From sub-tropical Cape Reinga in the far north to the
southern fishing port of Bluff where the wild Southern Ocean rolls in, NewZealand’s North and South islands offer a diverse expanse of landscapes.
On the
North Island, the north-south journey travels from towering sub-tropical rain
forests and endless picturesque beaches to Auckland’s populous cityscape, then
southwards through rolling green pastures, across lakes, rivers and epic
volcanic marvels, into the rural towns of heartland New Zealand and on to a
capital city that’s renowned for arts, culture and coffee.
From
coastal paradise to mountains and the southern ocean, New Zealand’s South
Island unveils one majestic landscape after another. Beginning in the coastal
paradise that is Nelson Tasman and the Marlborough Sounds and ending in
Southland, the vast southern regions unfold as the real Middle-earth of The
Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. In NewZealand, every day is a different journey.
Film
tourism: Hobbiton / Wellington / Nelson / Canterbury / Queenstown
It's no
secret that New Zealand is the home of Middle-earth and its stunning landscapes
are at centre stage for movie lovers world-wide.
Filmed
entirely in New Zealand, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit
trilogies film locations can be discovered in many parts. The most famous,
and most visited, is Hobbiton – the village home of the hobbits – near
Matamata, in the Hamilton Waikato region of the North Island. The Hobbiton film
set occupies a sizeable slice of a New Zealand farm, and is one of the largest
outdoor film sets in the world. Visitors to Hobbiton experience a two-hour
fully-guided tour of the village hearing about the books and behind-the-scenes
stories of film-making.
Maori
Culture: Rotorua
Rotorua has
been visited by tourists since the early 19th century making it New Zealand’s
oldest tourism destination – renowned for Māori cultural experiences and
spectacular geothermal attractions.
Māori
culture and history infuse Rotorua life. The town of Rotorua, on the shores of
Lake Rotorua, is home to the Te Arawa iwi - one of New Zealand’s larger Māori
tribes. A third of Rotorua's population is Māori. Te Puia, an important Māori
culture centre, has visitor experiences covering traditional art forms, carving
and weaving, story-telling, and authentic cultural performances.
Food &
Wine
New Zealand has some of the best quality
food and wine in the world.
Marlborough,
on the top of the South Island, is the country’s biggest wine region and world
renowned for its sauvignon blanc. In the lower South Island, the Central Otago
region is known for its incredible pinot noir. The North Island’s Hawke’s Bay
region produces beautiful syrah while nearby Martinborough has a reputation for
fine reds. Waiheke Island, in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, was named on Lonely
Planet’s top regions to visit in 2016. The island is a 35-minute ferry ride
from Auckland city and produces some of New Zealand’s best wine.
Throughout
New Zealand fresh seafood, artisan products and incredible farmer’s markets are
always nearby. Whether it is manuka honey or oysters, the food in New Zealand is an
incredible experience in itself and goes exceptionally well with the
aforementioned wine.
Cycling:
Hawke’s Bay / Queenstown / Alps to Ocean
Nga
Haerenga or The New Zealand Cycle Trail is a network of fantastic, well
maintained trails catering to beginner and expert cyclists.
Cycling is a popular New Zealand sport,
and there are many destinations that offer visitors a chance to get to know the
real New Zealand - fresh air, wildlife and songbirds, tasty regional fare and
friendly locals.
From the
challenging Alps 2 Ocean trail (the longest of the trails) to the leisurely
Tasman Great Taste’s Trail there is something for everyone. Serious mountain
bikers aren’t forgotten with the Old Ghost Road track on the South Island’s
West Coast waiting to test the most competent of riders.
Multi-day
tracks offer a variety of basic and luxury accommodation, cafés and food
stops.
Recreational sports: Golf, fishing, sailing
New
Zealand is a hub for many popular recreational activities and offers some world
class experiences and facilities.
Golf
courses can be seen everywhere in New Zealand, and in fact only one other
country has more courses per capita. World-class courses like Cape Kidnappers
(Hawke’s Bay), Kauri Cliffs (Northland) and Jack’s Point (Queenstown) to name a
few, provide unique, unforgettable golf in stunning environments.
New
Zealand’s lakes and rivers are great spots to land your first trout and the
coastal waters are a fisherman’s playground. Blue cod await in the South
Island, while the Northland region is a popular game-fishing destination.
Auckland
is known as the ‘city of sails’ and the sheltered waters of the Waitemata
Harbour make it an ideal location for sailing. Visit one of the many islands
around Auckland including Waiheke. Four hours’ drive north of Auckland is the
Bay of Islands, a beautiful sub- tropical destination with more than 140
islands waiting to be discovered.
