New Zealand

Auckland : Arts & Cultural Festival
‘The Auckland Arts and Cultural festival is held in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland. The Festival features works from New Zealand, the Pacific and Asia. It includes world premieres of new art works and international performing arts events.

Auckland was the first city in the Asia Pacific to have a large festival, which it hosted from 1948 to 1982. The festival celebrates the distinct and unique characteristics of Auckland and its particular Pacific style. Its main objectives are to engage Aucklanders in the arts, to support New Zealand art and artists and to reflect on the uniqueness of Auckland. Its program features more than 100 events including dance, music, cabaret, burlesque, theatre, ballet, visual arts, film and public forums, occupying most of Auckland’s theatres, galleries and concert halls. In 2011 ‘Red Square’ was re- branded as the Festival Garden and a new program element, White Night, modelled on Europe’s ‘Nuit Blanche’ events, was introduced – the first such event in Australasia. Highlights of March 2011 included performances by the Lautten Compangney (Germany), the Manganiyar Seduction (India), U-Theatre (Taiwan) and a commissioned full-length work ‘RAPT’ by New Zealand choreographer Douglas Wright.

Christchurch: The Christchurch Food and Wine Festival
The New World Wine & Food Festival is a celebration of the South Island region’s recent acceptance as New Zealand’s representative on the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Global Network. Fifty of the leading wineries from Central Otago, Canterbury, Waipara, Nelson, and Marlborough have been selected to showcase their wines to create a truly unique wine event. Wine seminars and cooking displays hosted by industry experts are a prominent part of the festival and more than 30 gourmet food vendors, representing some of the South Island’s leading chefs and restaurateurs complement the festival.

An estimated seventy thousand people filled the streets of Christchurch for the start of the towns Food & Wine Festival, marking the start of the annual Christchurch Food Festival. With live entertainment from some of New Zealand’s leading musicians, the Christchurch South Island Wine & Food Festival is a great way to start the summer festive season.

Dunedin : Arts and Culture
Dunedin, a centre of learning, art and culture since early European days, has been home to many of New Zealand’s great poets, writers, artists and musicians. Victorian and Edwardian architecture dominates the cityscape, and many historic buildings have been reinvented for modern life, like the Dunedin railway station that’s now home to Speight’s brewery. Next door, the Chinese garden is a reminder of strong Chinese cultural ties.

Otago Settlers’ museum and Olveston House highlight the influence of Scottish and early settler heritage, while Taieri gorge railway provides a different perspective on the distinctive Otago landscape and history. Dunedin Public Art Gallery, established in 1884, has a major collection of local, national and international art. Otago Museum and the university have exhibitions and seminars on local culture and art. Dunedin also has a thriving theatre and music scene. Sport, particularly rugby, is firmly imbedded into Dunedin culture. The city is home to the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and Carisbrook rugby stadium – known locally as the ‘house of pain’.

Queenstown : Kiwi Haka
Arrowtown is the much visited, historic, 4-season, southern hemisphere holiday destination, located only 20 minutes drive from Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand. Arrowtown is a former gold-mining town built on the banks of the Arrow River, once a rich source of gold in the 1860’s and now a sophisticated, multi-cultural town catering to the refined tastes of its visitors from around the globe. Arrowtown offers an ambiance not found elsewhere with its shops, restaurants, cafes, offices and galleries located within a tight precinct.

Arrowtown is recognised as the walking and biking centre of the Wakatipu region and many walking trails and cycle tracks of the area either start or finish in the town. Enjoy the range of activities from gold-panning, visiting the Lakes District Museum, teeing off on Millbrook’s international golf-course, shopping, dining to quite simply just relaxing in one of the beautiful hotels, motels, bed & breakfast or resort style accommodation options. The council holds very strict by-laws on appearances and preservation orders protecting over 70 historic buildings, and it is now the only historic town in New Zealand functioning as normal.

