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New Zealand
Located in the southwest of Pacific Ocean about 2,000 kilometers southeast of Australia at Tasman Sea . Its closest neighbors to the north are New Caledonia , fiji and Tonga . Constituted in a parliamentary monarchy Elizabeth II , as Queen of New Zealand, is the head of state of the country and is represented by a governor general , while executive power is exercised by the cabinet and the Prime Minister. It is made up of two large islands: the north island and the South Island , along with a large number of smaller islands, standing out among them the Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands . The kingdom of new zealand also includes the cook islands and Niue (autonomous states in free association), to the Tokelau Archipelago Yet the Ross Antarctic Dependency . The capital of New Zealand is the city of Wellington , located in the north island .
How to get to New Zealand
Air: Flights to New Zealand are available from a variety of international destinations. Depending on where you come from, there are several airports , Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown and Rotorua.
Cruise ships: they are another very popular way to get to the country, and explore it. Most New Zealand cruises depart from Australia and the Pacific Islands, and some offer voyages around the world.
How to get around in New Zealand
Airplane: practically alone Air New Zealand offers air connections within the country and compensates for time if you need to travel long distances. In total, there are approximately 60 airports throughout the country that serve domestic flights.
Bus: not a bad option for getting around New Zealand between major towns and cities. However, they have the limitation that they do not connect the national parks. Another drawback is that connections, especially in the South Island, are limited. There are 2 bus companies that cover most of New Zealand .
Train: it is one more tourist attraction instead of a regular means of transport. The railway line is very limited, there are few routes and those that exist do not circulate every day. Options: Northern Explorer, connects Auckland with by Tongariro National Park; Coastal Pacific, links Christchurch with Picton on the east coast of the South Island. TranzAlpine: Crosses the Southern Alps mountain range from Christchurch to Greymouth. The state company in charge of the railways is KiwiRail ,
Ferry: the signature interislander connects the North and South Island and Stewart Island Experience connects the South Island with the Stewart Island .
Campervan: they are vans adapted to live in them, with all the comforts -beds, kitchen, etc.-
What to see in New Zealand
maori culture
It is a part of the life of its inhabitants and offers a unique and dynamic experience for visitors. The Maori are the Tangata Whenua, the indigenous people of New Zealand where They arrived more than 1,000 years ago from their mythical Polynesian homeland of Hawaiki. It represents 14% of the population and its history, language and traditions are central to New Zealand's identity. The cultural performances of the Maori people include songs, dances and haka (ancestral war dance) traditional. in Rotorua, and Across the country, tours offer a traditional welcome at a marae (gathering area), where you can enjoy a cultural performance followed by a feast of hāngi cooked in earthen ovens.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, it is located at the southern tip of the North Island and is a natural amphitheater nestled between the harbor and green hills. Creative and cosmopolitan city It combines the sophistication of the capital with the warmth and personality of a town with a culture, character and dynamic artistic environment, cafes, restaurants and first class outdoor activities. It is a compact city to walk and enjoy where you will also find some of the rarest species of birds, insects and reptiles in New Zealand.
It is the great national interactive museum of Wellington Bold and imaginative, across six floors of exhibits it offers an extraordinarily engaging experience, with cutting-edge and interactive displays. It is the ideal place to immerse yourself in Maori and Pacific culture, New Zealand history, natural wonders, contemporary and historical art and more. Filled with national treasures, highlights include a collection of Maori artifacts and a colorful marae, exhibits on the country's natural and environmental history, and rooms dedicated to national history and the Pacific region.
wellington parliament
It is the architectural symbol of New Zealand, whose executive wing, "The Beehive" was built between 1969 and 1981 and features murals and artwork by prominent New Zealand artists.
The building has 10 floors including cabinet rooms and prime minister's offices. On a guided tour you can explore the architecture, legacy, processes and protocols of New Zealand's democratic government.
Weta Workshop and Weta Digital have showcased Wellington's creativity to the world through blockbuster films including The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Avatar, The Thunderbirds and many more.
A tour of the Weta studio will teach you the secrets behind the filming and get you up close to the miniatures, props, armour, weapons, vehicles, creatures and models made entirely by Weta in Wellington.
