We don’t know if, as rumor has it, New Zealand has more sheep than people. What we do know is that the tranquil image called up by that statement certainly does capture much of the country’s appeal.
New Zealand is a place to escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life in small villages seemingly untouched by modern times. New Zealand crams all the nature you can ask for (rainforests, glaciers, golden beaches, snow-capped mountains) into a very small area, yet still makes you feel like you are the only person around for miles.
In its cities and towns, the diversity of the surrounding landscape is rivaled by the diversity of the people, in a nation whose Polynesian population makes it unique in the world.
The waterfront is the center of life in Auckland. Most of the city’s attractions are scattered around its harbor, from the engaging maritime museum to the entertainment and shopping district on Queen Street. In the 1990s many people in rural towns began buying real estate in Auckland, making it a trendy spot for people looking for a bit of urban respite from all the nature that surrounds it. With the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world, Auckland is cosmopolitan and modern but doesn’t lose its Pacific roots. Enjoy ethnic restaurants and European cafes, and don’t miss a must for any visitor to the city—a ferry ride across Waitemata Harbor to explore some of the nearby islands.
If you are lucky enough to be in Auckland in late January, head down to the harbor to see hundreds of yachts participating in the Auckland Anniversary Regatta, the largest event of its kind in the world. Or just enjoy the view from the top of Auckland’s landmark Sky Tower and take it all in at once.
A leisurely afternoon spent punting down the River Avon will show you just how thoroughly British society still cloaks this small city. What started as a settlement of the Church of England and a market town for the many surrounding farms is slowly becoming a modern and sophisticated spot, though it retains its reputation as the English garden city of New Zealand. Its central location also makes it a great jumping off point to begin your exploration of the South Island.
Dunedin is a small but lively university town whose charm shines through its many colonial buildings. The center of the city is the octagonal street layout designed by a Scottish planner in the 19th century, surrounded by lovely buildings. It is also home to a statue of poet Robert Burns, solidifying the Scottish influence on the place. Its train station is considered one of the finest buildings in the country, a grand dame (of style, not stature) built in 1906 in the Flemish Renaissance style.
The large volcanic areas (some of the most active in the world) have created mountains, geysers and hot springs, and impressive craters for you to explore. Go sailing on Lake Taiupo then head south into New Zealand’s famous Tangariro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to stunning Emerald Lakes and Mount Ruapehu, the country’s highest peak. Further south, tour the many wineries of sunny Hawke’s Bay or the Whanganui National Park outside of Wellington.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Queenstown is the uncontested ideal top destination for the adrenaline-pumping adventure sports like downhill skiing, jet-boats, mountain biking, white-water rafting, bungy jumping, cross-country skiing, paragliding and other ice-adventures. All of these activities are located within 40 miles from Queenstown and are strictly regulated by highly trained operators who have outstanding safety records.
Located in the North Island's tourist destination, Rotorua represents the main centre for the Maori culture. This town features beautiful Maori art & architecture and marvelous government flower gardens dotted with steaming thermal pools. Not to be missed are the Orchid Gardens featuring tropical plants and water organs comprising choreographed fountains, light and music. The Rotorua Museum of Art and History displays Maori artifacts such as bargeboards from Rotoiti's Houmaitawhiti meeting house carved in 1860. However, the most popular attractions are located within the Greater Rotorua and around Lake Rotorua. Unspoiled native forests, rivers, bubbling springs and lakes make great trout fishing, boating, camping and farming.
On the South Island, big cities might just get in the way of all the fun to be had in its untouched mountains and valleys. The snow-covered Alps dominate the landscape but are far from being the only natural beauties to be found on the island. Visit pristine rainforests on the west coast, hike to lakes formed by glaciers in the north, go whale watching in the south, enjoy skiing in Mount Cook National Park, or find out how stunning Fiordland got its name.
Wellington has become the nation’s capital in 1865. The cultural heart of the country, Wellington has no shortage of theaters, galleries and performance halls to keep its politicians entertained. Like Auckland, the focal point of the city is its gorgeous harbor, with great views provided by a ride on an old fashioned cable car up to the colonial hillside suburbs. But a harbor photo op is not all Wellington has to offer. Check out the biennial International Festival of the Arts (held in Autumn) for the latest in the New Zealand art scene (and beyond). Don’t miss the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, a fantastic and interactive collection of Maori artifacts and natural history.
The hometown of Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, Wellington is also home to numerous studios that manage the many films shot around the country. Less than an hour’s drive from the city, escape to tiny villages and surrounding farms raising everything from sheep to ostrich to lovely bottles of wine.
New Zealand is the last of the world’s large landmasses to be settled by humans. Maoris, the Polynesian people native to the island, arrived less than one thousand years ago, and European settlers didn’t come until the 17th century. Abel Tasman, an explorer sent by the Dutch, landed with his crew on the South Island but departed quickly after a violent encounter with the Maori. So it was not until Captain James Cook arrived around a hundred years later that the European colonization began (people weren’t in a rush to have a run in with the Maoris again). The scientists he brought with him began their study of the islands’ unique flora and fauna and the land was claimed for England.
Unlike the flow of immigration into Australia, the influx of people to New Zealand was slow—most came for short periods to cash in on the lucrative whaling, sealing, and logging trade, then left when the resources began to dry up. Throughout the 18th and early 19th century the Maoris continued to fight with the Europeans and with each other, as tribes battled over what land was left as the European population slowly expanded.
Missionary efforts also spread Christianity throughout New Zealand during this time, but it was not enough to bring peace, and so another attempt was made with the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. This centerpiece of New Zealand society was meant to end land disputes by making Maoris British subjects in exchange for making their lands available for purchase. Unfortunately, confusion over the document led to fighting and discord that still has not been resolved.