Rotorua : Te Puia
The Te Puia mission is to be the centre of knowledge and excellence for the preservation, presentation, education and growth of traditional expressions of Māori arts, crafts and culture. People have been living in the area for almost 700 years and Te Puia offers a chance to find out more about Maori, their culture and land. It’s an opportunity to learn about their knowledge and their history, handed down through stories and arts. The main entrance has 12 contemporary carvings, each representing a celestial guardian in Te Arawa culture.

There is a fully carved meeting house to explore and all its designs, carvings and woven features were created by tutors and students from Te Puia. The meeting house is the place to watch one of the three daytime cultural performances. Each 45 minute performance is a great way of enjoying Maori performing arts up close. One must not miss the Te Puia Evening Cultural Experience. It really is an enchanting place to be after the sun sets. A performance is depicted to visitors, they are offered traditional Maori food – ‘Hangi’ and also taken to visit the Pohutu geyser under the stars.

Wellington : New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) is the the national orchestra of New Zealand and its leading professional orchestra. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players. The orchestra was founded in 1946 as the National Orchestra and administered by Radio New Zealand until 1989, under the name of the NZBC Symphony Orchestra (New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation). It is currently based in the Wellington Town Hall but frequently performs in the adjacent Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington.

For a number of years, the NZSO had no permanent conductor, but has had chief conductors. Franz-Paul Decker was chief conductor from 1991 to 1996, the last conductor to hold this title, and now has the title of Conductor Laureate. The first conductor to have the title of Music Director of the NZSO was James Judd, from 1999 to 2007. Judd is now the orchestra’s Music Director Emeritus. In May 2007, Pietari Inkinen was named the NZSO’s second Music Director,and he formally took up the post in January 2008.

Auckland : Jazz & Blues
Although jazz has thrown up an abundance of controversies over the years, the one element on which there has hitherto been universal agreement is concerning the origins of the music. It has long been accepted that jazz evolved from a combination of African music, introduced into America by the slaves, and European dance music. Jazz Performance is a rigorous programme of practical & academic work. All New Zealanders especially Aucklanders enjoy their Jazz & Blues Festival due to sheer love for the music it creates.

New Zealand music has been influenced by blues, jazz, country, rock and roll and hip hop, with many of these genres giving a unique New Zealand interpretation. Māori developed traditional chants and songs from their ancient South-East Asian origins, and after centuries of isolation created a unique “monotonous” and “doleful” sound. Flutes and trumpets were used as musical instruments or as signalling devices during war or special occasions. Early settlers brought over their ethnic music, with brass bands and choral music being popular, and musicians began touring New Zealand in the 1860s.

Christchurch : World Buskers Festival
It isn’t summer in Christchurch without the World Buskers Festival. Christchurch’s annual World Buskers Festival is its most loved festival where 40 artists from around the world perform for the general public. Artists from Canada, USA, Brazil, Portugal, Japan, Italy, Netherlands, UK, Australia and New Zealand, take to the streets, the City Mall, Cathedral Square, the Arts Centre and the Botanic Gardens – family oriented humorous skits are performed in famous locations in the heart of the city. Later, the Fire Show in Cathedral Square and comedy shows of the more adult type are shown in The Loaded Hog pub, the Christchurch Casino and the Comedy Club stage in the Arts Centre.

Bring your sense of humour, and if you don’t have one, you will by the end of the show! Beware the performers, as they ask unsuspecting people to be volunteers on their show. Remember your loose change, as these performers are there without pay, and make a living from the donations you give them. All in all, get ready for a fun filled festival of organised madness and mayhem in the lovely summer and surroundings of the Garden City. Hagley Park becomes Busker Park during this time.

Mt.Cook : Annual Mackenzie Country A & P Show
Held every Easter Monday in Fairlie the Mackenzie Highland Show is the largest one day Agricultural and Pastoral (A&P) Show. Competitions are held in sheep, cattle, horses, wool, dog trials, Kennel Club, donkeys, alpacas, llamas, goats, poultry, produce, photography, wood chopping, Highland dancing and piping, wearable arts and more. Food stalls, entertainment, trade displays are also .

