FOOD & WINE

New Zealand is a food and wine lover’s paradise. Vineyards stretch throughout every region, chefs put playful local twists on fine cuisine. New Zealand food and wine festivals serve up taste sensations with a side of local music.

World class wine

The Hawkes Bay, Martinborough and Marlborough and Central Otago are signature New Zealand wine regions; explore your pick of 120 vineyards by driving the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. If you’re after a really thorough wine tour, add West Auckland, Gisborne, Canterbury to your itinerary.

Most wineries are open for tasting, and many have fine restaurants onsite. There are plenty of bicycle and chauffeur-driven wine tours too – a great way to take in the full spectrum of local flavours. Our internationally acclaimed varieties include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and the Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends), so get ready to sample!

Pacific Rim cuisine

New Zealand food goes way beyond fish and chips and barbeques – our chefs have developed a distinct Pacific Rim cuisine. Expect to indulge in plenty of seafood (like greenlipped mussels, crayfish (lobster), Bluff oysters and fresh fish), award winning cheeses and of course our famous lamb. You should also expect a laidback, friendly atmosphere wherever you eat; we Kiwis love to keep things casual.

THINGS TO DO-WATER ACTIVITIES

KAYAKING

Kayaking is one of the best ways to really explore the thousands of kilometres of New Zealand’s magnificent coastline and inland waterways.

A guided New Zealand kayaking tour can take you anywhere from the sheltered waters of the Marlborough Sounds and the towering grandeur of the fiords to open water safaris around, for example, the Bay of Islands and Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. Paddle with dolphins; paddle around a marine reserve and jump in for a snorkel; paddle a Maori waka.

For fresh water kayaking try the Whanganui River, the longest navigable waterway in the country. It has fair number of rapids but even the beginer paddlers can navigate the river safely. For the thrill of whitewater try the Rangitaiki and Mohaka in the North Island or the Clutha and Kawarau in the South Island. And if you would like something a little more tranquil, lake kayaking is an easy way to master the art of paddling. On Lake Taupo you can paddle to see Maori rock carvings while on Rotorua’s crater lakes you’ll get a fresh view of the steaming geothermal activity that is the heart of this place.

                                  WINDSURFING & KITESURFING

Harnessing the energy of the wind to skim across the water is a very satisfying way to get close to nature & it’s also a huge amount of fun.

New Zealand’s stunning coastal and lake side scenery makes windsurfing or kitesurfing all the more enjoyable.Whether your preference is to explore calm inland waterways, chop jump across a harbour or wave sail off the face of a roller, there’s a perfect location waiting here for you.Board hire and instructors are available at most of the popular windsurfing areas, which include the Bay of Islands, Auckland, Taupo, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin.

THINGS TO DO-SKIING

Picture yourself skiing in New Zealand; a fine winter’s day, breathtaking scenery and a mountain of fresh virgin snow. Is there anything more captivating.

New Zealand has developed a deserved reputation as an international skiing destination. The season runs from June to October, the landscapes and scenery are out of this world, gear is easy to hire, and the queues are comparatively short. New Zealand ski fields are uncrowded with plenty of wide-open bowls and  gentle slopes for first-time skiers and off-piste skiing  and heli-skiing for the more adventurous.

THINGS TO GO-HOME OF MIDDLE-EARTH

Ever since the first The Lord of the Rings movie was released in 2001, New Zealand has been known as the 'Home of Middle-earth'.

New Zealand’s dramatic scenery plays the mythical world of Middle-earth on the big screen in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogy. Golden plains, towering mountains and enchanting valleys form the lands of Lake-town, Hobbiton, Rivendell and more with seamless magic.

The international spotlight has once again shone on New Zealand’s landscapes and film industry with the release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson. The second of a trilogy based on J.R.R Tolkien’s much-loved book The Hobbit, the film is set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings and follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and a company of Dwarves on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

From scenery to set

The similarities between New Zealand and Middle-earth are remarkable. Bubbling brooks intersect with gentle waterfalls; snow-capped peaks cast shadows over lush forest valleys, and ancient glaciers – frozen in time – cascade almost to the sea.

