Honest review after 17 days — mostly great, a few gripes

Visited New Zealand for 17 days. The positives are real: Bay of Islands is every bit as impressive as advertised, and the food scene around Christchurch is genuinely excellent — try manuka honey if you haven't. warm Kiwi hospitality was an unexpected bonus.

That said, very expensive. It's not a dealbreaker but worth knowing before you go. I'd still recommend New Zealand to most travellers — just manage your expectations on those specific points and you'll have a great time.