It is located just ten minutes from the center of Wellington and is the first urban, ecological and totally fenced sanctuary within a wooded valley of 225 hectares where you can relax in the company of more than 40 species of native birds, reptiles, frogs and where botanical species rare are blooming in nature. The guided walking tours will provide you with information about the aforementioned native species of birds, reptiles and plants that live and grow predator proof.
Auckland
Aukland is the most populous city in New Zealand. It has become home to more than 25% of the country's population. The first settlers appeared on the site of the modern city almost 800 years ago. They were the Maori tribes. Since ancient times, this region has attracted people for its fertile lands and close to water given that it has access to the bays of two seas. Therefore, located between two ports, it has a wide variety of incredible activities to see and do with spectacular waterfalls, with more than 250 kilometers of trails, incredible beaches with white and black sand and even reaching the highest point of the gannet colony cliff at Muriwai Beach.
The vast Hauraki Gulf Marine Park includes more than 50 islands and five marine reserves. The most important are Waiheke, Rangitoto, Great Barrier Reef, Kawau, Tiritiri Matangi, Motuihe, Rotoroa, Motutapu, Rakino, Ponui, Pakatoa, Browns, Tarahiki, Whanganui, Kaikoura and Moturekareka. Waiheke is the most popular and populated island just 40 minutes by ferry from central Auckland, with beautiful sandy beaches, vineyards, olive groves and a relaxed, artistic lifestyle. Rangitoto Island will allow you, climbing to the highest point, to have a panoramic view of the Hauraki Gulf and the city. Rotoroa Island, a nature conservation park, with art and heritage. Rangitoto Island, an emblematic volcanic cone. Tiritiri Matangi Island, also known as Tiri, is a predator-free sanctuary for some of New Zealand's rarest bird species.
It houses the largest collection of Maori cultural treasures in the world, reproductions of the most important tribes of Aotearoa, (New Zealand in Maori). Through a series of permanent and temporary exhibitions and Daily Maori cultural performances provide fascinating insights into New Zealand's past and its place in the world. Several times a day this Maori cultural performance takes visitors on a journey through the history of Auckland and New Zealand.
It's near Queen St, along Albert Park among majestic columns of kauri (native tree) on four floors of exhibitions, seven centuries of art and one of the most emblematic buildings in the country. It houses 17,000 works of the main pieces of New Zealand's historical, contemporary and modern art. With the sights, sounds and atmosphere of traditional and contemporary international works you will discover New Zealand's largest permanent and traveling collection of art.
Many of these beautiful beaches are less than an hour from the city center, making them ideal for a day trip. Karekare is one of the most magnificent beaches, and its isolation is a complement to its impressive natural beauty. Piha is popular with experienced surfers, but it's also a wonderful place for picnics, relaxing walks, and swimming; Bethells (Te Henga) is smaller than the other beaches and has a more welcoming feel; Muriwai is a stunning coastline with cliff-top walkways and a massive gannet colony, with easy access and viewing platforms that let you get up close. Whatipu is in the northern part of the entrance to Manukau Bay with powerful currents that cross the sandbars to meet the big waves of the ocean.
It stands above all other high-rise buildings and allows you to see the city from 328 meters above street level, enjoy the beautiful views, up to 80 kilometers in all directions, and discover the key landmarks, a number of volcanoes and historic sites within the Auckland metropolitan area. At the base of the Sky Tower, the Skycity entertainment complex is home to a world-class casino where fun and excitement are on offer 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city located on the southern shore of the lake of the same name, in Bay of Plenty , in the north island from New Zealand located at 230 kilometers from Auckland. Most of it is in the Bay of Plenty, except for a sizable southern section and a small western section which are in the Bay of Plenty region. Waikato . Known for its unique landscapes, geysers, natural hot springs and proud Maori traditions, the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua sits in the Pacific Rim of Fire. It is known for its activity geothermal , and has geysers What the Pohutu in Whakarewarewa- and hot mud pools. This thermal activity comes from the Rotorua caldera, in which the city is located.
Immerse yourself in Maori culture, starting at Te Puia. It is a geothermal wonder that has the largest number of active geysers in the entire southern hemisphere. It erupts once or twice an hour, sometimes reaching a height of about 30 meters. We will come across bubbling mud, pools of boiling water that are still used for cooking and impressive geysers. At night you can go to a cultural show in the center of Maori culture. Manaakitanga (hospitality) is something that the Te Arawa Māori have demonstrated to tourists for over 150 years.
