The twinkling lights of Queenstown, New Zealand, seen from the air, with the Kelvin Peninsula and Lake Wakatipu in the distance.

New Zealand's sweeping mountain vistas, pristine beaches, unusual wildlife and fascinating Maori culture make it a dream destination for many travelers. But exploring the Land of the Long White Cloud doesn't come cheap. An expensive long-haul flight will take the first chomp out of your budget -- and once you arrive, you'll find high prices for gas, food and excursions.

To help make your dream trip a reality, we've gathered 25 secrets for saving money on every aspect of your New Zealand vacation, from tours, to flights to dining.

Trip planning

1. Travel at the right time. New Zealand's seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere, so the busy summer travel season runs from December through February. Both international travelers and Kiwis swarm the country's most popular sights this time of year, and prices rise accordingly for everything from airfare to accommodations. Consider visiting during the quieter spring or fall shoulder seasons, or during the winter (where tourism is down everywhere except ski areas like Queenstown).

2. Focus your trip. New Zealand may not look like a big country, but if you want to take in the major sights on both islands, a week or two just won't cut it. If your time or budget is limited, concentrate on either the North Island or the South Island, not both. Staying focused will save you a mound of money on internal transportation; domestic flights or gas for long car trips can eat away at your vacation budget.

3. Look for airfare sales. Because of New Zealand's remote location, airfare is a pricey proposition for most international visitors. To help trim costs, keep an eagle eye out for fare sales on major carriers like Air New Zealand and Qantas. Both airlines offer sales and discounts by e-mail; you can also sign up for fare alerts from your favorite booking site or airfare aggregator (such as Expedia.com, TripAdvisor.com/Flights or Kayak.com).

4. Get creative with fare combinations. For American travelers, most sales on Air New Zealand and Qantas are for departures from Los Angeles or San Francisco. If you don't live near one of these airports, consider booking a cheap fare aboard a discount airline like Southwest, JetBlue or Virgin America to get you to and from California. The cost of that flight plus an LAX-Auckland sale ticket on Air New Zealand could be cheaper than booking the whole itinerary through a single airline.

5. Keep an eye on exchange rates. Along with fuel prices, currency fluctuations can have a noticeable effect on the cost of your airfare. I took advantage of this myself on a recent trip; I made my booking at a time when the U.S. dollar was strengthening against the Kiwi dollar, which resulted in lower fares from Air New Zealand.

Money management

6. Put it on plastic. Forget the old "cash is king" rule. The vast majority of hotels, restaurants, tour operators and shops in New Zealand accept credit cards. If you've got a card through a bank that doesn't charge you for foreign transactions, you can pay for nearly your entire trip without shelling out for ATM withdrawal charges or currency exchange fees. To learn more about no-fee credit cards, see The best way to carry money overseas.

7. Skip the exchange counter. To get cash, use your ATM card to make withdrawals rather than changing your own currency at an exchange counter; by doing so, you'll get the interbank exchange rate, which is usually 2 to 5 percent better than the rates you'll find at the counter. Note that you'll probably have to pay a fee to make a withdrawal (charged by your own bank, the local bank or both), so we recommend taking out a sizable amount of cash each time to minimize extra fees. Just be sure to stow the cash in a safe place under your clothes. For more information, see ATMs abroad and Money safety tips for travelers.

8. Don't tip. Tipping is not customary in New Zealand, so you don't need to leave anything extra for your waiter, tour guide or bellhop unless the service was truly exemplary. Even then, 5 to 10 percent is plenty.

Attractions and activities

9. Pick your poison. You could easily blow hundreds of dollars a day on tours, excursions and entrance fees, particularly if your New Zealand bucket list includes pricey once-in-a-lifetime activities like bungy jumping or helicopter flightseeing. If your budget hurts just thinking about it, we advise you to research, research, research. Read reviews from other travelers to decide which activities are absolutely worth the price and which ones you can live without.

10. Find some freebies. In between all of New Zealand's $150 dolphin encounters and $300 flightseeing excursions are plenty of free attractions to enjoy. It costs nothing to hike in most national parks, lie on a North Island beach, wander along the Rotorua Lakefront or stroll through botanical gardens in Queenstown. The Auckland Art Gallery is free to enter, as is Wellington's magnificent Te Papa museum.

11. Visit an I-SITE. Practically every city, town and village has one of these friendly tourist offices, which are staffed with local experts that can answer questions, hunt for accommodations and book tours. They're often a good source of discounts too. When we asked an Auckland I-SITE staffer for details about going to Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World, she told us that we'd save 10 percent by purchasing advance tickets -- and she booked them for us then and there.

