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New Zealand
Queenstown Voted Top Destination in the South Pacific
Queenstown has been voted the number one destination in the South Pacific as well as one of the top 25 locations worldwide in Trip advisor’s 2015 Traveler’s…
Hobbit Fans in Singapore Gather at Changi’s Middle-earth
Singapore Hobbit fans are being treated to a life-sized piece of Middle-earth in the departure hall of Changi Airport Terminal Three. As well as a hobbit hole, visitors can…
Contiki Australia’s Katrina Barry Heads Evolving Tour Company
New Zealand-born Katrina Barry, managing director of Contiki Australia, says the tour group has changed greatly since New Zealander John Anderson founded the company in 1962. “Twenty years ago…
Rainbow Hunters Find Their Violet in New Zealand
One mother and two young boys are on a trip around the world to seven countries to find the origin of seven colours. The Rainbow Hunters, as…
Cycling an Exceptional Route from the Alps to the Ocean
The 78km Twizel-Omarama section of the South Island’s Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail “is simply exceptional,” writes Andrew Bain for Australian Geographic Outdoor.
“Twizel isn’t Queenstown. It’s not Wanaka, and…
NZ’s Beauty Garners Tongue-in-Cheek Buzzfeed Response
New Zealand, and why travellers should think twice before visiting, features in a tongue-in-check tourism photo essay on Buzzfeed. The image above of Mt Aoraki mirrored on Lake Matheson…
Savouring Views in New Zealand with Julian Robertson
As the co-founder, chairman and chief executive of the US$30 billion investment firm Tiger Management L.L.C., American Julian Robertson, 82, has achieved a high profile in the world of…
North Island a Land of Volcanoes and Vineyards
Over the coming six weeks, the world’s greatest cricketers will be zig-zagging across New Zealand. So for the cricket fan the Independent’s David Whitley suggests, that’s a fine excuse…
Terraces One of Best Tourist Attractions That No Longer Exist
Ask a New Zealander what happened on 10 June 1886, and they’ll tell you the planet lost its “eighth wonder,” says CNN, who deem the Pink and White Terraces…
Wellington Acting like a City but Loving like a Village
Wellington, which celebrates its 150th year as New Zealand’s capital, has a funky, creative vibe, which comes in part from a strong community feel. These characteristics make it one…
Routeburn Track a Spectacle of Jaw-Dropping Scenery
For the ultimate adventure the Wall Street Journal recommends escaping into the “supersize spectacle” of one of New Zealand’s nine Great Walks for a tramp along the 32-km Routeburn…
Outflanking the Tolkien Fans on Tongariro
Before Peter Jackson and his film crew rolled into town, Mount Doom went by the humble name of Mount Ngauruhoe, the fearsome volcano which forms the centrepiece of New…
Oamaru Embracing the Steampunk Vibe
Technology blog Boing Boing visits “amazing steampunk town” Oamaru, which though “probably best known for its large colony of blue penguins”, is also the steampunk capital of New Zealand.
“Oamaru…
Lake Tekapo Night Skies Premium Spot for Stargazing
The clarity of the night sky in Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve has made Lake Tekapo the world’s second-best spot for stargazing after San Pedro de Atacama in Chile…
Kauri Cliffs a Place to Holiday like a Billionaire
Boutique golf resort the Farm at Cape Kidnappers in the Hawkes Bay wine region is one place in the world where it is possible to holiday like a billionaire,…
New Zealand One of the Year’s Travel Hotspots
“Attention is going to be lavished on New Zealand in 2015 – and it won’t all be Hobbit-related,” according to the Guardian, who include our country on their “holiday…
New Zealand Glaciers Ebb and Tour Guides Play Catch-Up
Climate change is having uneven economic effects on tourism operators like Fox Glacier Guiding and Franz Josef Glacier Guides whose businesses depend on ice and snow, the New York…
Film Tourism in New Zealand Massive Earner
As cinemagoers rush to see the third Hobbit film, “Tolkien-mania” is again sweeping New Zealand, where record tourist arrivals are boosting the economy and helping to offset a slump…
Wellington Makes Rough Guides Top Ten Best Cities for 2015
Wellington is one of the Rough Guides Top 10 city destinations for 2015 sitting at sixth place alongside No 1 destination Johannesburg, Malaga, New Orleans, Hamburg, Nizwa, Belgrade, Salta,…
Te Araroa Trail One of the World’s Dream Hikes
Long-distance tramping route, New Zealand’s new 3000km Te Araroa Trail, is considered one of National Geographic’s best hikes in the world.