Located about 20 minutes from Rotorua, Tamaki Maori Village offers a powerful cultural and dining experience to show you who the Maori are and allow you to walk with them into the past by attending pre-European rituals (such as the powhiri welcoming ceremony) at the meeting house and the interactive village in the native forest as well as taste a traditional Hangi feast (food cooked underground on hot stones). So you will experience the stories, travels, battles and rituals of the Maori when New Zealand was established.
This geothermal bathing retreat located on the shores of Lake Rotorua has 28 pools of water hot mineral that are fed from two natural springs for a combination that nourishes the skin and relieves muscles and pain. In addition to enjoy the therapies proposed by the spa you can taste of the Hangi and a Maori concert. If you want to try New Zealand mud baths, you have to go to Hells Gate where you can enjoy a traditional Maori Miri Miri massage and mud therapies.
It is possibly the best mountain biking location in New Zealand and fans of this activity will find no less than 145km of trails in 55,000 hectares of parkland for mountain bikers, walkers, cyclists and horse riders amongst magnificent stands of native trees. and soaring exotics. The forest's most impressive feature is its local namesake: the grove of giant California Coast Redwoods, towering 200 feet into the sky.
Hawkes Bay
Hawke's Bay is situated on the eastern coast of the North Island; The region is named after what is now Hawke's Bay, a large semi-circular bay that stretches for 100 kilometers from the northeast to the southwest of the mahia peninsula to the cape of the kidnappers. Includes coastal land, with several hills around the bay north and central bay, the Wairoa River floodplains in the north, the wide, fertile plains around Hastings in the south, and a mountainous interior that extends to the mountain ranges of Kaweka and Ruahine. This bay is an exceptional natural setting and some of New Zealand's best seasonal food and wine is produced here.
Art deco city that on February 3, 1931 was reduced to rubble by a massive earthquake of magnitude 7.8. Buildings were destroyed and hundreds of people lost their lives. Out of the destruction came a magnificent new Art Deco city, designed and built within a period of two years rebuildable in the contemporary style of the time and naturally classical. The surrounding landscape It is made up of mountains, vineyards, agricultural fields, rivers, valleys and beaches, an ideal place for lovers of nature and outdoor life.
It is known for its incredible landscapes with sweeping coastal views, high tiered cliffs, and is home to the world's largest colony of gannets. At low tide you can go on the beach to the cape to see the gannet colony up close. Along the way, you'll see impressive stratified bedrock and fault lines that lie beneath the Hawke's Bay coastal area. The towering cliffs are made up of sandstone, conglomerate, mudstone, river gravel, pumice, and silt, as well as hints of petrified wood and lignite. Fossilized snails can be seen in the sandstone near Black Reef.
Christchurch, Canterbury
Its central location in the South Island from the ocean to the Alps, land of plains and mountains, converts to Canterbury at the gateway to some of New Zealand's most incredible scenery. The hot and dry northeast area keeps the temperature warm in summer and with the city's proximity to a number of beaches and small seaside towns there is plenty of activity to keep you busy. Overlooking the ocean and the Alps, stand out the glorious gardens and parks, the energetic street art and the serene river scenery. In terms of art, there are plenty of independent art galleries that are great for wandering around,
International Antarctic Center
It is located in the suburb of harewood near from Christchurch International Airport . The Center is the home of the Programs antarctic of New Zealand , United States and Italy where you can enjoy a day in Antarctica and you will discover what this incomparable continent is like. You will be able to ride in an all-terrain amphibious Hagglund and experience the 4D simulation of sailing in Antarctica together with the little blue penguins. An interactive fun for visitors of all ages where you will learn about the human impact on the continent, wildlife and plant systems and the effect of Antarctica on the world.
The Te Matatiki Toi Ora Arts Center is a center for art, culture, education, creativity and entrepreneurship. It is located in the old gothic building Canterbury College (now University of Canterbury) . When the University moved, the building complex became a frequent venue for various interesting exhibitions, cultural events and celebrations. . It is truly a national landmark housing the largest collection of Gothic Revival architecture in New Zealand.
