Handy apps for New Zealand

These are apps I’ve used regularly while in New Zealand.

Petrol

1. Gaspy – finding the cheapest fuel in the area

It’s not the easiest to get around NZ without a car, so having a car is pretty much a necessity here. Petrol costs can quickly add to the travel expenditure, and it is my second-highest expenditure after accommodation! Over the past 9 months, the price of my 91 petrol ranged from NZD$2.298/L in Christchurch to NZD$2.758/L in Cromwell. Many times, there are multiple petrol stations in the area with varying petrol prices, so using the app can help you find the cheapest one.

On a road trip, I found it useful to get a sense of the prices of nearby towns in the direction I’m going to gauge where the better prices are, so that I can stop to get some petrol. The app also has a feature to select the membership you have to reflect the discounted price.

The app is community-driven and shows the last reported/verified rate available. This means that sometimes the rate reported may not be the latest rate you see. This has happened once to me, but generally speaking, the rates are pretty accurate.

2. Loyalty cards for the various petrol brands

I have to confess, I went into the loyalty card game way too late. This could’ve saved me so much money on petrol. There are numerous petrol brands in NZ, such as Waitomo, GAS, BP, Mobil, etc. Most of these brands have their loyalty programme, where they offer lower rates for members. To become a member, you are typically required to download their application and sign up with some basic details. I wish I had done this much earlier in my working holiday instead of signing up for 4 memberships (GAS, Mobil, BP, Challenge) during the last 1.5 months of my working holiday.

Weather

3. MetService – checking the weather

According to their website, “MetService is New Zealand’s national weather authority and the Government-approved sole provider of severe weather warnings.” Sounds convincing and credible to me.

They do have separate sections for the weather forecast in towns/cities, national parks, marine, and rural regions. This is something to note if you’re looking at the weather forecast for a tramp. For example, if you want to search for the forecast for Luxmore hut on the Kepler track, you won’t find it in the search bar. Instead, you’d have to go to the national parks section and select Fiordland.

4. NIWA – checking the weather

I tramp frequently, and Niwa weather is what the Department of Conservation uses to advise on weather forecasts. Usually, I will refer to both MetService and NIWA. If the weather forecast looks concerning to me, I will do a check-in with the park’s visitor centre for their opinion as well.

Maps & Camping / Holiday parks / Toilets & Online shopping

5. NZ Topo50 – offline topographic map I use for tramping/navigating the backcountry

In the backcountry, more often than not, there will be no cellular signal. It is essential to have an offline topographic map if you don’t have a physical map. The NZ Topo50 maps are paid apps, and they have separate apps for the North Island and the South Island.

I purchased both the North Island and South Island apps for NZD$ 6.99 per island. I found this useful as I could see my GPS location relative to my surroundings, record my tramp (route, distance, elevation change, timing), know the distance and estimated tramp duration for a route, and identify peaks around me. I’m sure there is much more you can do with the application, but that’s all the features I’ve used thus far. I have used the applications extensively during my tramps, even for popular ones like the Routeburn track.

6. Campermate – finding campsites/public toilets/showers

Accommodation prices in NZ can be quite pricey during the peak summer season and camping or staying in a holiday park could provide a budget option.

7. Temu – e-commerce platform

Affordable but sometimes questionable size/quality. No harm considering the options, though. Most of my purchases here have been alright for the price paid.

8. Facebook Marketplace

Many active Facebook users in NZ; I was surprised by how easy it was to sell my things on the platform to genuine buyers when it was time to leave the country.