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Holidays in New Zealand

Facts About New Zealand

Area: 268,680 sq km

Climate: Temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain: Mostly mountainous with several large coastal plains

Population: 3,993,817

People: New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

Languages: English, Maori

Currency: New Zealand Dollar

Time Zone: GMT +12 hours

International Dialing Code: 64

Electricity Supply: 230V, 50Hz

Holidays In New Zealand

New Zealand's beautiful landscape includes immense mountain ranges, active volcanoes, dramatic coastlines, deep fiords and lush rainforests. The variety of landscapes, mild climate and ease of access make it a haven for outdoor activities, and a great place to relax. New Zealand society is diverse, sophisticated, and multicultural, and the honesty, openness and friendliness of the Kiwis never fails to impress.

History of New Zealand

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a treaty with Great Britain, in which they relinquished sovereignty to Britain while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British started the first organized colony in New Zealand. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK in both World Wars. New Zealand's participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.

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Places to visit

Auckland

Auckland boats a sunny climate, Polynesian culture and a passionate interest in superb food, wine and shopping. Auckland’s population of 1,300,000 live within thirty minutes of amazing beaches, unspoilt islands and hidden hiking trails and enjoy a lifestyle ranked among the best in the world.

Auckland also features parks, gardens, walkways, bush reserves, museums, markets, wineries, adventure activities, beaches and islands. As well as exploring the city itself, it can serve as a base for day trips to major visitor attractions like the Bay of Islands, Coromandel Peninsula, Waitomo, Taupo and Rotorua.

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island, with over 300,000 people and the feel of a traditional English university town. Christchurch also enjoys a great climate, lively café bar and restaurant scene and some fantastic beaches within easy reach. The nearby vineyards are a popular destination and many of New Zealand’s popular outdoor activities can reached from here. Skiing is less than two hours away, and Christchurch is also a popular stopover for travelers touring the South Island.

Glenorchy

Glenorchy, on the South Island, is tiny and remote. Most visitors to Glenorchy use it as a starting point for one of New Zealand’s justifiably famous multi-day hikes: the Milford, Routeburn, Greenstone or Caples tracks.

Queenstown

Queenstown is New Zealand’s adventure sports capital and is popular year-round. Any adventure activity imaginable can be found in Queenstown, including New Zealand’s first commercial bungy jumping site. It is a popular stopover for several days for visitors to the South Island and is busy year round.

Wanaka

Wanaka is similar in many ways to Queenstown and is more popular with native Kiwis. Wanaka is set in a beautiful location, on the shores of Lake Wanaka. It is a perfect base for visits to the nearby Mount Aspiring National Park and the ski fields of the Cardona Valley.

Wellington

Wellington is a city from a postcard. Set between a magnificent harbor and gently rolling hills, it is also a compact city where trendy shops, superb restaurants and exciting galleries await. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and is truly cosmopolitan, with an enormous variety of culinary experiences, nightlife and culture. Wellington has professional theater, fantastic shopping, and restaurants and cafes all within easy reach of untouched nature spots. Only two kilometers wide, Wellington is easy to explore on foot.

Things to do

Beaches In New Zealand

There are no shortage of pristine beaches in New Zealand, from Waiheke Island’s Onetangi Bay to KariKari Peninsual’s subtropical beaches on the North Island. Hot Water Beach provides the opportunity to hollow out a spot on the beach and wait for natural hot water to seep into it, creating a natural spa experience. On the South Island, Abel Tasman National Park’s beaches are accessible by sea only, making them isolated and unspoilt.

Shopping In New Zealand

New Zealand has a great variety of shopping from designer stores to galleries, arts and craft markets, and museum shops. Look out for Maori carvings in wood, bone and greenstone. Also popular are traditional ornaments and jewelry made from the paua shell. Wool products are popular and it is easy to find wonderful wall hangings, sheepskins and hand knitted sweaters

. Around the country, there is something for every taste - fashion shopping in Auckland, Maori arts and crafts in Rotorua, design stores and retails surprises in Wellington, local craft products in Christchurch and jade / greenstone in Hokitika and Greymouth

Sport In New Zealand

New Zealand sports almost every type of outdoor activity imaginable. Highlights include bungy jumping, zorbing, white water rafting, canyoning, potholing, tramping, wine tasting, skiing and snowboarding, surfing, jet boating, sailing and skydiving.

Culture In New Zealand

Auckland Museum boasts an impressive Maori and Polynesian collection whilst in Wellington the Museum of New Zealand is one of the largest in the world. In Christchurch, the International Antractic Centre is popular with visitors keen to learn more about one of the world’s last frontiers.

Food In New Zealand

Look out for lamb, pork and venison; salmon, crayfish, oysters, abalone, mussels and scallops; kumara; kiwifruit and tamarillo; and pavlova – New Zealand’s national dessert. Hangi cooking is a traditional Maori method of cooking, where meat and vegetables are cooked slowly in an earth oven and served to a large group. New Zealand is also famed for wine, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.