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Stories


Tea and scones in Milton Street

A kauri cottage in Milton Street is a link to Nelson’s past

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City meets country in Nelson

Sustainability is a key passion for a Nelson couple who turned an old barn into a corrugated iron-themed cottage

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How to screen your guests

Screening renters is a real skill. Here’s how to minimise risk by picking the right guests.

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The blue house at the beach

The owners of Our Blue Bach in Waikuku bought the house after a chance meeting with its former occupants

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First taste of summer at Ruffins Bay

In November we felt an urgent need for sea, sand and relaxation. It was high time we spent a weekend at the beach.

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Living, breathing history in Hokianga

Nature's on a grand scale in the Hokianga, from Omapere’s sand bank to giant kauri

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Baths, babies, bikes and brothers in Rotorua

When family duty calls, it’s time to load up the car and spend a weekend lounging by a lake

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How to use your photo gallery to boost bookings

Enticing photos help your bach stand out from the competition. Here’s how to use images to boost your bookings.

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A quick tour of New Zealand breweries

Take a tour around New Zealand with beer on your mind and you'll find lots to surprise you, with boutique breweries popping up even in the most out-of-the-way places and producing some very fine brews.

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Best practice guidelines for bach owners

Bookabach and Qualmark's recommendations for best practice guidelines for holiday home rental management

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What to include in a rental agreement

Putting your terms and conditions in writing protects both you and your renters and helps prevent disputes.

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Central Plateau

A region of vast contrasts - from beautiful nature at its finest, to bleak, uninhabited landscape - the Lake Taupo and Ruapehu region shows the charm that only the central North Island can offer.

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Surf guide: North Island

Our 15,000km coastline is a surf supermarket of easily accessible breaks just waiting to caress your board. This report guides you to the country's best surf spots.

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Ship shape

Tree trunks are part of the furniture – and of the cantilever system used in the design of a Hihi holiday house

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Old barn, new bach

What began life as a hay barn has been transformed by its architect owner into a holiday home with a loft bedroom

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West Auckland winery conversion

A picturesque Henderson vineyard has been transformed into a yoga and accommodation centre

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Beach bungalow moves with the times

Kakanui Beach Retreat has recently undergone its second metamorphosis - refurbished to cater for the next generation

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Bay of Islands by boat

Emma Bayly goes in search of wildlife in Paihia

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Holidays at Purakanui

Barbara Chisholm's grandfather bought a house at Purakanui Inlet to escape a polio epidemic in Dunedin

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Cape to cove

It’s 150 years since Waipu was settled by Gaelic-speaking Scots but their legacy is still larger than life in the small Bream Bay town

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The story of Wyuna Magic

Beverley Mayhead's Coromandel beach house has been in the family for generations

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Sweet and natural in Kerikeri

An eco cottage in a subtropical garden brings welcome relief after a tour of local sweet producers

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Celebrating the arts in Nelson

The Nelson Arts Festival is a chance to kick the winter blues firmly out the door and celebrate our wonderful blend of art, culture and events

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A guide to water safety

Staying safe around water is mostly commonsense. If you feel in need of a refresher course, here are a few tips about safety around beaches, boats and water in general

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123 ways to equip your bach

Which amenities are essential to any holiday house – and which added luxuries are likely to increase your bookings?

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A paddle down the Whanganui River

A leisurely river trip by Canadian canoe is a pleasant introduction to white water

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Biking the Ohakune Old Coach Road

A Ruapehu cycling and walking track offers a lesson in New Zealand rail history

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Mt Ruapehu in spring

There's nothing like a trip to the mountain once winter's over and there's still fresh snow on the slopes

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One night in the Makakahi Valley

Is there a more peaceful place on Earth than a farm cottage near Raetihi?

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Snow, ice and stars in the Mackenzie Country

Wedding parties, stargazers and ski teams flock to Lake Tekapo but it’s not hard to find solitude here

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How to give your bach the pet-friendly tick

If your holiday home is well set up for pets, it will quickly get a good reputation amongst dog owners who often feel deprived of good pet-friendly accommodation.

