Reviews (14)

Leaves A Reader More Excited Than Ever To Get To New Zealand!
Like other volumes in this series, this book does what I think is a first-rate job of pointing out sites of interest most other guides wouldn't think to include. The Lonely Planet books are not for every traveler but for anyone who wants to leave the more typical tourist locations behind, it is truly valuable. It is loaded with (the usual) practical information a first-time visitor to New Zealand might need and I think it will save A LOT of time and trouble with its helpful tips and suggestions. I am really pumped by this book and found it excellent.

Simply outdated for 2006 travel
I am near the end of my 1 month stay in NZ, and in the past month, I have encountered too many instances where I relied on LP's info but found it to be erroneous.Trains/ferries no longer running, activities/tours no longer in operation, and restaurants that have closed (in various regions). This book has proven to be a disappointment for 2006.(Thank god for the internet so I am able double-check everything.)

Mom loves it
I bought this book for my mom, who is spending three months in New Zealand.She says she loves it and reads in it all the time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. New Zealand    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

These books can't be beat and are top choices for destination-oriented travelers
NEW ZEALAND achieves the same for that country, packing all into a pocket-sized tote which is just easy enough to take along, yet compromises nothing in the amount of detail offered. From driving and walking tours to cultural insights, these books can't be beat and are top choices for destination-oriented travelers wanting visual excitement paired with practical facts.
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Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Reviews (11)

Start Your Planning Here
Overall the Eyewitness series is the best travel guide collection being published, not only for the fact that it is fun to look through and read in its own right, because of the way it shows the sites in beautiful color illustrations, but also because of the wealth of information and the well-thought-out selections its editors include. These books are comprehensive and interesting and great to own, whether one is planning a trip abroad or simply wants to see the sites in foreign places. This '03 edition has been a big help to me in planning my trip to New Zealand, and the '06 edition, due in August, is something I can't wait to get.

Highly Recommend
I made a mistake and bought the Essential New Zealand AAA guide before I had discovered this series. That was an error, that book is very short and lacking in most of the details.
Useful, all around guide
This guide was recommended by friends with family now living in NZ.
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Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Guidebooks    4. New Zealand    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. New Zealand    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Reviews (8)

The best of all NZ guide books
When purchasing a NZ guide book, I wanted the best one so that I only had to buy one book.I reviewed other buyers' comments which all seemed to point to the Rough Guide as being the best one out there.They were right.This is book is extremly helpful and has all the topics covered that I was looking for.The authors' account of places/things in NZ does not seem biased, like many travel books are.The book tells me which destinations are worth going to, how to get there, how to get around, where to sleep/eat, what activities are worth doing, etc.All advice is catered to both people traveling on a budget and to those willing to spend more money.I am very happy with my purchase.

a very useful guide book
Granted, it's a large book to carry around, but with this and a few local brochures, my New Zealand trip was painless (and I was driving, not hiking). Even though I found an amazing amount of information at the information centers that are everywhere, I'm still glad I bought this guide.
Best book if weight is not an issue
I'd agree with much of what Terry Holmes says (see review below).This book is bigger than Lonely Planet and the layout is different but for me, it was the better book.
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Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. New Zealand    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. New Zealand    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Features

• Folded Map

Subjects:  1. General    2. Maps    3. Maps & Road Atlases    4. Travel    5. Travel - General    6. New Zealand    7. Travel / General    8. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (28)

Made Me Want To Go
Alex Elder has the rare ability to combine history, culture, cuisine, geography, and adventurewith the personal involvement and insight of an experienced, thoughtful person. Elder always knows when geography or history or personal anecdotes are appropriate. From how to get to a glacierby helicopter or where to find the best fishing guide, Elder's book is full of timely information.But some of ther best reading comes when Elder tells of his excursions and his meals and his interactions with New Zealanders. Some chapters read like suspenseful popular novels. It is rare to find such an informative trove so well written.You will want to travel to New Zealand after reading STRAYING FROM THE FLOCK.