More than 250 locations throughout the country were used to film The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogy, after the filmmaking team scoured the country for the most stunningly beautiful destinations..

THING TO DO-STARGAZING

Dark, clear skies; unique celestial features and otherworldly landscapes make stargazing in New Zealand a breathtakingly magical experience.

Here, the heavens appear closer to earth. See constellations and shooting stars in glittering dark skies; much of the country has no light pollution and is home to some of the most accessible observatories in the world.

Home to the darkest skies in the world

Recently, 4,300 square kilometres of New Zealand’s South Island was recognised as an International Dark Sky Reserve, the largest reserve of this type worldwide. Covering much of the Aoraki/Mount Cook Mackenzie region, the Dark Sky Reserve has been labelled as ‘one of the best stargazing sites on earth’. Head to Big Sky Stargazing at the foot of Mount Cook or join one of Earth & Sky's tours at Tekapo's Mount John Observatory. Here, you'll enjoy professional telescopes and knowledgable, passionate guides for an unforgettable stargazing experience.

THING TO DO- ADVENTURE

BUNGY

For many visitors, bungy jumping in New Zealand has almost become a rite of passage, that they take that heart-stopping leap of faith while they're here.

In the 1980’s, a couple of young kiwis, AJ Hackett and Henry van Asch, set up New Zealand's first commercial bungy operation, with a jump from the historic Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown. Since then, New Zealand has become the home of bungy.

Around the country you can leap from bridges, climbs, rail viaducts, specially made platforms perched on the edge of cliffs, and stadium roofs.

The Nevis bungy is the highest and involves an incredible 134-metre plunge. You can also take a leap off the Auckland Harbour Bridge against the backdrop of the beautiful Waitemata Harbour.

FACTS ABOUT NEW ZEALAND

Backyard Genius

Since before Sir Ernest Rutherford ‘split’ the atom early in the twentieth century, Kiwis have been discovering and inventing things. Many of these inventions have literally been created in a backyard. While frozen meat, the Hamilton Jet boat, and the bungy jump are probably our most famous Kiwi inventions, there are many others.

New Zealanders are also responsible for the tranquilliser gun, seismic ‘base’ isolators (rubber and lead blocks which minimise earthquake damage), electric fences, the fastest motorbike in the world, freezer vacuum pumps, stamp vending machines, wide-toothed shearing combs, and the electronic petrol pump - to name a few!.

Kiwis love the great outdoors

For the same reason that many visitors come to New Zealand, Kiwis have developed a passion for the outdoors and delight in activities that make the most of the spectacular landscape.

With so much coastline, it’s little wonder New Zealanders love the water and it’s reputed that over 15% of New Zealand families own their own boat.  Respected as superior yacht designers, Kiwis continue to dominate on the world yachting, kayaking, windsurfing and rowing scene.

Hiking, camping, fishing, bush and beach walks are other popular outdoor pursuits. The more intrepid take to the mountains; following in the footsteps of perhaps the most adventurous Kiwi, Sir Edmund Hillary, who conquered Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, in 1953.

                              Urban sophistication or taming the land.

As members of a unique and multicultural society, many Kiwis have wholeheartedly embraced urban living, café culture and an appreciation for new culinary tastes, fashion and the arts. Kiwis are as likely to visit an Asian restaurant or modern art gallery as they are to attend a local rugby game.

Whilst the lure of urban dwelling has ingrained itself on many, there is a sizeable rural population and farming is a major export earner. While the traditional exports of wool, meat and dairy products are still very strong, new products, including Cervena (New Zealand venison), flowers, fruit, biotechnology and wine are now also contributing greatly to our exports.

Become one of the locals

It suffices to say that getting to know New Zealand’s relaxed and friendly people will be one of the things you love most about your visit. Strike up conversations along your journey - a casual chat at a bar or restaurant or at a local market - it’s the best way to get insider knowledge on the area you’re visiting and you may even pick up the local Kiwi lingo and make new life-long friends!