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A guide to hot pools and spa resorts

While icy rain is pouring from the heavens, or the hot sun’s filtering through the trees, there are few more relaxing indulgences than spa treatments or the therapeutic waters of mineral hot pools

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Finding fine fare in Geraldine

A quick stop in the South Canterbury farming town shows why local producers have put the town on the food map

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Taupo spa treatment soothes post-run muscle aches

A soak in a hot mineral pool and spa treatment is the perfect follow-up to a half marathon

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Five go hiking in Abel Tasman

A winter walk through Abel Tasman National Park includes icy river crossings, a game of catch with a friendly weka and an impromptu ukulele concert

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Mount Cook by helicopter

A trip on to the Tasman Glacier shows a different side of our highest mountain

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Take two days in Christchurch

Sara Goessi explores Canterbury’s largest city on foot and by tram

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A guide to public art galleries

Take the time to visit some of NZ's regional public galleries and you'll find some real treasures in their permanent collections, as well regular exhibitions

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Fuss-free foliage

How to create a low-maintenance garden for your bach – inside and out

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What to do when a booking is cancelled

Avoid disagreements about cancelled bookings by having a clearly defined cancellation policy in place.

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Snow guide: Club and small commercial ski areas

Few queues, friendly faces and fun are the hallmarks of these little ski areas, many of them hidden on remote mountainsides around the country.

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Epicurean escape in Tairua

Forty years after our grandmother died, we booked a bach on the Coromandel and spent a weekend recreating her recipes

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Warmup: winter at the beach

The storm was exactly what we'd hoped for: wild wintry weather as the perfect backdrop to snuggle up in a cosy bach on the west coast.

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How to add Bookabach to your website

Do you have your own website? Here's how Bookabach can help.

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Rainy day adventures in Rotorua

Rotorua in May means mountain bike trails through forests, lounging in hot pools and watching the lions being fed.

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Wine and cheese in Napier

A hot pool, a log fire, delicious local cheeses – what more could you ask for from a winter sojourn in Hawke's Bay?

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Whakapapa and Turoa Ski Accommodation New Zealand

Although they're an hour's drive apart, Whakapapa and Turoa share the same ski passes so with a multi-day ski pass, you can choose between the two.

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Scandrett Bay: Trelise Cooper’s childhood bach

Trelise Cooper talks about carefree days at her family’s north Auckland bach

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Qualmark code of ethics

The Qualmark code of ethics sets out 12 requirements for Qualmark Licence Holders

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Mahurangi Harbour history tour

A steamer was once your only option for getting to Scott's Landing. These days it's a short drive from Warkworth.

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Growing exotic fruit in Little Huia

Rosalind Le Bas Walker meets some of the locals in Little Huia, on the Manukau Harbour.

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How to child-proof your bach

Want to rent out your bach? Make it family-friendly and you’ll encourage repeat bookings and word-of-mouth recommendations.

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Perfect pet-friendly getaways

Leaving your precious pooch behind – tail between his legs – can take the thrill out of your weekend escape. So take your canine companion with you, to one of the hundreds of pet-friendly baches on Bookabach.

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A bach owner’s guide to health and safety regulations

As a bach owner, you have to comply with five different Acts relating to health and safety. Diana Clement has read the Acts – so you don’t have to – and summarises the main points here.

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How to manage key collection

Owners and property managers use a number of different ways to manage keys. It's up to you to work out which is best in your circumstances.

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Wineries in winter

Late autumn's the perfect time for a wine tour, when vineyards are at their most picturesque.

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Kawhia: go west in winter

Kawhia draws the crowds in summer but in winter you might find you have the beach to yourself.

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Wine guide: New Zealand

Take a tour of New Zealand's eight premier wine-growing regions and find out for yourself what it is about our country that helps it produce such distinctive and successful wines.