Not all that
I bought this book in preparation for a move to NZ for three years.It is a nice quaint little story, but not helpful in the least if one is traveling to NZ.I agree with the other reviewer about the whiny tone of the book.Apparently, Dr. Elder, like most Americans (unfortunately), feel that the world is theirs for consuming.I don't think that the book gave an accurate account of the people of NZ, nor the changing NZ culture in the face of rampant globalization, which is what I had hoped for given the author's expertise.One positive aspect of the book, however, is the historical introduction that it provides.It is well-weaved into the story and does provide a useful framework for learning more.

Not particularly helpful if you are planning a trip to NZ
Having just returned from a month-long trip to NZ, I had bought this book beforehand, hoping that it would provide me with some ideas or insight for my trip.Not possible.The author spent way too much time worrying (and whining) about the personal details of his homestays and dining arrangements. Do not buy this book if you want to plan a trip to NZ.It might be useful if you are interested in homestays, but only if you expect 150% from each homestay and are not ready to forgive the occasional idiosyncratic ways and needs of all human beings.The New Zealanders were mostly charming and engaging when we visited (July 2006).This book did not give that impression. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1950-    2. Australia & Oceania - General    3. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    4. Description and travel    5. Elder, Alexander,    6. New Zealand    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign    9. Australasia, Oceania & Other Land Areas    10. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    11. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Reviews (1)

Usefull stuff in, out with the rest...
I bought this book 2 months ago while planing a trip to OZ & NZ later on this year.
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Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - Australia    2. Australia & Oceania - General    3. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    4. General    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel - General    8. Travel Guides    9. Australia    10. New Zealand    11. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. New Zealand    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Subjects:  1. Australia    2. Australia & Oceania - Australia    3. Australia & Oceania - General    4. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    5. Guidebooks    6. New Zealand    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign    9. Travel & holiday guides    10. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Reviews (3)

The guide I was looking for...(as always..)
I am already planning my trip based at the book and it is does a pretty good on job at describing the places and best sites to see..
good overall
i used this book on a recent trip to new zealand, and for the most part it was great.my one complaint was with a restaurant recommended by the book in auckland that turned out to cater to large tour groups and served expensive sub-standard food.but on the otherhand, another restaurant recommended (joe's garage in queenstown) turned out to be a highlight of the trip.so, as with all guidebooks, i think the information has to be taken with a grain of salt and it's better to get a second local opinion.the maps and general local information were very helpful for navigation and for deciding what to do each day.worth it overall.

Sound Guide....
Better than most, but less informative and readable than the Eyewitness Guides. (The one on New Zealand is being updated now for an August release.) I think more guidebooks should start incorporating that format into their titles---sacrifice a few details for more showcasing of locations worth noting. Still, this is a sound source for information and it's one to keep with you when you travel. In one or two instances, I found information in Fodor's that was ONLY in Fodor's and nowhere else, so the research is obviously extensive. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. New Zealand    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Atlases - General    2. Australia & Oceania - General    3. Maps & Road Atlases    4. Reference    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. NEW ZEALAND_MAPS    8. New Zealand    9. Travel / Maps & Road Atlases    10. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Australia & New Zealand - General    2. Australia & Oceania - Australia    3. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    4. Photo Essays    5. Photo Techniques    6. Photography    7. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    8. Travel - Foreign   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. New Zealand    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Australia    2. Australia & New Zealand - Australia    3. Collections Of Photographs    4. Photo Essays    5. Photography    6. Pictorial works    7. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Australasia    8. Photographs: collections   

Reviews (2)

The Perfect Travel Companion
I was amazed to read the current review surrounding the Footprint New Zealand Handbook and would like to rally to its support! Look elsewhere for guidance on New Zealand
I purchased this guide as a break from the Lonely Planet guide I used the last time visiting New Zealand three years ago.With that guide, I encountered the same travelers again and again.This was my second trip--the first was two weeks touring by motorcycle, this second trip was for 6 weeks engaged in a variety of activities on both the North and South islands.Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign   

Features

• Folded Map

Subjects:  1. Atlases - General    2. Australia & Oceania - General    3. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Maps & Road Atlases    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. New Zealand    9. Travel / Australia & Oceania    10. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel / Australia & Oceania   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Australia & Oceania - New Zealand    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. New Zealand    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Australia & Oceania