Easter Monday the Mackenzie Highland A & P show is held at the show grounds in Fairlie and here you can see show jumping, Celtic dancing, kennel club, home industries, sheep, wool and livestock displays, farm machinery exhibits plus you can give a donation at the R.S.A. stand and receive a poppy. At 2 p.m. the grand parade of stock is always led by the Mackenzie Pipe Band. 1998 was the shows centennial. It is one of the best one day shows in New Zealand. Take along a picnic lunch and spread a blanket on the ground at lunch time, behind your car, as the locals have done for hundreds of years.

Queenstown : American Express Queenstown Winter Festival
Icons don’t just happen overnight; the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival 2012 has been 38 glorious years in the making. Way back in 1975 a bunch of locals decided that the start of winter was a great excuse to have a party. They organised races on the mountain and in town, lollies for the kids, beers for the grown-ups, a concert or two and a town-wide ball, all of which made the Festival a great success. News spread quickly and the next year people came from further afield to join the festivities.

Since then the Festival has evolved into New Zealand’s biggest winter party and some say the biggest winter party in the Southern Hemisphere! It’s a 10 day celebration of Queenstown’s unique culture and community with street parties, fireworks, international and local acts, jazz, comedy, a Mardi Gras, family fun, Ball, and plenty of Mountain Mayhem. The Town is a-buzz with around 45000 people celebrating the arrival of winter in true Queenstown style. It usually takes place between 22 June to 1 July. WINTER STARTS HERE and Queenstown is proud of it!

Rotorua : Agricultural & Pastoral Show
Have an awesome family day out at the 103rd Annual Rotorua Agricultural & Pastoral Show held on one of New Zealand’s most pictureque Show Ground which is also the venue of the famous Agrodome and Adventure sight. The Show features the best of Equestrian, Dairy & Beef Cattle, Calf Club, Alpaca, Miniature Horse, Donkey & Mule, Harness Horse, Heavy Horse, Show Hunter, Western Riding and Goat competitions and events. Also the Agrodome Shears & Woolhandling (Sunday only) and Wood Chopping Events.

There will be Children’s races and fun activities, wagon rides, climbing wall, fun rides, small animal display, antique machinery, “Yesteryear” Museum, lawn mower racing, Stilt Walkers, Agility Dog Displays, Papa Crete (Concrete Man) – a variety of musicians, Lawn Mower Racing, Trade Sites and lots of yummy food plus much,much more. A great day out for the whole family.

Wellington : World of Wearable Art
Once described as “Mardi Gras meets Haute Couture at a Peter Gabriel concert directed by Salvador Dali,” World of Wearable Art twists conventional perceptions of art and fashion. Unique works of art are designed for the moving body and individually choreographed into a two-hour theatrical show. Each year’s performance is original and contains elements of music, dance, lighting, drama and comedy. The show selects around 180 garment entries, including over 60 from international designers, and each two-hour performance celebrates them through a montage of colour, movement and art.

First held in 1987, the World of Wearable Art began as a promotion for a rural art gallery in Nelson. Growing in appeal each year, both locally and internationally, the show moved to Wellington in 2005 and now attracts an audience of 30000 people per season. This annual extravaganza twists conventional perceptions of both art and fashion and weaving these into a spectacular two hour performance.

Auckland : Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Waitangi is a township located in the Bay of Islands on the North Island of New Zealand. The name means weeping waters in Māori. It was here on February 6th, 1840, that the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown.

The Treaty Grounds are part of the 506 hectare Waitangi National Trust estate, which was gifted to the nation by Lord and Lady Bledisloe in 1932. In the Deed of Gift, Lord Bledisloe stipulated that the estate was never to be a burden on the tax payer, and as such it is not government funded. The estate is administered by the Waitangi National Trust Board, whose members represent various sections of New Zealand people.

Christchurch : Ferrymead Heritage Park
Ferrymead Heritage Park is a museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, housing a number of groups with historical themes, the most frequent of which is transport. It is in the Heathcote Valley, at the site of New Zealand’s first public railway. Formerly known as Ferrymead Historic Park. This was the original name of the park. A number of groups came together in the early 1960s with a common interest in forming a museum of scientific and industrial history. Included in these was the Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society, which had formed in the late 1950s to cater for local rail enthusiast interests.

