New Zealand

What to see

Auckland

The City of Sails is home to more than a quarter of the population. A bustling commercial centre, it surrounds the stunning Hauraki Gulf and offers an excellent standard of living. The Harbour Bridge and Needle tower dominate the skyline; to get the best of each landmark, walk up the first and skydive off the latter.

Queenstown

Perfectly located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, this buzzing town is the adventure capital of the country. Bungee was invented here, jet boats pioneered and skiing has taken off in the aptly named Remarkables. More sedate activities such as tramping and horse riding are also on offer.

Wellington

A beautiful city with a striking waterfront surrounded by forested hills. Compact and easy to explore on foot, it boasts the best cafés and restaurants but is also home to the outstanding national museum Te Papa.

Fjordland

The Southern Alps at the tip of the South Island are breathtaking and the deep glacial fjords carved into them make stunning viewing.

Rotorua

A geothermic hotspot full of geysers, bubbling mud pools and steam baths, Rotorua is steeped in Maori history and tradition.

Top experiences / sites of particular interest

Bay of Islands

A sub-tropical archipelago with superb sandy beaches, clean sea and small, laidback towns in which to relax and search out sumptuous seafood.

Whanganui

The river, the longest navigable waterway in the country, is truly spectacular. Take to a canoe or jet boat for a trip down the river, over rapids that are challenging but not overly dangerous, through spectacular broody bush to historic settler towns and Maori marae.

Milford Sound

Sheer granite cliffs plunge into deep, icy water surrounding Mitre Peak making this a stunning location to spot seals or penguins. Hardy divers search for rare black coral and spiny sea dragons whilst trampers are spoilt for choice in the surrounding area.

The Great Walks

Tramping is a national past time and the nine great walks represent the best treks in the country, showcasing a wide variety of terrains and ecosystems, taking you from the beaches of Abel Tasman to the volcanoes of Tongariro, the mountains of the Routeburn to the bogs of Rakiura.

Kaikoura

This scenic harbour, backed by mountains, is the place to head in order to swim with dolphins or spot migrating Giant Sperm Whales.

Marlborough

Enjoy the wine region by exploring at leisure, stopping at vineyards to sample the delicious produce.

When to go

Weather & Seasons: New Zealand is a good year-round destination; October to April are warmer months and great for hitting the beaches, coast and backcountry, June to August are colder and best for skiing and other winter sports.

Important dates and festivals:Waitangi Dayin February commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and is celebrated with services and functions throughout the country. ANZAC Day on 25th April recalls the endeavours of New Zealand troops in major wars. May sees the New Zealand International Comedy Festival roll into Auckland and Wellington simultaneously whilst July sees Wellington host the International Film Festival.

Getting there / around

Flights: There are international airports in Auckland (AKL), Wellington (WLG) and Christchurch (CHG). Smaller domestic airports also support a wide network of internal flights.

Rail: There is a limited rail network.

Bus: Getting around the country is easy on its excellent bus services.

Potential itineraries

Short Trips: It’s a long way to go for less than two weeks, but if that’s all you’ve got, then you can still get round a number of sites by moving quickly. If you’re after a flavour of the place and a few of most people’s favourite things head north to the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Islands for a round of adventure and escape. Hop south to Rotorua, Napier and Wellington before crossing to the South Island in order to visit the Marlborough wine region, Kaikoura marine reserve and the emptiness and dramatic landscapes of Fjordland before flying north again.

City Breaks: If you don’t fancy rushing, you can easily spend a week exploring Auckland or Queenstown.

Longer Trips: To really take advantage of everything this extraordinary destination has to offer you’ll need closer to four to six weeks. This will give you enough time to exploreNew Zealand and allow thrill seekers time to take advantage of the amazing activities on offer in the 'adventure capital of the world'.

Guides

Overall Country Guides: Lonely Planet produces individual guides to both North Island and South Island as well as a single guide to New Zealand.Footprint also has agood quality overview.

Activity Guides: To explore the wilderness pick up Trailblazer’s The Great Walks or Lonely Planet’s Cycling New Zealand. Stanfords also stocks locally produced cycling guides by New Zealander Nigel Rushton, Pedaller's Paradise - North Island.

Maps

Road Maps: Superb road atlases are available from Hema and Kiwimaps if you are touring the country.

Country Maps: Both cartographers, Hema and Kiwimaps, also produce a selection of whole country maps suitable for motor touring. Kiwimaps also produce series of  250K Rural Road Maps and 500K Touring Maps

Trekking Maps: Tramping scale maps are available from the Department of Conservation.

Read More

Here at the end of the world we learn to dance by Lloyd Jones, a captivatingtale of seduction and deception.

Come on shore and we will kill you and eat you all by Christina Thompson is a sensitive and vibrant portrayl of the cultural collision between Westerners and Maoris.

Following The Equator Mark Twain’s account of his 1895 world-wide lecture tour.

Sight & Sound

Music: To catch traditional Maori music listen out for Kapa Haka competitions or take in the Pasifika Festival in Auckland. Maori and Polynesian New Zealanders have also embraced reggae to create a funky blend of dub, roots and jazz. For soulful female singers with Maori heritage keep an ear open for Bic Runga, Anika Moa and Brooke Fraser. Otherwise the New Zealand music scene is alive and thriving!

Language

English and Maori

Currency

New Zealand dollar (NZ$)

Visas

No UK or US visa required.

Health issues

No particular vaccinations required.

Safety, FO travel advice

Generally safe

Useful Telephone Numbers

New Zealand country representatives and tourist boards can be found

in the UK at

and in the US at

For more information visit www.nzembassy.com , www.newzealand.com or www.purenz.com.