Originally Posted by frappant

So I still have an award to fly to HBA at the end of January, return in mid February out of SYD.

But I've been checking for awards to other places in Oceania, including CNS more in the October timeframe, before the rains -- BTW, grateful that people gave very useful feedback on weather in Cairns and Adelaide in January.

As I noted, Tasmania would be a new place for me and then I'd combine it with a few days around Melbourne and Sydney.


I see the chance to get a Saver award (UA) to CHC, return from AKL in December, returning a couple of days after Christmas. I've been to NZ several times but not since 2019. In comparison, I've been to Oz each of the last 2 years because of the availability of awards.

So I'm entertaining switching from the January Oz award to this NZ award. I've been to the South Island many times so I could visit Dunedin and the Catlins, both places I've never visited. I also h ave very limited visits to the NI, outside of Auckland, mostly a day or two before flying back to the US.

How would people compare the SE coast of the South Island (in December) to Tasmania (in late January to early Feb)?

One thing daunting about NZ destinations is that there are a lot of 4 or more hour drives in NZ. I guess Australia, at least NSW and Victoria, are more densely spaced, as far as interesting destinations.