Ferrymead Heritage Park takes you back into New Zealands past. Visit the Edwardian Township complete with Picture Theatre, School House, Church, Bakery, Jail and Railway Station. View the fascinating array of museum and heritage collections. Experience daily horse and carriage rides with tram rides each weekend. Browse timeless treasures and treats in the gift shop and have a fun-filled family day out while gaining fascinating insights into New Zealand’s heritage.

Mt.Cook : Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre
At 3754m, Aoraki Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest mountain and provided Sir Edmund Hillary, the well known climber, with the first major climb of his career. The ascent of Mount Cook’s difficult south face was Hillary’s first great mountaineering achievement and also became the training ground for his Everest and Antarctic expeditions. Sir Edmund continued to spend much of his time in the Mount Cook region and his death was considered a great loss to the local community.

Since opening in 2008, a purpose-built entertainment and education centre with a planetarium, museum, stargazing deck and the Hillary Gallery has become a key destination for visitors to the South Island. A full-dome planetarium with a 360-degree cinema is New Zealand’s first full dome digital planetarium. The NZ$7.5 million Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, adjoining the iconic Hermitage Hotel, attracts visitors of all ages keen to pay tribute to the legendary Kiwi who was a friend and mentor to many, humanitarian, ambassador and one of New Zealand’s most famous sons. Visitors can now stand beside his statue on the Alpine Centre’s Hillary Deck looking out to Aoraki Mount Cook where the famous mountaineer’s career began.

Queenstown : Arrowtown
Arrowtown is the much visited, historic, 4-season, southern hemisphere holiday destination, located only 20 minutes drive from Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand. Arrowtown is a former gold-mining town built on the banks of the Arrow River, once a rich source of gold in the 1860’s and now a sophisticated, multi-cultural town catering to the refined tastes of its visitors from around the globe. Arrowtown offers an ambiance not found elsewhere with its shops, restaurants, cafes, offices and galleries located within a tight precinct.

Arrowtown is recognised as the walking and biking centre of the Wakatipu region and many walking trails and cycle tracks of the area either start or finish in the town. Enjoy the range of activities from gold-panning, visiting the Lakes District Museum, teeing off on Millbrook’s international golf-course, shopping, dining to quite simply just relaxing in one of the beautiful hotels, motels, bed & breakfast or resort style accommodation options. The council holds very strict by-laws on appearances and preservation orders protecting over 70 historic buildings, and it is now the only historic town in New Zealand functioning as normal.

Rotorua : The Bath House
Opened in 1908 by Rear-Admiral Sperry of the American Great White Fleet, the Bath House represents the New Zealand Government’s first major investment in the tourism industry. The Bath House, which today houses Rotorua Museum of Art & History ‘Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa’, was once a spa which offered therapeutic treatments. It is a monument to the New Zealand Government’s first major commitment to the tourist industry and is a readily recognised symbol of the city. The turn-of-the-century Government hoped to tempt wealthy northern hemisphere patrons to travel far from home to the “Great South Seas Spa”.

Water from nearby thermal springs was piped to private bathrooms and larger Aix-douche massage rooms. There were also a number of deep pools where chronic disorders were treated. The north wing accommodated male patients, while women were treated in the south wing.

Wellington : Te Papa Museum
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand, located in Wellington. It is branded and commonly known as Te Papa and Our Place; “Te Papa Tongarewa” is broadly translated as “the place of treasures of this land”. Te Papa’s first predecessor was the Colonial Museum, which opened in a small wooden building in 1865.

On 14 February 1998, Te Papa opened in Cable Street, Wellington. Construction had taken 4 years. Since Te Papa opened, more than 17 million people have visited the Museum. Their narrative-based, interdisciplinary, and interactive approach has attracted international attention, as has commitment to biculturalism. Their challenge is ongoing – to remain true to the community and relevant in an ever-changing world. The collections span five areas: Art, History, Pacific, Māori, and Natural Environment. The exhibitions are interdisciplinary and interactive, they have dynamic events and education programmes. There are also thriving commercial enterprises, including a publishing division, conference operations, and retail stores.

