part of New Zealand is more beautiful and breathtaking.

When you arrive in Fiji, you’re likely to arrive to Nadi via Nadi International Airport. Nadi is where most tourists go as there are so many adventures to embark on and so much beauty in nature to enjoy. If you only have a handful days in Fiji, I suggest simply staying in Nadi or Denarau island (which is a short 30 min drive by car from the international airport) and enjoying activities such as hiking, relaxing by the beaches, Cloud 9 (a floating bar - also have ITALIAN food - about 45 minute speedboat ride from Denarau port), island hopping excursions, snorkeling etc. if you are traveling in a group you may want to charter a private boat from Denarau and go out into the pacific to different snorkeling and island destinations. I’d also highly suggest taking time to explore the city of Nadi. You can do a half day or full day, visiting different sites such as the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, Fiji Custom Village where you can learn about Fijian traditions and experiencing Fijian lifestyle, and a visit to the Sri Siva temple (so beautiful and makes for a great backdrop on your IG pics ?). If you have plenty time (more than a week) you can also opt to hop on a plane and visit some of the other destinations in the South Pacific. Sydney, Australia is a short 4 hour flight from Nadi International. You can also visit other islands in Fiji by plane such as Vanau Levu and Savusavu. Flights within Fiji is very cheap. You can find domestic flights as low as $30-$50. As far as accommodation, if you want more of a luxury experience, you can never go wrong with the Sofitel Fiji. If you’re more of a budget traveler, Fiji is back packer heaven as there are many accommodations for every budget. You will love Fijians. They are very friendly, eager to help, and always smiling. Everyone is going to greet you with “Bula” or “Nisa Bula” which means hello.