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The humble Kiwi bach is a hit in cyberspace

Managing their Lake Taupo holiday homes over the internet has made life much easier for two Kiwi families. Rosalind Le Bas Walker finds out how.

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Manawatu

The Manawatu region stretches from the Tasman Sea below Wanganui in the south to the southern part of Tongariro National Park in the north.

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Northland

Northland is a subtropical paradise and the ultimate destination; the place for laidback adventures and quiet relaxation.

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Guides

Guides to the various regions of Zu Neeland.

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Marlborough

The Marlborough Sounds is like a giant maze of deep waterways that forge inland for almost 40km

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Taupo

Taupo is nestled on the northern shores of New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupo, surrounded by stunning volcanoes, bush clad mountains and a spectacular landscape. Cafes and restaurants in Taupo overlook the lake, and there is a good variety of retail therapy available. Some of the best trout fishing in the world has international anglers flocking to the area, which is also a great base for visitors wanting to take part in other sporting activities, whether land or water-based.

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Auckland

If you can, picture the view from the top of the Sky Tower - that's Auckland. Everything you can see on the clearest of days, from Great Barrier Island in the east to where the Waitakere Ranges meet the surf beaches out west. North, you'll just make out Matakana's wine country. South lies bustling Manukau, with its own ruggedly spectacular harbour, then the Hunua Ranges and the golden beaches of the Clevedon coast. Anywhere you can see, you can be in about 45 minutes.

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Coromandel Peninsula

Hidden hot pools, clear ocean waters, pristine native bush and lively eateries make this region one of our favourite holiday playgrounds.

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Snow guide: Queenstown Lakes

From mild to wild adventure, this is an adrenaline-pumped region with non-stop action from skiing and snow boarding to sky diving and bungy jumping.

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Your bach as a business

Once you start renting out your bach, it becomes a business. Here, Diana Clement clarifies some tax interpretations in the hope we can help you avoid being audited by the tax man!

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Biking the 42 Traverse in thermal Tokaanu

Peter and Tiki do the 42 traverse - one of NZ's finest mountain bike rides - and stay in the Tokaanu post office.

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Raglan - the world´s longest left hand ride

The lively West Coast town of Ragan is a great spot for live music and a latte, but it is most famous for its surf of course!

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Snow guide: Canterbury

From one of the country's top commercial ski areas to friendly little club fields, this is the country's most diverse ski region so you're guaranteed a huge variety of terrain.

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Snow guide: Mt Ruapehu

Dramatically rising 2797m out of the Central Plateau, this vast volcanic beauty has two commerical ski areas and a friendly little club field.

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Historic baches on Rangitoto Island

The Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust works to restore the island's historic baches

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Otaki Beach family getaway

I have a sneaking suspicion that the Kapiti Coast town of Otaki has a deep-seated grudge against my family!

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Putting the Tiki in Tikitapu

A "Tri-my-sport" triathlon sounded like a cheery offer; positive, just give it a go, that kind of thing. Yet as I stood in the morning chill at the wind-ruffled edge of Lake Tikitapu, I realised it was the kind of invitation one should be wary of, like "smell this" or "pull my finger."

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Farmers’ markets: coming to a town near you

A celebration of local produce, authentic farmers' markets are cropping up everywhere, becoming tourist attractions in their own right.

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Northland: where the locals are a bit of a Dagg

From the sophistication of its pretty East Coast villages to the ancient kauri forests and untouched dunes of the wild West Coast, temperate Northland is a region of contrasting scenery and unassuming locals always ready for a chat.

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Hot tips to boost your bookings in the cool months

Keep your bookings flowing through the low season with these hot tips from our Bachchat editor and successful B&B owner/operator.

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Old wooden boats steal the show on Lake Rotoiti

All the Rotoiti women have, at some stage, lost their men to an old girl of the sea.

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Events

What's on around New Zealand with a bach-friendly bent

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Places

From Cape Reinga to West End Bluff, the best spots across New Zealand

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Lifestyle

Recipes and more.

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Stories

Tales of adventure and romance from real bach renters like you.

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