12. Get a repeat discount. Some tour operators will knock a few bucks off the sticker price for travelers who book multiple tours with them. For example, Real Journeys, which offers a variety of cruises and adventure activities in the Queenstown/Fiordland region, will take 20 percent off the cost of the lower-priced tour if you book more than one.

13. Consider a city pass. Both Auckland and Wellington offer discount passes that will get you into multiple city attractions for a set price that's cheaper than the cost of individual admission. The catch is, of course, that you'll have to visit most or all of the attractions to see any savings. If the pass dovetails with your sightseeing plans, it could be a great deal.

14. Zig when others zag. You can often save big by traveling when others aren't. For example, one of New Zealand's most popular activities is a scenic cruise on Milford Sound (which is actually a fjord). Thanks to an influx of day-trippers from Queenstown, lunchtime sailings are the most crowded -- and most expensive. Aim for the first or last cruise of the day to enjoy discounted rates.

15. Be a deal hound. Do a little sniffing and you're sure to find ways to trim your trip costs. Start with local tourism sites, which usually have "deals" or "specials" sections. As I researched this article, I unearthed a "3 for 2" promotion on Wellington's visitor Web site, good at stores, galleries and restaurants around the city. And on Rotorua's tourism site, there are currently more than 100 deals in a variety of categories such as "Culture" and "Pamper Me." Another great way to save? Search for coupon codes. I saved 10 percent off a booking on the Interislander Ferry (which runs between the North and South Island) just by using a promo code I found on the Web.

Transportation

16. Take the bus. Car rentals are pricey in New Zealand, as is fuel; even the cheapest rentals start around $45 NZ a day (about $36 US). Avoid these costs by taking New Zealand's local buses, which offer inexpensive rides from as little as $1 NZ to a network of destinations around the country. InterCity and Nakedbus (no nudity is involved, we promise!) are two of the more popular services.

17. Look to the locals. While New Zealand is served by most of the big-name international car rental companies (think Thrifty, Hertz and the like), you'll often find better rates by booking with a smaller local company. A few to consider: Ace, Apex, GO and and Jucy.

18. Consider a clunker. Not too picky about your wheels? Many car rental companies offer older vehicles at bargain rates. For example, Jucy's "El Cheapo" cars have clocked 200,000+ kilometers (more than 124,000 miles).

19. Buy a used vehicle. For long-term travelers who will be in the country for a few months, it may be cheaper to purchase a used car or campervan than to pay for a rental. As a bonus, you can sell the vehicle again at the end of your trip and potentially recoup most of your costs; some dealers will offer a buy-back guarantee.

Meals

20. Go to the grocery store. Make like the locals and get most of your food from grocery stores rather than restaurants. Grab some bread, hummus, yogurt and fruit for a quick picnic lunch. Better yet, use the kitchen in your hostel, rental cottage or campervan to cook meals for yourself each night.

21. Get happy. Alcohol can be pricey in New Zealand, but many bars and pubs frequented by young backpackers offer happy hours with bargain-priced drinks.

22. Drink from the tap. Tap water is potable throughout New Zealand, so you don't need to waste money on bottled water, especially in restaurants. Bring a reusable bottle and refill it from the faucet before you head out each morning. (Do take normal precautions when drinking from streams out in the wild, though. (See Drinking water safety for more info.)

Accommodations

23. Brave the backpackers. New Zealand has a wide network of extremely affordable hostels (typically called "backpackers"). Don't want to bunk with five or six other people? Not to worry. Most hostels have at least a few basic private rooms on offer, often with ensuite bathrooms. In addition to affordable rates, they usually have kitchens available for travelers' use, so you can further trim your budget by cooking a few meals for yourself.

24. Be a happy camper. Caravanning and camping are very popular in New Zealand. There are official Department of Conservation campsites as well as privately owned holiday parks, most quite affordable, but "free camping" is also legal pretty much anywhere, as long as there's no sign indicating otherwise. A word of caution: Free campers have gotten a bad rap with the locals -- not to mention some hefty fines -- for leaving litter behind. Be sure to keep New Zealand's countryside as pristine as you found it.

25. Stay on a farm. You can stay for free on an organic farm in New Zealand if you're willing to get your hands dirty. World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) organizes volunteer opportunities on farms around the world; see wwoof.co.nz for New Zealand listings. If you'd rather not work on your vacation, you can still often find affordable farmstays and homestays at RuralHolidays.co.nz. For more alternative lodging ideas, see Ditch the hotel: 10 cheaper ways to stay. 

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Eric Ryan / Getty Images Contributor

Fame can touch just about anything, including food. To see a leftover crumb from Pete Doherty, head to the Old Boatstore.

