Hey there, JFCers!

Happy Lunar New Year to you all, and welcome to the Year of the Snake! This new year is apparently all about new beginnings and starting afresh, leaving behind the past year’s bad vibes. 

Celebrations began yesterday across eastern Asia, as cities came to life with parades, lanterns, and reeeeally long lines at the train station. Check out these awesome pictures of celebrations around the world to get a taste of the magic! 

So, here's to a positive 12 months ahead, and without further ado...

Happy travels and safe landings,

Following last week’s rather antipodean edition of The Detour, you sent in looooots of delightful suggestions for Flight Finder Jake’s upcoming New Zealand trip — thank you so much! To say that his lazy planner’s itinerary is now jam-packed would be somewhat of an understatement.

Since we at JFC are likely partly to blame for any kiwi-focused wanderlust you’re feeling right now, it’s only fair that I share what everyone had to say! 

Near the top of the pile in the Detour inbox on Monday morning was an email from a rather familiar face here at JFC — our far-flung former Flight Finder (say that three times fast) Kate. From the best hiking views to the tastiest loaded fries, she’s got you covered:

Thanks for sharing your local expertise, Kate! Aside from all those glorious viewpoints you’ve suggested, there’s something particularly alluring about a cosy old hotel bar.

However, that might not quite offer enough of a buzz for the thrill seekers among us. So if you’re more into adrenaline-fuelled squeals of joy than a pint beside a cozy fire, reader Menzie has just the place:

Although it’s been nearly 20 years since I myself visited Queenstown (ouch!), I clearly remember how gorgeous it was. Even more than that, I remember just how insane the approach was on the flight south from Auckland, as we descended between the Southern Alps and made a sharp turn in to land. Plenty of adrenaline right there for non-road-trippers!

It’s also the place where I first ate avocado. Knowing that I liked a BLT sandwich, I thought it unlikely that adding one unknown ingredient would change that. Turns out I was wrong.

Next up, JFC-er Tanya is taking us on a detour around the North Island’s egg-scented wonders:

Places like Waimangu are clearly made for getting out of the car and exploring, but sometimes, it’s all about the drive itself:

Just be sure that if you do decide to drive this route, you won’t be passing through the curious town/republic of Whangamomona on its biennial Republic Day. Let’s just say there could be some baaaahd consequences! That said, we’re a couple of weeks late for this year’s edition, so the road should be clear enough for the next 23 months.

It’s pretty obvious that New Zealand has enough stunning scenery and colourful waters to fill months’ worth of travels. But there is more to it than just looks! Detour reader Amro recommends taking time to visit the Mitai Maori Village — yes, it’s a little touristy, but it is a good place to learn about the indigenous culture and history.

You’ll actually come across a few different Maori villages in the vicinity of Rotorua. Just like at Mitai, an evening at Te Pā Tū involves song, dance, and storytelling, as well as a traditional hāngī feast cooked up in an underground hot stone oven. Whakarewarewa, on the other hand, is a little different, as the only living Maori village. 

It’s also possible to experience other aspects of the Maori culture without stepping foot in one of these villages. From forest walks to authentic family dinners, you can get a taste of modern-day Maori life with any of these alternatives. But regardless which you visit, the experience will be great fun, and you’ll leave with a much better understanding of Maori and Kiwi culture as a whole. 

If you’re not thoroughly sold on why it’s worth making the seemingly never-ending trip to New Zealand by now, then I’ll try one last thing: kiwi birds. There’s nowhere else in the world you can see them (okay, maybe in a zoo), so if these little guys are on your i-SPY list, there’s only one thing for it!

Not only did all last week’s talk of New Zealand and Australia invite some cracking advice from you all, it also opened a can of travel worms! For those of you who are now thoroughly sold on the idea of a great antipodean adventure, I’ll try to fill in the gaps to help make it possible:

Okay, readers; while your questions aren’t the same, they’re definitely related. Let’s start from the top! 

When we’re looking for great value flights here at JFC, we always recommend using Google Flights as a starting point. Not only can you browse for the cheapest flights by date, you can also specify things like layover duration, and which airlines and airports you want to see results for. It’s a pretty powerful tool! Use our step-by-step guide to help find the route that suits you best!

Generally speaking, Auckland is the cheapest airport to fly into in New Zealand, since it has the best international connections. If you’re planning to hire a car and drive around anyway, you’ll likely find it cheaper to drive from Auckland to the South Island and pay the $20pp ferry ticket + $30 vehicle cost. Plus, you’ll get bonus North Island time!

That said, if you’re really just focused on seeing the South Island, round trip fares to Christchurch can be as little as $150 more than flights to Auckland. That may well be worth it to avoid a long drive and get you straight to where you want to be.

To the second part of your question — including Thailand in the same booking as the New Zealand stretch of your journey definitely limits the airlines with which you can travel. I’d suggest playing around with the multi-city feature on Google Flights. Price up buying a one-way ticket for each leg of your trip, and you’ll likely find that much cheaper. 

Oh, gosh! Only three days to get a taste of a whole country isn’t much, so here are a few of our top picks in and around the city to make it stick in your mind:

• Start off with a leisurely stroll up one of Auckland’s 53 volcanoes. The walk up Mount Eden is pretty easy going, but the views from the top are absolutely iconic.
• Just a 45-minute ferry ride from Auckland’s downtown ferry terminal is Waiheke Island, a haven for wine lovers, beach lovers and hikers alike. Think crystal clear waters and powdery sand against a lush, forested backdrop, all washed down with a glass of the local produce!
  
• To spend a day out getting to know the local flora and fauna, pick Tiritiri Matangi Island. The island is abuzz with endemic birds (keep your eyes peeled for the tiny green Rifleman!), reptiles, and sea life, so bring along some binoculars!
• And if you do insist on getting that authentic Kiwi adrenaline rush, you can always try jumping or hanging off the Sky Tower!

Hopefully that gives you some ideas for an exciting few days. And as the icing on the cake to celebrate a city break well done, be sure to grab yourself a chocolate fish!

What topics would you like us to cover in The Detour? Just let us know below

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.

• If you’re anything like the JFC Flight Finders, you’ll have downed tools for ten minutes on Tuesday afternoon to tune into FlightRadar 24 and watch the most exciting aviation event in a while — Boom’s supersonic aircraft breaking the sound barrier for the first time!
  
  
• How far would you go to earn British Airways gold status? If you’re Michael Freedman, apparently that’s pretty far.
  
  
• Once again, Japan is being too darn attractive for our own good — so much so that the town of Otaru has decided to bring security guards to control the hordes of photo-hungry tourists.
  
  
• And finally, you may not be celebrating the Lunar New Year in fabulous foreign lands, but there are still a few traditions that you could be doing at home. Get your family and friends together for a fabulous fish feast, hang up a lucky lettuce or two, and maybe even do some spring-cleaning… okay, that’s probably a step too far!