Customer Reviews

Eyewitness Travel Guide to New Zealand

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As an airline employee, I have found my new bible. This book is an excellent (pictoral) reference guide, skipping the usual 2 page historical write up on every attraction. It is very concise, has pictures of the area/attraction with an accurate two paragraph description of the place depicted with maps included. I purchased two other New Zealand books prior to this one, and borrowed 5 additional ones from a friend. This book was equivalent to having all 7 books in one. I would give the book a '10' if it contained the hours and admission prices to the attractions/events, however, it does not. I would also recommend to venture beyond the hotel/restaurant section listed as we found many fine establishments beyond their limited list. A great line of books to have if you want a quick overview of things to do in other countries. Once you've determined what to visit, then purchase the book with the historical write-ups.

I spent over 6 weeks traveling in New Zealand, driving from the Bluff in the South to the Cape in the North, and this Guide proved to be very useful. It is better illustrated and more narrowly focused on top attractions than the Lonely Planet which i used on my previous trips. The Lonely Planet was also excellent, and it was better on history and geography, but this Eyewitness Guide made choosing easier. Highly recommended.
PS - my own book about New Zealand is Straying from the Flock: Travels in New Zealand

Most people would buy a travel guidebook prior to the trip. I did it the other way round (I vacationed in NZ mid last year but bought the book one month ago). I certainly spared no time clicking the Add to Shopping Cart button when this title first appeared in the website. So... does the book measure up to my expectation? Definitely!!! The photos are great, the coverage on each area's attractions/activities extensive, and the maps up-to-date. It even covers information which I wasn't able to obtain from other guidebooks: special features on Coromandel gold fever, "Wellywood" (NZ's film-making industry), Nelson arts scene, West Coast coal-mining heritage, high country farming etc. If you need one book to show you how beautiful NZ is (in panorama and culture) and how to go about experiencing it, grab this book. You won't regret it. The editors have done a great job for a first edition. Be prepared to call your travel agent...!

My husband and I are planning a trip to NZ and this book has everything! The photos are wonderful and layout of the book lends very well to designing a travel itenerary. There are maps of everything, from a map of the entire country to very detailed maps of specific tourist sites. The only other thing you would need is a detailed road map of the country.