I've just come back from New Zealand and jumped at Skydive Abel Tasman on the South Isand and at Skydive Auckland (in Mercer). Both are nice drop zones and very professional so I think you friend is gonna be fine at either. I'd sway towards Skydive Abel Tasman if your friend is doing a tandem simply because the views when jumping out over the National Park are totally awesome! Some friends of mine did tandems at the Franz Josef glacier on the West Coast and they highly recommended jumping there as well. There are also several skydive operators centred around Lake Taupo (middle of the North Island), and they offer the cheapest tandem jumps (NZ$160), although I didn't make it that far north. Hope this helps.
Auckland / New Zealand
in Events & Places to Jump
I've just come back from New Zealand and jumped at Skydive Abel Tasman on the South Isand and at Skydive Auckland (in Mercer). Both are nice drop zones and very professional so I think you friend is gonna be fine at either. I'd sway towards Skydive Abel Tasman if your friend is doing a tandem simply because the views when jumping out over the National Park are totally awesome! Some friends of mine did tandems at the Franz Josef glacier on the West Coast and they highly recommended jumping there as well. There are also several skydive operators centred around Lake Taupo (middle of the North Island), and they offer the cheapest tandem jumps (NZ$160), although I didn't make it that far north. Hope this helps.
Simon