Auckland: The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai is a 2003 American epic drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. The film stars Tom Cruise (who also co-produced) in the role of American soldier Nathan Algren, whose personal and emotional conflicts bring him into contact with samurai warriors in the wake of the Meiji Restoration in the Empire of Japan in 1876 and 1877. The film’s plot was inspired by the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion led by Saigō Takamori, and also on the stories of Jules Brunet, a French army captain who fought alongside Enomoto Takeaki in the earlier Boshin War and Frederick Townsend Ward, an American mercenary who helped Westernize the Chinese army by forming the Ever Victorious Army.

The Last Samurai was well received upon release, with a worldwide box office of $456 million. In addition it was nominated for several awards, including the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the National Board of Review.

Christchurch : Narnia The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Andrew Adamson co-produced by Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Bringing to life the classic children’s novel by CS Lewis, this spectacular New Zealand-based film tells the story of the Pevensie children and their adventures in the magical land of Narnia.

Flock Hill Station, near the magnificent Arthur’s Pass in the Canterbury District, was the setting for the climactic final battle between Aslan’s forces and the powerful army of the White Witch, led by the fierce minotaur General Otman. The battle is said to be one of the most spectacular Hollywood has seen yet, with the snowcapped Southern Alps serving as a backdrop as the two sides ride into war. Arthur’s Pass National Park is known for its wild mountain scenery, which includes glaciers and dramatic waterfalls. The Scenic Tranzalpine Express travels over Arthur’s Pass from Christchurch to Greymouth, and the trip is an ideal way to view the park’s rugged alpine scenery.

Mt.Cook : Vertical Limit
Mt. Cook in the Southern Alps in New Zealand was chosen as a location to shoot the movie simply because it duplicates the Himalayas and suited the filming of the movie completely. It’s one of the few places in the world where you get peak upon peak like the area around K2.

A high-adrenaline tale of young climber Peter Garrett, who must launch a treacherous and extraordinary rescue effort up K2, the world’s second highest peak. Confronting both his own limitations and the awesome power of nature’s uncontrollable elements, Peter risks his life to save his sister, Annie, and her summit team in a race against time. The team is trapped in an icy grave at 26,000 feet – a death zone above the vertical limit of endurance where the human body cannot survive for long.

Queenstown : I Hate Love Stories
It is a Bollywood film starring Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor in the lead roles. The film is a romantic comedy, written and directed by newcomer, Punit Malhotra and produced under Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Ronnie Screwvala’s UTV Motion Pictures. The film was released on 2 July 2010 and went on to become a box office hit. The film was partly filmed in Queenstown, New Zealand.

“Sadka Kiya” song gives a view of the Queenstown Waterfront, New Zealand.

Rotorua : Lord of the Rings
New Zealand is the stunning location where the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. The town of Matamata in the Waikato with it’s rolling hills and emerald green grass was the perfect setting for the peaceful Shire region of Middle-earth, home to the village of Hobbiton. This area of New Zealand is one of the richest agricultural and pastoral areas in the world and is characterised as a large fertile basin through which the Waikato River flows. The actual site of ‘The Shire’ set is about 20 minutes out of Matamata on a private farm owned by Ian Alexander.

The Hobbiton movie set has primarily been returned to its natural state, however 17 of the original 37 hobbit holes and other distinctive land marks such as ‘the party tree’ still remain and can be viewed as part of a Hobbiton tour. The Waikato region also offers superb caving and black water rafting. One can also live like a hobbit in the Lord of the Rings set within Hobbiton in the same house as Frodo Baggins depending on the filming schedule. You can relax with a great cup of coffee or a light meal in The Shires Rest Cafe, which is also available for functions, conferences or other occasions.

