New Zealand South Island action stations

New Zealand South Island action stations

With a rugged landscape and the most epic playground on earth, New Zealand's South Island packs more adrenaline-charged outdoor options than you could squeeze into a year. From paragliding, bungy jumping, skydiving, or biking, you name it, there are plenty of exhilarating activities to get your heart racing.

Skiing Treble Cone is an excellent way to start your adventures. One of the biggest and loftiest of the southern lakes snow zones, Treble Cone is one of the world's best places to ski. Accessible from Wanaka, the slopes here are steep and there are even half-pies and a terrain park for snowboarders.

Ready... jump! Queenstown is the place to bunji jump. You can choose between the 43m Kawarau Bridge, the 134m Nevis Highwire, or the world's highest rope swing at Shotover Canyon.

A short hope from Murchinson, you can whitewater raft Grade III and IV rapids at Buller Gorge. You can also take a jetboat ride, a riverbank horse trek or a quad-bike tour.

Catch a wake at Dunedin, home to one of NZ's most reliable breaks - suburban St Clair Beach. If your heart is set on surfing and this site is not doing it for you, try nearby St Kilda or Blackhead or Aramoana on Otago Harbor's north shore.

As a magnificent trail over viaducts, through tunnels and across farmland, The Otago Central Rail Trail is the mecca for trampers and mountain-bikers across the world.

With dramatic views, sunny days and warm water, Nelson is the place to go paragliding and kiteboarding.

In Fiorland, Milford Sound has incredibly dark tannin-stained waters where you can harbor deep-water coral specie within a few scuba-accessible meters of the surface. If you are not an underwater fan, you have the option to snorkel across the surface instead.

From hiking, kayaking or skydiving, Abel Tasman offers a range of exhilarating activities that will allow you to admire its turquoise waters and mind-blowing views.

Get ready to go cave-rafting and abseiling into the Nile River caves surrounded by glowworms that will light the way as you take the 30m drop into Te Tahi tomo (hole).

Take a scenic flight or helicopter ride above the gargantuan fractures of Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier on the West Coast. If you want to get a closer look, try a helihike or guided walk around the mind-blowing floes.

Australian Bucket List

Australian Bucket List

From unique natural phenomenons to exhilarating experiences, Australia boasts once-in-a-lifetime epic experiences every true traveler keeps on their list. So here are a few of the Aussie unmissable experiences for the adventurers out there:

Witness the sunset over Uluru: Australia's most iconic natural attraction, Uluru (Ayers Rock) is the sacred mountain of the Aborigines in the area - known as the Anangu - who have decorated it with paintings and engravings over hundreds of years.

Visitors can either climb to the top of the foot rock or take the 3 hour walk around the circumference. However, if you stay for sunset, when the sun begins to set, Uluru glows a magical color red.

Believed to have been formed by the activities of ancestral beings in creation time (or Dreamtime), the beautiful site includes many caves, waterholes, and ancient rock paintings. Uluru is the traditional name for the rock paintings. Uluru is the traditional name for the rock, Ayers Rock is the name give by European explorers.

Scuba Dive in the Great Barrier Reef. As the largest coral eco system on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef has become a Mecca for scuba divers worldwide.The best way to visit these unique natural phenomenon is by submerging yourself into the depths of the waters and getting a closer look at the colorful corals.

Swimming with whale sharks on Western Australia's Coral Coast is an experience that without a doubt will speed up your heart beat. Don't miss the whale shark watching or snorkeling tours to Ningaloo Reef from Exmouth to Coral Bay that run between mid-March and mid-July. These gentle giants of the ocean congregate in the Ningaloo Marine Park every year following the mass spawning of coral. Even though they can grow up to 18 meters in length, they are 100 percent harmless to humans.

If you are in for another thrilling experience, cage diving with great white sharks will give you the adrenaline rush you are looking for. Even though these creatures are nowhere near as harmless as the ones above - on the contrary, they are quite deadly - the cage will make up for it and keep protected at all times while you get your selfie with these lethal creatures that are after your flesh. This epic experience runs from Port Lincoln, South Australia and bookings must be made in advance. The experience includes a full day out at sea.

One of the most scenic drives in the world, the Great Ocean Road is a must when you visit Australia. Hire a car from Melbourne and explore the region of Victoria at your own pace. Discover iconic surf spots like Torquay, walk among cascading waterfalls and towering sandstone bluffs and hike through eucalypt forests to find koalas in their natural environment. For those in search of a thrill, consider the Great Ocean Walk, an eight day walk from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles.

If the sharks weren't enough for you, you can still go crocodile diving in Darwin. Get ready to get terrified by sharing an underwater environment with a 5m+ crocodile. Crocosaurus Cove is Australia's only crocodile dive. You can spend up to 15 minutes in the “Cage of Death” with one of these reptiles.

While you are in the cage, crocodile handlers will feed these creatures will encourage them to move ensuring an up close and personal encounter like no other that you will never forget.

Budget travel tips

Budget travel tips

Airline tickets: Plan in advance and visit discount websites to find better deals. If you book your ticket in advance, there is a better chance you will get a cheaper rate. Also, if you travel with discount websites, even though they might charge you for service, they are the best option to combine the cheapest flights available.

Connecting flights: although connecting flights might be a bit of a hassle, they will surely save you a lot of money, and if that is your priority, you can always do your best to cope with the inconvenience. Carry a book with you that can keep you entertained while you wait for your connecting flight.

Travel light: airlines tend to charge you for carry on luggage, so if you only have a hand luggage where you can fit everything, that is great way to save on your way there and when you return.

Book round trip tickets if you can. These tend to be cheaper but make sure they have the choice to change the date later on in case you want to extend your trip or plans change.

Plan your meals: eat before you go out to avoid paying more. Cook for yourself: this can save you a lot of money. Shop at the supermarket and cook at the hostel or wherever you are staying. If you don't have access to a kitchen, you can prepare a sandwich or a salad on the go.

Keep an eye on the currency: consider the exchange rates when you travel. It might be a good way to save if you get a travel card with the currency of the place you are visiting. Every time you exchange money, you have to pay commission, and if you pay with your card, it might charge you commission and give you the lowest rates for your money. Therefore, get some cash in the currency of the destination beforehand and get your travel card.

Try using the local version of the same website as it might be cheaper to book using the local currency. Simply go to the local version of the same website. If your destination is a big city, you might want to consider staying at a town nearby so you can get cheaper accommodation.

Consider couchsurfing so you can save money on accommodation but always make sure you do it from a trusted website and you stay at a host with plenty good references. Take advantage of duty free items where you can get anything tax-free. This is especially advantageous while purchasing alcohol.

Consider visiting other places apart from tourist spots. These might not be the most interesting part of the destination, try to think like a local and avoid tours if you can make it on your own. Sometimes a tour just takes your around a place you could have visited on your own. You only need to do your research, but that is why Internet can be very useful.

Consider the local version of coffee, beer or food as it might be cheaper than international brands you know and that way you get to try something new. Bonus! If you can avoid it, don't travel during high season when all prices rocket. Bid your own price. For instance, with priceline.com, you can name your price on flights, hotels and car rentals.

Discount everything. Go on Groupon, if they have it, and find a voucher for every adventure you are planning.