Located just 3 hours drive from Christchurch you will find whales, dolphins, seals, albatrosses and other species, along with a spectacular view of new geological formations at the bottom of the sea. You can visit Akaroa (only 1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Christchurch) and take a cruise from the imposing port of Akaroa to swim with the dolphins or to see Hector the dolphin, one of the smallest species of dolphins in the world. .
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
It is a no less impressive place of interest for all fans of architectural monuments. The Christchurch Architectural Ensemble it is made in the best traditions of the Renaissance style and is often recognized as the most impressive and fascinating monument of this style in all of New Zealand. Although it was partially damaged by the devastating earthquake of 2011 and is in far from ideal condition it remains one of New Zealand's most famous and popular architectural landmarks.
queenstown
Queenstown is a town in the region of Otago in the southwest of the south island . It is located in an inlet of land in the Lake Wakatipu , which is an elongated lake with spectacular views from the majestic neighboring mountains. It is known for its impressive landscapes, for the adventure and cosmopolitan energy of its mountains, lakes, rivers and valleys. The best views of the island are in Queenstown: Coronet Peak, the Remarkables Mountains and Lake Wakatipu, among other attractions.
It is a wildlife sanctuary that has 5 acres of forest reserve located in the heart of Queenstown. In this park there are many ways for you to experience the special world of birds and reptiles. You will be able to observe more than 20 species of native birds, among them the famous kiwi, which does not fly in a nocturnal enclosure, attend wildlife shows, nature exhibits and daily performances by the keepers. In addition to these feathered stars, you will also see creatures like the Auckland green gecko, kea and a prehistoric tuatara.
It is a network of 120 km of easy and difficult trails that border rivers, lakes and mountain ranges where you can also do various activities, such as bungee jumping, jet ski rides and wine tasting. East bike and walk trail is funded as one of the New Zealand Cycle Trail system projects in Otago, New Zealand. It links the cities of Queenstown, Arrowtown, the suburb of Jack's Point and the Gibbston area.
cook islands
The Cook Islands make up a archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean south, between Hawaii and New Zealand almost 3,300 km from the latter, with government system democratic - parliamentary on free association with New Zealand. Also known as New Zealand Polynesia, the 15 islands of volcanic origin and coral reefs have an area of 236 km² . The population is concentrated on the island of Rarotonga where is the international airport. The capital is Avarua . They are one of the few islands in the Pacific where tourism is still underdeveloped, which makes them a true paradise, the perfect refuge for those looking to relax and discover virgin sites.
It's one of the reefs from coral of the Cook Islands . Of all the inhabited islands of the archipelago it is the most isolated. Another name for PukaPuka is Islands of Danger. Although the infrastructure is well maintained, flights to Pukapuka are rare as the island is much closer to Samoa than the rest of the Cook Islands. Robert Dean Frisbie immortalized the island in his work Isla del Desire written in the 1930s. In February 2005 Pukapuka and her neighbor Nassau they were beaten by cyclone Percy that caused serious damage to property and infrastructure on the islands. The local population speaks pukapukan .
New Zealand cuisine
New Zealand cuisine is characterized by having an influence from Europe, Asia, Polynesia and the Maori. Being an island, seafood products stand out, such as fish and shellfish. But there is also a great taste for meat, especially lamb and pork.
Hangi: It consists of putting meat and vegetables in baskets and cooking them underground. Very hot rocks are placed in a hole, the food goes on top, and everything is covered with earth so that the heat does not escape. After around 6 hours, the soil is scooped out and the food is ready.
Hogget roast – roast made with baked lamb meat seasoned with herbs and accompanied by potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, vegetables and mint sauce.
Lamb Stew: Quick-fried, seasoned lamb meat; It is presented accompanied with sautéed vegetables such as carrots and of a red wine and rosemary sauce.
Colonial Goose: boneless leg of lamb meat cooked with honey and dried fruit, all marinated in red wine.
Whitebait Fritter: egg omelette made with small fish and tomatoes.
Pavlova: meringue topped with whipped cream and topped with fresh fruit such as strawberries and kiwi.
Afghan Biscuits: traditional cookie made of cocoa powder, butter, flour and cornflakes, covered with chocolate glaze and a nut on top.
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