Wellignton: Avatar
The production of Avatar partly took place in 4 locations in Wellington, New Zealand; Stone Street Studio, Weta Workshop and Weta Digital. And some filming is done in the warehouse in Porirua City in Wellington (The old Todd Motors Building)- The Stone Street Studio.

Written and directed by James Cameron is Avatar; starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez and Stephen Lang. It is the most technologically advanced work of cinema ever undertaken.

Auckland : White Island
‘Whakaari/White Island is an active volcano, situated 48 km (30 mi) from the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, in the Bay of Plenty. The nearest mainland towns are Whakatane and Tauranga. The island is roughly circular, about 2 km (1.2 mi) in diameter, and rises to a height of 321 m (1,053 ft) above sea level. However this is only the peak of a much larger submarine mountain, which rises up to 1,600 m (5,249 ft) above the nearby seafloor. The full Māori name for the island is ‘Te Puia o Whakaari’, meaning ‘The Dramatic Volcano.’ It was named ‘White Island’ by Captain Cook on October 1, 1769 because it always appeared to be in a cloud of white steam. Although Cook went close to the island he failed to notice that it was a volcano. Its official name is Whakaari/White Island although it is best known as White Island.

White Island is privately owned and was declared a private scenic reserve in 1953 and is subject to the provision of the Reserves Act 1977. Visitors cannot land without permission or remove or disturb any wildlife and must leave only their footprints. However, it is easily accessible by authorised tourist operators. Weather permitting, a luxury motor launch leaves Whakatane daily for a six-hour day trip. Helicopter and aeroplane trips are also available .

Christchurch : Kaikoura
Whale Watch is located in the town of Kaikoura – a scenic two and a half-hour drive north from Christchurch in New Zealand’s South Island. Kaikoura is a special place of lush pastures and towering, snow covered peaks that fall to the sea.
This rare magic continues just offshore where a deep undersea canyon combines with unusual sea currents to attract an extraordinary abundance of marine life, the most famous being the Sperm Whale.

Every Whale Watch tour is a unique experience and the sightings vary. Giant Sperm Whales are the stars of the show and year-round residents. A typical Whale Watch tour may encounter New Zealand Fur Seals, pods of Dusky dolphins and the endangered Wandering Albatross. Find out why the Whale Watch tour is such an amazing tourist destination.

Kaikoura often hosts the world’s largest dolphin – the Orca – and is home to the world’s smallest and rarest – the Hector’s. Kaikoura also attracts the largest concentration and variety of seabirds on mainland New Zealand including 13 species of Albatross, 14 varieties of Petrels and 7 types of Shearwater.

Mt.Cook : Mt.Cook National Park
Aoraki/Mount Cook (70,696 hectares) is New Zealand’s great alpine park. It has the highest mountains and the largest glaciers. Aoraki/Mount Cook Village and all visitors to the park are dwarfed by the immensity of the landscape that surrounds them. Aoraki/Mount Cook was formally established as a national park in 1953 from reserves that were established as early as 1887 to protect the area’s significant vegetation and landscape. Aoraki/Mount Cook village lies within the park with Twizel the nearest town outside. Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is dominated by the peaks of Aoraki Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain as well asMount Tasman.

The park is renowned for its natural environment. Take only pictures and leave only footprints is a good rule to follow. Walking is a popular way to get around the park. There are a number of formed tracks and recognised walking routes. For those who want to see or ski the mountains, there are light aircraft and helicopters that can get you to places in minutes that would otherwise take hours or days of walking.

Queenstown : Milford Sound
No visit to Queenstown is complete without a trip to Milford Sound, one of the world’s most scenic areas. Let yourself be captivated by the breathtaking and awe inspiring views that can only be experienced from the air. Milford Sound is named by Captain James Cook after Milford Haven in Wales. Milford Sound (Piopiotahi in Māori) is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand’s South Island, within Fiordland National Park, Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve, and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world’s top travel destination in an international survey and is acclaimed as New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. Rudyard Kipling had previously called it the eighth Wonder of the World.