This year, the publication asked 20 outdoor luminaries –…
Biking New Zealand’s Wine Country
New Zealand is known for its Great Walks, but now it has Great Cycles – a series of 23 bicycle trails across the country with several local outfitters, like…
New Zealand Travel Secrets
“Travel Enthusiast” Tom McLoughlin of The Huffington Post discusses his top three travel secrets from his tour of New Zealand.
“The world’s finest adventure playground with sweeping mountain panoramas, bright…
Tongariro Crossing One of the World’s Best One Day Walks
“Believe the hype.” Andrew Bain writes about the Tongariro Crossing for Traveller magazine, in a list of eleven of the world’s best walks you can do in one day.
“Regularly…
New Zealand Tourism Eyes 33% More Indians for World Cup
Tourism New Zealand is eyeing a massive 33 per cent growth in Indian travellers to the island Pacific nation this fiscal as it expects an influx of visitors for…
Cross Country by Planes, Trains and Automobiles
With less than a fortnight to spend on the other side of the world, the Independent’s Kate Simon used planes, trains, automobiles … and a bike to make every…
One of the Most Gay-Friendly Places to Stay on Earth
New Zealand is one of the top three most gay-friendly travel destinations, according to Lonely Planet. In 1998, New Zealand was the first country to adopt the label of…
Hobbits Fit Their Safety Masks for Air NZ Safety Video
Ahead of the final instalment of The Hobbit trilogy, and continuing its long tradition of entertaining in-flight videos, Air New Zealand has launched its latest “epic” pre-flight safety demonstration.
The…
Coromandel the Best of Both Scene and Serene
The Coromandel Peninsula “is crawling with sandy hot spots, but there are plenty of calm alternatives, too,” according to the New York magazine which recommends both “scenes” and “serenes”.
“Reachable only after…
Discover the Secrets of Auckland with Annabel Langbein
Local television personality and author, celebrity chef Annabel Langbein reveals her favourite things to do in Auckland, including walks along the city’s windswept west coast beaches and browsing shops…
Two New Zealand Hotels Make Respected Fodor’s Best of List
Wharekauhau Lodge in the Wairarapa and Waipoua Lodge in Northland have both been selected for the prestigious 2014 Fodor’s 100 Hotel Awards, which honours the best hotels around the…
New Zealand Best Place to Travel on Your Own
New Zealand is the world’s safest, friendliest, and best place to travel on your own, according to Travel + Leisure magazine.
The publication “crunched the numbers from the Global Peace…
Richard “Hannibal” Hayes Gives National Geographic Russia a NZ Tour
Sir Richard “Hannibal” Hayes, legendary helicopter pilot, gave two National Geographic reporters from Russia the ride of their life as they explored New Zealand.
Sir Richard is is probably New…
Vogue’s 15 Must Visit Spots in Wellington
Vogue has presented a list of 15 spots to have a perfect day in the “coolest little city in the world: Wellington, New Zealand”
“New Zealand’s capital city is no…
Secluded Waikato Getaway Carved out of the Hills
“Long before Peter Jackson re-created Middle-earth in the fertile hills of New Zealand’s Waikato region, Graham Hannah and his young daughter Jessie had a dream,” Rob McFarland writes for…
Lonely Planet’s Top Eight Must-See NZ Port Destinations
In an extract from Lonely Planet New Zealand, Charles Rawlings-Way describes the country’s top eight must-see port destinations.
“Paris may be the city of love, but Auckland is the city…
Auckland Ties with Melbourne for World’s Friendliest City
It’s great to be a tourist down under, with travellers naming New Zealand and Australia among the best vacation destinations – the cities of Auckland and Melbourne are the…
20 Facts About New Zealand
The Huffington Post has written a list of facts about New Zealand for tourists, featuring many things kiwis are proud to claim, from Baldwin Street to bungee jumping.