It doesn't exactly have the "ooh" factor of a Lucille Ball caricature hanging on Sardi's wall. It does, however, inch toward the "eww" factor of, say, a faded 34C underwire tacked up on the ceiling of a dive bar. What is it? Just a wee crumb of a toastie eaten by the Libertines co-frontman Pete Doherty.

That's right. There's a museum where you can view the dried-out crust of a British pop star's cheese, tomato and pesto panini that he ate at a cafe in a Cornish seaside village. Owners Michael and Francesca Bennett wanted to commemorate the visit of celebrities to their seafront cafe, the Old Boatstore. When photographer David Bailey visited, the couple told the BBC, they were so excited they decided to keep a bit of the sandwich he'd consumed. The Museum of Celebrity Leftovers grew from there.

Now, when you visit Kingsand in the U.K., you can view about 20 "artifacts" sealed under tiny glass domes and kept on a bright blue shelf hanging on the cafe wall -- the museum's entire collection. Ogle actress Mia Wasikowska's wedge of zucchini. Examine the end of comedian Hugh Dennis' ice cream cone. Ruminate over retired BBC weatherman Craig Rich's pasty crust.

No preservatives have been added to the remains, and Michael Bennett assured the BBC that none of the exhibits seem to be getting moldy, just dried and shriveled.

The Bennetts have owned the cafe for nine years and serve mainly vegetarian fare with locally sourced seafood when available. So don't expect to see a bite of Prince Harry's burger anytime soon. However, Charles and Camilla have paid a visit. The Museum of Celebrity Leftovers has a tiny silver crown adorning the glass dome protecting Charles' relic: a teensy crust of bread pudding.

It's unlikely that the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall came just to see the odd exhibit, as the display of food waste is more kitschy than captivating. It may, however, have some competition for the world's most underwhelming excuse for a museum. Consider the Asphalt Museum with its chunks of tar at Sacramento State College in California. Or the Barbed Wire Museum in LaCrosse, Kan. And you might just get "sucked in" -- their pun -- at the Vacuum Museum along Route 66 in Missouri. (For more, see our list of the world's weirdest museums.)

No reason to cross the Hermitage or Smithsonian off your must-see list just yet. En route between the two, you might want to stop in the Old Boatstore for a bite to eat. Who knows who may be seated next to you.

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Courtesy of the Roxbury

Fond of the '60s television classic "Gilligan's Island"? Well, at the Roxbury in New York's Catskills region, you can stay in Mary Ann's Coconut Cream Pie room and not feel stranded.

"Did you notice the crust?" This is not a question one wants to hear when talking hotel rooms. But it's posed with utter giddiness when one is in room number 27 at the Roxbury in New York's Catskills region; for this is "Mary Ann's Coconut Cream Pie" room, a flamboyant space with a faux-meringue ceiling, a round bed and a hint of coconut in the air.

It's the newest addition at the Roxbury, where room designs riff on movies and TV -- Jeannie's bottle, Charlie's Angels, Maria's curtains from "The Sound of Music." You can book a "Breakfast at Tiffany's"-inspired blue jewel box of a room, or stay in the grander Wizard's Jewels room, with its yellow glass floor tiles, mural of poppies and ruby-slippered feet sticking out from under the bed pillows.

It sounds zanier than it is. The Roxbury is big on style and comfort; it is not a hyperactive theme-park experience. From the nice toiletries to the bowl of wasabi peanuts at reception, the owners' loving attention to detail is palpable. The proprietors are a pair of New York City refugees who took a gamble on a downtrodden roadside motel, transforming a den of disrepair into a cozy place to rest your inner Fred Flintstone.

It may seem like a radical juxtaposition -- a place that unabashedly embraces lime green and meringue ceilings amid placid Roxbury, population 2,500. Yet the motel sits harmoniously here, beside a trout stream with a barn in spitting distance. In the stairwell, one of the first things I notice is the huge chandelier made of what looks like a thousand neon orange drinking straws. It does not seem wrong.

The charm is in the details: chocolates, fresh flowers. Munch fancy soy crisps in the glittery spa ($20 per person for unlimited visits during your stay), or pepperoni Hot Pockets ($1 from the office). Copies of the American Film Institute's Top 100 movies are available in the free-to-borrow DVD collection, as well as vintage "The Addams Family" episodes. What's your rainy-day game: chess, or Operation?

Over breakfast on the sun porch, the various weekend leaf-peepers and hikers compare notes and offer suggestions for future room themes (one 9-year-old's contribution: Sponge Bob). If you're lucky, you meet the people in room 27, the friendly couple from New Jersey who invite you to come check out the digs. You go. You notice the crust. Delicious.

