New Zealand Overview

Overview

The visitor will immediately be struck by the spectacular scenery. It should be no surprise that many films have New Zealand as film locations. The country may not be populated by certain fictional creatures but there certainly will be times that the landscapes suggest that they are merely hiding somewhere. There are two main islands, North Island and South Island as well as many smaller islands in the South Pacific. Some of the natural features that will undoubtedly impress are the Franz Josef Glacier on the west coast, the Craters of the Moon near Taupo and Mount Cook with its own National Park filled with other peaks. In every region the scope for activities is fantastically wide ranging. The mountains, rivers and coastal areas, especially, offer any and every water and winter sport that the visitor could think of. The less dramatic areas also have their share of original possibilities such as Zorbing and three dimensional mazes. There are many who will be unable to resist local delicacies, particularly those of the liquid variety. There are so many options for winery and brewery tours, they could be a theme for a whole trip. Despite continuing tensions of past political decisions concerning the Maori people, the visitor should not find it difficult to gain some sort of insight into the culture of the first settlers of Aotearoa. Care must always be taken to respect local traditions. The more recent settlers mean that heavy Colonial influences are visible everywhere in architecture and customs which are often wonderfully mixed with the relaxed Kiwi style. Punting in Christchurch, Lanarch Castle in Dunedin and Auckland's Bay of Islands are just a few ways of discovering the delightful melange of cultures.