Travel New Zealand : Interesting places

A country that has a potpourri of unique experiences, delectable cuisine and myriad sights, Travel New Zealand for a holiday that is hard to beat

With 29 regions spread across 1,600 km over two of its main islands, New Zealand is a geological wonderland with adventure activities, food, culture and art that is waiting to be discovered.

 

Travel New Zealand for Adrenalin Rush

If you love adventure, Travel New Zeland for so many options that you will certainly be spoilt for choice. Head to Rotorua to try Zorb and Ogo. Zorb is a large plastic ball, which you can get into and roll down a hill. Ogo is a sphere, which is cushioned and is suspended in a large outer sphere that makes the roll a little more comfortable! You can also go for heli-skiing where you fly to the mountains and ski down, or go off on an off-road drive through back country roads or the sand dunes in Northland. In the mountains in Canterbury, Wanaka, Auckland, Coromandel and Nelson, you can go canyoning and leap from waterfalls, climb, jump, slide down rocks and more. Try the zip line with stunning harbour views of the Waiheke Island.

You can also go skydiving and soak in the sights of the country. Some of the best places to sky dive are in Wanaka, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Queenstown and Lake Taupo. For more adventure, Queenstown has the Kawarau Bungy site, as well as New Zealand’s highest site the Nevis Bungy.  They guarantee you an adrenalin rush like no other. You can try rafting (grade 1 to grade 5) in the Tongariro river in Lake Taupom, Queenstown or at the wild West Coast or go caving in Waitomo Caves and also experience ‘sink hole’ activities.

Rock Star Something that makes New Zealand unique are the unusual rock formations that can be seen across the country. The Dinosaur Eggs at Kaikoura that came into light post the 2016 earthquake can be seen on Gooch’s Beach. These are huge boulders of minerals and are made from sedimentary rocks. The beaches here are also a good place to see seals, dolphins, whales and shorebirds.  If you head to the Abel Tasman National Park you can see the Split Apple Rock that was created through a process called ice wedging and resembles an apple that has been sliced in half. Another interesting rock formation that was formed 30 million years ago is Punakaiki’s Layered Pancake Rocks where the limestone structures have been formed with sustained seismic activity. Take a walk here while you tuck into some delicious pancakes, for a unique getaway experience. A 2.5 km walk will get you up close to another natural rock formation at Cathedral Cove in Coromandel Peninsula. The triangle-shaped cave here makes for many Instagram-worthy pictures and you can try a spot of snorkelling too while you are here. Likewise, a private farm in North Otago is home to Elephant Rocks, which are massive limestone rocks some of which are a whopping 10 m wide.

 

Star Struck Travel New Zealand for the places where stargazers will not be disappointed with nebula, star clusters and galaxies often seen in the night skies. The only island here, and one of the three in the world, to have the Dark Sky Reserve status by the International Dark Sky Association is at the Great Barrier Island in Hauraki Gulf. Some other places stargazers must not miss are at Tongariro Night Crossing, Central North Island, Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, Canterbury and Rakiura (Stewart Island).

Gastronomy Calling With a coastline that extends over 14,000 km, the seafood in New Zealand is a must-try. Don’t miss the Maori Hangi, a traditional, slow-cooked dish that has meat and vegetables and is reserved for special occasions. The crayfish or lobster, roast lamb, Paua, a large sea snail, and kina, a type of sea urchin are some of the other local specialties that you must try. The Kiwi burger has fried egg and beetroot in addition to the regular patty, a snack not to be missed. As far as desserts are concerned, the caramelised honeycomb ice cream; jaffa, a small orange-flavoured sugar coated chocolate ball and Pavlova, a dessert made with whipped cream, fruit and meringue, are absolutely delicious. With a cornucopia of experiences, travel New Zealand to make a holiday special. What are you waiting for?