Honest Wellington: is it worth it?
Straight-talking Wellington advice: tourist traps, is Weta Workshop worth it, wind survival tips and beating the crowds.
Read our in-depth guides
Cook Strait ferry booking pitfalls
Common Cook Strait ferry booking mistakes — tight connections, car booking confusion, seasonal delays and refund policies — and how to avoid each one.
Kaikōura as a day trip: reality check
Kaikōura from Wellington takes 5-8 hours each way via the Cook Strait ferry. An honest look at why it doesn't work as a day trip, and what to do instead.
Realistic Wellington trip budget
An honest breakdown of what a Wellington trip actually costs — accommodation, food, transport and attractions in real NZD figures by season and tier.
Wellington tourist traps & overpriced spots
An honest list of Wellington's overpriced tourist traps — waterfront cafés, harbour ferry add-ons, souvenir pricing — with better-value alternatives.
Wellington wind survival guide
A practical guide to Wellington's famous wind — how strong it gets, which streets are worst, what to pack, and how to plan a trip around it.
Weta Workshop: worth the money?
Weta Workshop costs NZ$50-85 for roughly 1-1.5 hours. An honest look at who gets real value from it, who doesn't, and cheaper alternatives.