Falling for Taupo

Cheapest skydiving in the world! This is something not to be missed! The free-fall is amazing, and somewhat addictive... For an alternative way to get your adrenaline going, try Rock n Ropes.

Quick Tips:

In town, there are plenty of bars and restaurants, many open to the wee hours. Brilliant atmosphere when the rugby's on (but isn't all of New Zealand). Walking by the lakeside has some brilliant views, too.

Best Way To Get Around:

It's easy to walk around the town itself, although the grid layout gets a little confusing. Most activities have complimentary pickup from your hostel/hotel. Big tour buses - Kiwi, Magic, Stray etc., pass through Taupo, and there are also good links on the Intercity Buses to Rotorua, Wellington, Napier, and Auckland. I found these coaches to be the best way to get around, and the drivers provide a running commentary on interesting sights you pass.

This is a really friendly hostel, and a great place for meeting people. Although, perhaps I'm slightly biased, having met my current boyfriend there. But from the moment I turned up, exhausted, soggy (it was raining), and cold-ridden (it was winter), I was made to feel welcome. From the free tea/coffee and cookie at check-in, to the extensive video library for cold nights in, this hostel always made me feel at home. The staff couldn't do enough for us, always up for a game of table tennis, and opening the reception when I'd lent them my last $20 as a video deposit (you get it back when you take the video back). Frequented by the Magic Bus, there is a quick turnover of guests here, and by the time I left I already felt like a regular after 4 days. There are two TV lounges, both with heaters (necessary in winter!), one with a video/DVD player. They're both really comfortable, and there are board games, like Jenga, in the smaller one. There's also a pool table and internet access, as well as loads of information on what to do in Taupo. Also, speak to the staff, they are a goldmine of information! They will also organise your activities, and arrange pickup from the hostel. There are two unisex bathrooms, and the dorms are comfortable, heated and typically sleep 4 people, although private rooms are available. Sheets and duvets are included too. They charge $22 per night in the dorms, and $25 per person in the rooms. All in all, this was a great hostel. Having never stayed in a YHA before, I would definitely recommended them. Also, check out the free lollies at reception!! Yummy!!

Could climbing up poles and balancing across wires really be that terrifying? Yes! We booked the half-day package, which involved 4 hours of pure adrenaline. Rock n Ropes is a sort of assault course, where you climb up poles (that sway disconcertingly in the breeze) before stepping out onto high wires, rickety bridges, or slippery logs, and balancing across them. Still doesn't sound that scary? You're 10m above the ground, protected from plummeting to earth only by your own balance and your partner's expert (ahem) belaying. Then try the trapeze. This ones the clincher—you climb up a narrow pole to stand on top of it with nothing to hold on to. Then you throw yourself 2m up and out to catch hold of a trapeze dangling in front of you. Now, whether you reach the trapeze or not, you still have to come back down to earth, and climbing is not an option apparently!! The giant swing is less terrifying however. It's more of a fun adrenaline rush, throwing yourself off a tower, and swinging like you used to do when you were wee... sort of. This isn't a very highly publicised activity, which is a shame because it was brilliant, and probably one of the better value-for-money options I've seen. NZ$65 gets you the half-day course, with trapeze and giant swing, and it's well worth it. The staff were really helpful and friendly, and even sympathetic when it took me nearly 10 minutes to work up the courage to attempt the trapeze! We had complimentary pick-up and drop-off from our hostel in Taupo, and our guide even took our cameras to take pictures for us. And there's a cafe on-site for much-needed refreshment afterwards!

Jumping out of a plane for the first time is always going to be a thrilling experience. So I'm not going to pretend it wouldn't have been with anyone else. But, I would recommend this company to anyone doing their first skydive. My tandem was from 12000 feet, and with handy-cam DVD only cost NZ$160. They say Taupo is the cheapest place in the world for tandem skydiving, and I'd truly believe it! The people at Taupo Tandem Skydiving were really helpful and professional, from offering free pickup from the hostel, to setting us up at our ease when we were looking a bit unsure in the plane. They even knocked down the price of my DVD because we fell through a cloud and got rain spots on the camera. In fact, I enjoyed this first introduction to free fall so much, I've taken up skydiving as a hobby!!