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Martin Bernetti / AFP/Getty Images

A giant Galapagos tortoise walks slowly along the Charles Darwin Station in Ayora Port in the Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador.

December's a month of family get-togethers, giving ... and giveaways. Lots of giveaways. Numerous companies are handing out festive freebies in celebration of the holiday season, and travel brands are no exception. In exchange for an e-mail address or a "like" on a Facebook page, lucky globetrotters can snap up free vacations, cool travel gear, gift cards and more from their favorite blogs and travel providers. Below are seven fantastic holiday contests and giveaways that are on right now. Good luck!

Win a trip for two to the Galapagos
The prize: Red Mangrove Lodges, which has properties in the Galapagos and Ecuador, is giving away a free trip for two to the Galapagos Islands. The prize includes four nights' accommodations at Red Mangrove Lodges, guided tours, local transportation and meals. The only part of the trip that's not included is your flight to the Galapagos.

How to enter: Sign up  for the Red Mangrove newsletter by Feb. 12 and you'll be automatically entered to win.

Win $500 in free hotel stays at Choice Hotels
The prize: Close your doors to visiting relatives and encourage out-of-towners to get a room at the nearest Choice Hotels property -- for free. But first, you have to get lucky. Enter the "Little White Holiday Lies" giveaway to win a $250 or $500 gift card valid for stays at Choice Hotels, which include Quality Inn, Comfort Inn, Cambria Suites, EconoLodge and other chains, in addition to a VISA gift card of $250 or $1,000.

How to enter: "Like" Cambria Suites on Facebook  and you'll be automatically entered to win a $250 hotel gift card and a $150 VISA gift card. Take it a step further and share your "little white lie to avoid holiday houseguests" on the Cambria Suites Facebook page, and you could win a $500 hotel gift card and a $1,000 VISA gift card.

HostelBookers.com 24 Days of Christmas giveaway
The prize: HostelBookers.com is giving away a travel-related prize a day for 24 days in December. Each prize is revealed daily, so you'll have to come back to the site each day to see what you can win. Today's prize is an iPad2, and future prizes include InterRail tickets and an around-the-world flight.

How to enter: You must "Like" Hostelbookers.com on Facebook, and then answer a trivia question each day to get a shot at winning. New questions will be posted daily at 12 a.m. Mountain Time on the Hostelbookers.com Facebook page through Dec. 24.

Win a weekend getaway to Asheville, N.C.
The prize: The Asheville tourism board is giving away a whirlwind two-night vacation to its home town. The winner of this contest will receive accommodations at the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, a $100 gift card, two passes to Biltmore, a brewery tour, a gift certificate to a local restaurant and more. Transportation to Asheville is not included.

How to enter: Watch a video of a dancing Santa, then share said video on Facebook. After you've helped the groovin' Claus go viral, you need to enter your contact information on the contest page.

AP

A section called Broadway is one of the main passageways in Mammoth Cave, averaging 40 feet high and 60 feet wide for three miles.

Long shadows flickered before me as I walked through the dank, subterranean passages of Kentucky's Mammoth Cave. During my recent two-hour Historic Tour, I crouched and twisted my way through the cramped alleys of Fat Man's Misery, checked out a massive block of rock aptly dubbed Giant's Coffin, and faced the gaping maw known as the Bottomless Pit.

With more than 365 miles of discovered passageways, Mammoth Cave is the world's largest cave system, and geologists believe there could be hundreds of miles yet to discover. Compared with caves I'd visited previously, Mammoth felt a little different -- and not just because of its size. "It feels like walking through a big salt mine," said my travel companion after we'd hiked more than an hour without seeing a single stalactite or hearing the trickle of water seeping down the limestone walls.

But this is a good thing, our National Park Service guide told us, at least for the future longevity of the cave. Mammoth does have some water-carved formations such as stalagmites and stalactites, but much of the cave system is actually sheltered from water by a “roof” of sandstone, which keeps it dry and protected.

Mammoth may not have the exquisitely colored formations that draw visitors to other caves, but it does have a fascinating history. Back in the 1800′s, African-American slaves were among Mammoth's first tour guides and explorers. (Visit the the National Park's website to learn more.) I was particularly drawn to the story of Stephen Bishop, who began guiding visitors at age 17 and later was the first person to cross the Bottomless Pit and chart the previously undiscovered passageways beyond. After nearly two decades in the caves, Bishop was given his freedom -- but he died the following year.

After you emerge, squinting, from the cool darkness underground, don't forget to enjoy the other half of Mammoth's ecosystem. Visitors can soak up some sun and fresh air on a network of wooded hiking trails.

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