Maoris believe that the demi-god Tuterakiwhanoa, carved the rugged landscape from formless rock. They named Milford Sound ‘Piopiotahi’ after a thrush-like bird, the piopio. Piopiotahi literally means a single piopio, which harks back to the legend of Maui trying to win immortality for mankind. When Maui died in the attempt, a piopio was said to have flown to Milford Sound in mourning. Milford Sound is famous for its waterfalls, if its raining it’s even more spectacular. The boats nudge right up to the base of the waterfalls, often challenging visitors to fill a glass of water from the cascading plumes. The boats are often escorted by pods of dolphins and seals bask on the rocks.

Rotorua: Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park
A stunning kiwi wildlife park spread over 22 acres of parkland is a place where you can get up close and personal with all of New Zealands favourite native birds and lizards, including the kiwi and tuatara. Take a behind the scenes look at the kiwi conservation project and come back at night to see kiwi under the stars in their outdoor enclosure. In early 2012, a free flight bird show will operate twice daily and “The Big Splash” – an interactive and highly themed water ride will open.

The Park has some truly beautiful forest areas, home to New Zealand natives and other giant imports. Take some time out to relax in the café and browse in the souvenir store during your visit. If you are a part of a Cruise Experience, Rainbow Springs is a must see to admire New Zealand’s spectacular scenery and wildlife. Kiwi Encounter is a unique scientific attraction allowing you an insight into the entire process of kiwi conservation – from kiwi egg collection, incubation and hatching to raising of the kiwi until it’s ready to be released. When you visit Rainbow Springs, learn more about kiwi conservation by adding on a Behind the Scenes tour of Kiwi Encounter. The tour is 30 minutes and includes a visit to see the Incubation, Hatching and Nursery Rooms to see the baby kiwis.

Wellington : Kapiti Island
Kapiti Island is the summit of a submerged mountain range created by earthquakes 200 million years ago. The view is classic dense green foliage and steep terrain all shrouded in mist & rain. The Explorer Captain James Cook, named Kapiti “Entry Island” because of its proximity to Cook Strait.

Kapiti is one of the most valuable nature reserves identified by naturalists in 1870 & the only large island sanctuary for birds between the Hauraki Gulf in the north and New Zealand’s southern outlaying islands. Much of the early work to make use of the island as a bird reserve was pioneered by the visionary naturalist, Richard Henry, who arrived as a caretaker on Kapiti in 1908. Legend has it, at one time, moa and kakapo wandered the valley that lay between the mountains to the rest of the mainland. Several million years ago, most of this range was inundated by rising sea level. It was, for a time, part of a land bridge that extended across what is now Cook Strait. What remains is an island about 10 km long and 2 km wide of wind-blasted hillsides to the west and lush temperate rain forests to the sheltered east.

Auckland : Chancery
When visiting Auckland, be sure to check out the Chancery, located off High Street. Chancery has a cobblestone plaza where you can walk between the high fashion boutiques and delicious eateries. Chancery is widely acknowledged as being the finest shopping experience in Auckland.

Step onto Chancery’s sunny, cobblestoned piazza and be absorbed by a quality showcase of designer style, classic fashion boutiques and sidewalk cafes. No visit to the heart of Auckland City is complete without spending some quality time at Chancery.

Chirstchurch : Canterbury Wines
Canterbury’s wine-growing industry has come a long way from the humble beginnings when French settlers planted the first vines in Akaroa, Canterbury. New Zealand is one of the oldest grape growing regions in the South Island of New Zealand. Grapes are planted on the river plains and on Banks Peninsula. The plains vineyards enjoy free-draining stony soils and the peninsula vineyards are typically planted in valleys that enjoy favourable mesoclimates. The area is becoming known for its excellent wines.

St Helena Wine Estate won Canterbury’s first Gold Medal for its Pinot Noir in 1982! Since then, many Canterbury winemakers have been honoured at competitions in New Zealand and abroad. Grape varieties planted include Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Rieslings are putting Canterbury wines head-on in front of wine drinkers.