Most of…
Challenge Yourself to a Wellness Adventure at Queenstown’s Aro Ha
At Queenstown’s new wellness retreat Aro Ha, five and seven-day retreat programs offer guests “an unexpectedly rewarding journey of denial and depravation.”
“I am on an amazing journey…
Tongariro National Park Running to Its Own Geological Beat
“The Tongariro Crossing is regularly called the best day walk in New Zealand, but with big claims come big crowds. At the height of summer, up to 1000 people…
New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula Well Worth a Visit
“Bake in the sands of Hot Water beach, then take in the art, stunning views and craft beer of the Coromandel peninsula” says Will Macpherson in The Guardian’s Travel…
“Bilbo Baggins Slept Here” in New Zealand
“It’s dinner and a movie … set” reports Ashley Winchester of the New York Times, who describes the Lord of the Rings guided tour as “straight out of Middle…
Diver Captures Footage of Undiscovered Cave in New Zealand
A diving instructor has found an undiscovered cave half a mile underground in New Zealand, posting incredible footage of the discovery online.
Martyn Farr, 63, was diving through a 350-feet-long…
Rare Birds and Rarified Golfers Share Scenic Clifftops
“The world-renowned golf course at Cape Kidnappers is ranked as the 27th-best in the world by Golf Magazine, and for good reason is a bucket-list destination for international duffers,”…
Buffet of Landscapes Perfect Backdrop for Escape
New Zealand’s “veritable buffet of landscapes … each one painted with a unique palate of colour” provided the perfect setting for Huffington Post travel writer Charli Moore’s “freedom escape”.
“Having…
Wharariki Beach Is Basically Heaven on Earth
The Huffington Post has described Wharariki Beach as basically heaven on Earth.
“If you weren’t already dying to visit New Zealand,” the Huffington Post has given its readers “yet another reason…
Epic Mountain Biking Through Jaw-Dropping Scenery
“New Zealand is a great country to witness by bicycle,” says the Independent’s Christopher Wakling. “The government wants you to ride there. At a cost of more than $75m…
On the Culinary Festival Trail Sampling It All
At this year’s Wildfoods Festival, “an annual gathering of culinary aficionados in Hokitika, a small town on the west coast”, the Washington Post’s Reid Wilson and his wife, sample…
Condé Nast Editor Plans Your 12-Day Tour
New Zealand – “where the island of Waiheke offers great food and even better wine”, features in the latest issue of Condé Nast Traveler as a 12-day “Editor’s Itinerary”.
The…
Telling the Story of People Connected to the Land
While taking in the sights of New Zealand’s “Maori heartland” Rotorua, the Toronto Sun’s Ian Robertson stops in at Te Puia: New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts…
Descending Deep into Waitomo’s Lost Cave
“Hidden among exotic woodland and guarded only by sheep, Lost World cave entrance is a narrow crack in the earth,” writes Ben Hazell for the Telegraph. “Beneath lies…
Auckland’s Savvy Good Life Rivals San Francisco
Auckland offers much more than a gateway to this safe, friendly and super-scenic country, writes the National’s Kipat Wilson. “Straddling an isthmus two kilometres wide on North Island, it…
Feeding Frenzy at Marlborough’s Lochmara Lodge
On a day excursion to Lochmara Lodge Wildlife Recovery and Arts Centre in Queen Charlotte Sound, as part of a Marlborough wine-tasting trip, the Courier Mail’s Angela Saurine encounters…
What the Royals Are Taking in on Their NZ Tour
As Prince William, Kate Middleton – and Prince George – head to New Zealand on an official tour, the Telegraph looks at all the places they are visiting asking…
Canyon Road Unbelievably Scary as It Is Beautiful
The Skippers Canyon road, 25 minutes north of Queenstown, has been deemed one of the world’s 22 most dangerous roads by British firm Driving Experiences, who gave the road…
Visit the City Reinventing Itself with Art
For those fancying a long-weekend getaway in Christchurch, the Guardian recommends the best places to stay, eat and visit, “touring the extraordinary renewal of the city that survived an…
Sublime Southern Photographic Opportunities
The South Island’s 13 most beautiful photo opportunities include a view of the braided banks of the Waimakariri River (pictured), the Matai Falls in The Caitlins and icebergs on…