In another trend setting the country apart from its large neighbor, New Zealand was populated by primarily working class Europeans who set up planned communities and stuck together. For the most part they got along with the Maori after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, until the New Zealand Wars began in 1860 after a chief sold land that his tribe has not agreed to give up. The government responded to their refusal by forcibly taking the land.
Even with some of the Maori fighting on the side of the British, the native rebellion almost convinced the colonists that it was time to pack up and head back to England. The war ended in the late 1860s, though the Waitangi Tribunal is still hearing land disputes today. The discovery of gold on the South Island sparked economic growth and societal expansion that continued into the 20th century, though wool export became the basis of the economy.
New Zealand set an example for the world with its unprecedented social reforms. Free compulsory education was established in 1877, followed by becoming the first nation to give suffrage to women in 1893, and implementing free national health care in 1938. The non-nuclear stance it took in 1986 reveals that this progressive attitude is alive and well in modern times.
During the World Wars the country joined forces with Australia in fighting for the motherland and suffered significant losses that bound the young nation together. These efforts are memorialized every April 25 on ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day. The war also led to a loosening of ties with England made complete by England’s decision to join the EU and stop taking in so many imports from New Zealand. Today New Zealand is a peaceful and predominantly rural nation, boasting the city with the largest Polynesian population in the world (Auckland).
The Maoris inhabiting the island when Europeans arrived were fierce warriors. Many aspects of their culture expressed this trait, from oral history to the elaborate tattoos covering their bodies, to the well-known haka war dance that displays warriors ready to attack with eyes blazing and tongues protruding in defiance of their enemies.
But war is not the defining characteristic of the Maori people. It was their impressive navigational and sailing skills that allowed them to settle on the islands in the first place. Although there are less Maori living in New Zealand today, they work to preserve their culture in modern society though they are fully integrated into the New Zealand mainstream.
To learn firsthand about Maori culture, attend the Aotearoa Traditional Maori Performing Arts Festival in Waikato (February of even years) or Nagaruawahia Regatta, a competition of Maori canoes that takes place every March on the River Waikato in the Maori Queen’s village.
European inhabitants come primarily from working class Englishmen and Scots who came to New Zealand in search of a better life. This manifests itself today in the spirit of independence that pervades the islands, as its people take pride in having created a new society out of what nature provided.
Aside from the more cosmopolitan Auckland, the old British ways are still reflected in the small town and rural life of New Zealanders, as well as in their love of sports like soccer and rugby. No matter where you go you will encounter a friendly welcome from people who enjoy a high standard of living as well as ready access to the land that has made them prosper. Being from a small island, they are fascinated by travel and so will understand your desire to dive into everything their country has to offer.
New Zealand consists primarily of two islands on the Tasman Sea, 990 miles (1600 kilometers) east of Australia. The North and South Islands are separated by Cook’s Straight, and together are about the size of Japan. Two thirds of the population lives on the North Island, a landmass marked by volcanic and thermal activity. The climate at the very northern end is subtropical, becoming quickly more temperate as you move south.
The South Island is covered by the Southern Alps Mountain Range. The land east of the Alps is dry; few trees grow there. The west side gets a lot of rain, and is covered by forests, lakes, glaciers and fjords. Spring tends to be the wettest season, and winter is of course the best time for skiers, but anytime from September to April is a great time to visit. Winters tend to be milder than in the Northern Hemisphere, but sudden temperature changes from day to day can be experienced any time of year in some places.
When the Maoris arrived to the islands, there were no native mammals (save two species of bat), but there were an abundance of birds, reptiles and fish unique to the isolated lands. Today sheep add another element to the picturesque landscape. Auckland and the capital Wellington are not small cities, but New Zealand remains a largely rural country. Its attractions do not lie in its urban settings but in the natural beauty and wealth of outdoor activities that come from the land itself.
Aside from the many dances, songs and rituals they perform, Maori express themselves artistically primarily through carving and weaving. The characteristic swirling designs they create can be found on everything from canoes to tattoos. These items, alongside more modern Maori art, can be found through New Zealand, both for sale and collected in the country’s various museums dedicated to Maori history and culture.
Being a very young country, New Zealand’s art is very much influenced by its European ancestors. Stylish Victorian and Edwardian buildings serve as delightful contrasts to the countryside’s rugged beauty and can be found throughout the North and South Islands. Other visual arts can be enjoyed in New Zealand’s more cosmopolitan locations (especially the capital city of Wellington).
The gorgeous landscapes of New Zealand have lately begun inspiring a new generation of artists. Though The Lord of the Rings was certainly not the first film to be shot in New Zealand, it is by far the most popular and really brought the country into the spotlight, now attracting both filmmakers and travelers who want to see the grandeur of the place for themselves.
The food is influenced by simple British country cooking, while the abundance of sheep farms means that lamb and mutton are always fresh and always on the menu. Ethnic restaurants can be found in the larger, more diverse cities like Auckland and Wellington. Though wine has been produced in New Zealand for many years, it was only recently that it began to focus on whites and found international acclaim. The growing popularity of wine tours and wine drinking in general of course bring more opportunities for fine dining.
* Eyewitness Travel Guides: New Zealand, published by DK in 2001.
* Kiwi Tracks: A New Zealand Journey by Andrew Stevenson.
* New Zealand: The Great Walks by Alexander Stewart, published by Trailblazer in 2004.
* Tutira: The Story of a New Zealand Sheep Station by Herbert Guthrie-Smith, published in the U.S. by the University of Washington Press, 1999 (originally published in 1921).
* Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand, written by Hugh Robertson, Barrie Heather and Derek J. Onley in 1999.
* Wine Atlas of New Zealand, written by Michael Cooper and John McDermott in 2002.
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