Mt.Cook : Alpine Salmon
Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon is quite possibly the healthiest, firmest-fleshed, best eating king salmon in the world today. Reared in the swift cold currents of the snow fed alpine Tekapo canal in the South Island, these salmon swim constantly against the water flow. This means they develop firm flesh with high levels of Omega 3 and less inter-muscular fat than ocean-reared salmon. They are not treated with vaccines, pesticides or antibiotics at any stage of the life cycle and are naturally healthy due to living in pristine, highly oxygenated water and getting plenty of exercise. It is said that Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon are amongst the healthiest salmon in the world.Being reared in extremely cold fast-flowing water gives our alpine salmon unique properties: * Alpine Salmon freezes unbelievably well. If thawed correctly it is indistinguishable from fresh chilled. * A clean flavour and delicate taste, with lower inter-muscular fat and less cooking odour * Superior appearance with less marbling and dense, firm flesh that holds together perfectly.

The Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon farm is a unique eco-sustainable operation located in the glacial fed Tekapo hydro canal, in the MacKenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand. The fish are maintained at low rearing densities and other than monthly sample weigh-ups, are rarely handled. The farm does not pollute or damage the environment in any way and meets or exceeds all government regulations by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), Department of Conservation (DOC) and Environment Canterbury.

Queenstown : Arts & Crafts Market
The “Creative Queenstown Arts and Crafts Markets” are set in a vibrant colourful arena, where visual and performing arts meld together for the public and visitors to enjoy. There are talented artists and crafts persons from around the South Island, some coming from as far as Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and the West Coast to display and sell their own quality handmade Art and Craft.

The Saturday Creative Queenstown Art & Craft Market runs throughout the year and is proud to be 100% NZ made. Set in a beautiful outdoor waterfront location in Earnslaw Park. Here you can enjoy live music and meet the artists. Everything from hand crafted Soaps, stunning Jewellery, Greenstone and Bone carving, Sculpture, Pottery, Painting, Wood turning, Flax weaving, Photography, Knitwear and much much more can be found here every Saturday on the lake front.

Rotorua : Polynesian Spa
Nude bathing, electric shock therapy, mud baths and curative waters.. Visitors to Rotorua can now combine two unique world-class attractions, Polynesian Spa and Rotorua Museum, and discover the great history story that links the two. When the Bath House, now home to Rotorua Museum, first opened in 1908 as a therapeutic spa facility, it drew thermal waters for its range of treatments from both the Rachel and Priest Springs located at the Government Gardens. At Polynesian Spa visitors are still able to bathe in the thermal waters from these two springs, and it still provides some of the more relaxing therapies including the Aix message, that were historically provided at the Bath House. At Rotorua Museum innovative displays and an exciting cinema experience portray the historical story of spa treatments in Rotorua, particularly those that took place at the Bath House.

The Lake Spa is Polynesian Spa’s deluxe bathing and relaxation haven. Clients to this area can use the deluxe Lake Spa pools, four rock pools of varying temperatures from 36ºC to 43ºC, set invitingly alongside the shores of Sulphur Bay, Lake Rotorua. These pools are landscaped with native flora and designed with the creative use of natural rocks; the pools are a unique environment of tranquillity and beauty. The legendary Aix Spa massage – a water therapy that has been available at Polynesian Spa for more than 30 years is a must, you can also try Rotorua mud wraps and packs and New Zealand manuka honey polishes & wraps. The enticing array of spa therapies and hydro spa therapies are designed solely for the clients at Lake Spa Retreat.

Wellington : Martinborough Wine Village
Join 10,000 food and wine lovers for a fabulous and memorable day out at Toast Martinborough. Held every year on the third Sunday in November, Toast Martinborough gives you the opportunity to celebrate the release of the new vintage, whilst enjoying culinary delights from Wellington and Wairarapa’s finest restaurants, and listening to some of New Zealand’s best live entertainment.

The Martinborough Wine Village is delightfully compact, with most of the largely boutique vineyards located within walking distance of each other. Stroll easily between wineries or jump on free shuttle buses that circulate constantly throughout the day Each vineyard expresses its own personality. Sophisticated and stylish, relaxed and laid back or pumping with energy … you choose.