Is living in Australia for a year so lots of travel reviews coming your way! Trying to read and rate...
Is living in Australia for a year so lots of travel reviews coming your way! Trying to read and rate as much as i can xx
Member since:11.09.2003
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Magical Memories with Magic Bus
New Zealand is an amazing country but with so much to see and do it is hard to fit it all into 6 weeks, thankfully I discovered The Magic Bus!
What is the Magic Bus?
The Magic Bus offers affordable 'Hop on Hop off' bus tickets valid for up to 12 months, the passes cover different areas of New Zealand so depending upon your length of stay you can chose the one that's best for you.
Passes:
Some passes cover both islands and some cover just the north or just the south, I opted for the Wayward Wanderer Pass that covers the two islands.
I purchased my pass online before I left the UK but you can also purchase your pass when you arrive, if you book online you do get a discount, my pass cost me $645 NZ which is £240. Magic Bus often have offers like buy one get one free as well so it is worth checking the website when planning your trip.
Compared to the other bus companies Kiwi experience and Stray Bus, they were defiantly the cheapest, I was also drawn to them as I had heard good things from other travellers.
Who uses Magic?
Kiwi Experience I had heard was more a party bus geared towards 18 year olds who only want to drink and play games, Stray Bus it seems goes off the beaten track to the more obscure places which is great if you have plenty of time but I only had 6 weeks. The Magic Bus was a pleasant mixture of ages with no pressure to stick with the group, you can really just the Magic Bus to get from A to B or you can really involve yourself it is up to you.
When you purchase your pass you are given a pin number to use, it is very simple to use, you can either manage your trip online, via the telephone or in person with the bus drivers. You must just make sure that you have your pin number at all times when booking. You simply book yourself on and off the bus you can stay somewhere for 2 days, 2 weeks or 2 months it is up to you, several buses leave each day but if you are on a tight schedule I would advise booking ahead to guarantee your seat. You can not just turn up and get on the bus you do have to book at least a day in advance.
Getting from A - B
The thing I loved about this bus company is that they gave you information on your journey, giving you facts and fiction, pointing out the views and stopping for not to be missed photo opportunities. I saw so many things on route that I would have other wised missed out on,. When you get on the bus you are given a travellers guide book that details all the places you will see on the way.
On the Bus:
The buses are fairly comfortable, they have good air conditioning and plenty of overhead storage for hand luggage. Depending on how busy the bus is you can either sit alone and stretch out or you will have to share. The atmosphere on the bus is very friendly and I found that it is a great place to make friends. No journey lsted more than 6 hours which was great, and on longer journeys plenty of stops are given for travellers to stretch their legs and have some food.
Freedom of Choice:
You can do as little or as much as you want with Magic, when you get on the bus the driver will send around an accommodation sheet listing 5 choices of hostels, these range in price and ratings. If you want your driver to book you a room for the night, 2 nights or however long you are planning to stay for then they will, of course if you would rather chose your own accommodation you are free to do so. The same applies to trips and activities, a clip board will go around the bus listing all the things available to you at that destination. If you book with Magic you are untitled to a discount on most things which is great when you are on a budget. Again if you are not sure and you want to wait for another day then you are free to do so, we did this and found that as long as you have your bus ticket with you when you pay they will often still give you the Magic discount.
Website:
Magic Bus also has a very detailed website with loads of information on everything you could possibly need to know in New Zealand. They also have a Get Involved section where you can post questions in forums, enter competitions and look at photos of other travellers.
Overall:
Overall I recommend the Magic Bus to all travellers, it is cheap and easy to use and it has given me a great many memories.
Pictures of Magic Bus, New Zealand
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Ahh, it's been ages since I went on holiday abroad, it takes me back. This magic bus seems like a great idea, I wish they did it in other places across the world. Good review, glad to hear you had a good time. Faye x : )
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