If anyone is thinking of travelling around New Zealand on their own, but are worried they’ll be too lonely, then I highly advise travelling on a backpacker bus. I brought a ticket for the Magic Bus when I travelled New Zealand last year and I can’t recommend it enough!
I had thought about hiring a car but thought I'd just be bored on my own all day! Plus, I wasn't 100% sure where best to visit and didn't know if I trusted myself to find everywhere!
Some people assume that backpacker buses are only for 18 year olds who want to drink all night and sleep all day - but that's not true! Sure, some backpackers will choose to spend their travels this way, however there were many other people of all ages and from all walks of life on the Magic Bus that I travelled on for 6 weeks and while it was certainly sociable, with friendly, informative drivers and lots of chances to chat with other passengers, there was certainly no pressure to party every night!
You get the chance to enjoy yourself, meet travellers (and locals), learn from the driver’s local knowledge and see parts of the country you wouldn’t necessarily have thought to visit if you were on your own.
Backpacker buses are also great because they plan your itinerary for you and the driver does all the work! He/she will know all the must-see spots you have to visit and you don't have to worry about directions, you can sleep if you want to or listen to their interesting commentary. The drivers will even recommend hostels and activities to take part in at each stop.
There’s definitely an 'unspoken acknowledgment' between backpackers. Everyone is in the same boat, away from their familiarities of home and all keen to meet others so they don’t have to drink, sight-see, eat, watch a movie by themselves. If you hop on a backpacker bus on your own, no one will look at you strangely! You’re much more likely to receive a welcoming smile, asked how long you’ve been travelling for and away you go with a new friendship.
I definitely recommend the Magic Travellers Bus. There's heaps of passes you can buy, depending on how much time and money you have and how many places you want to visit. Take a look at www.magicbus.co.nz