Walking /
hiking
Much like
the New Zealand Great Rides, there is an equally spectacular Great Walks
network.
Energetic
hikers can discover glacier-carved valleys and traverse mountain passes, while
more sedate day-walkers can explore golden beaches, bush walks and other sites
of scenic, historic and cultural interest.
Nine walks
currently make up the Great Walks network and they can be found all over the
country. Popular tracks include Milford Track, The Kepler, The Routeburn and
the Tongariro Northern Circuit. In addition to the multi day walks there are
popular day walks such as the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and the Pouakai
Crossing both located in the central North Island.
Nature and eco-tourism
Recognised
for its cleanexperie, green environment, New Zealand is a rich combination of
beautiful landscapes; from vast mountain chains to grand volcanoes, sweeping coasts
and deep fiords, lush rainforests, grassy plains, rich thermal areas and
expansive beaches.
The
wilderness of Stewart Island, the country’s third largest island, offers one of
the best chances to spot New Zealand’s national bird, the kiwi, in its natural
habitat. With 400 full-time residents, Stewart Island is sparsely populated in
human terms but add in an estimated 20,000 Stewart Island brown kiwi - just one
of the many native bird species living on the island - and birds outnumber humans many times over.
Walking on
a West Coast glacier is a New Zealand must-do for visitors. The Franz Josef is
a glacier located on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The glacier
is 12 kilometres long and, together with Fox Glacier which lies 20 kilometres
to the south, it is unique as it descends from the mountains to just 240 metres
above sea level. The area surrounding the two glaciers is a designated World
Heritage Site.
Aviation -
flight seeing in New Zealand
One of the
best ways to see New Zealand is from the sky and there are plenty of
opportunities for a bit of ‘flight seeing’. Auckland Seaplanes offer an
exciting trip to Waiheke Island, taking off from Wynyard Wharf in downtown
Auckland and landing in gorgeous Man O’ War Bay after a flight over the
Waitemata Harbour. The Man O’ War vineyard awaits offering a first-class
wine-tasting experience and a spot of lunch before returning to Auckland.
Classic
Flights in Wanaka will take visitors back in time with a scenic flight in a
vintage Tiger Moth or Waco aircraft. The flights take in some of the most
stunning scenery in the South Island with the backdrop of Mt Aspiring National
Park and the Southern Alps.
Over the Top Helicopters, based in
Queenstown, have several memorable experiences. Whether it’s golf on the side
of a mountain, a glacier landing or a picnic on a peak, Over The Top will make
it happen.
Luxury
and Romance
Luxury and
romance go hand-in-hand and New Zealand has got both covered.
Seascape –
an ultra-modern luxury retreat in a private seaside setting – sets a new
standard in utterly romantic getaways. Constructed in glass, stone and turf to
blend into the wild coastal landscape, this intimate award-winning villa has been unashamedly designed and furnished for
romance. The jewel in the crown of the Annandale Farm Escape & Luxury Villa
collection, Seascape is located on Banks Peninsula in New Zealand’s South
Island.
Wharekauhau
Country Estate, on a 5000-acre working sheep station overlooking Palliser Bay,
in the Wairarapa north of Wellington is a great example of Edwardian grandeur.
The view of dramatic coastline is undoubtedly exclusive to New Zealand.
Exploring nature, soft adventure - horse trekking, archery, clay bird shooting,
golf - and indulging in fine food and wine (It’s on the doorstep of the
boutique Martinborough wine region), spas and quiet relaxation attract visitors
to Wharekauhau and it’s only 15 minutes by helicopter from Wellington.
Star-gazing
in the Mackenzie Basin
In the
Mackenzie Basin, nestled in the foothills of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, where
the stars twinkle brightly in a crystal-clear night sky that makes the heavens
appear closer to earth, astro-tourism is booming.
The skies
above the surrounding region, which includes the country’s highest peak Aoraki
Mt Cook, have been officially declared a gold-rated International Dark Sky
Reserve. Covering 4300sq km over Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park and the
Mackenzie Basin, the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve forms the
world’s largest such reserve.
Stargazing
is a year-round activity but New Zealand’s summer months and autumn (December
to April) are when skies are clearest. Unique star features include the Southern
Cross and the Magellanic Clouds, satellite galaxies to the Milky Way that are
only visible in the southern hemisphere.
A visitor visa for New Zealand is processed within 15 working
days.
For more information, you can check #NZmustdo
