Much More than a Film Set

“There’s so much to this beachy, mountainous, rugby-enthused nation [than hobbits],” Laura Morrison writes for CNN Travel. Morrison suggests ten other reasons why New Zealand is worth a visit, including for the coffee, for “fresh, unforgettable food” and vineyard tours. Also, Morrison recommends stargazing beneath the Aoraki MacKenzie Dark Sky Reserve and a dip in a thermal spa. “Rotorua’s hot springs and boiling mud can be put to good use as beauty treatments. Polynesian Spa in Rotorua may be the best known spot, famed for its water’s-edge views from its Lakeside Spa.”