Must-Sees - New Zealand
Maori traditions, a vibrant capital, majestic fiords, geothermal phenomena... New Zealand has a mix of culture and nature that makes travelling to the land of the kiwis a unique experience. Here are some places you must visit if you want to take full advantage of this adventure.
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The Essentials - New Zealand
Ready to visit New Zealand? Here is some basic information to help you prepare for a successful trip to kiwi land!
Read More
Must-Sees - New Zealand
Maori traditions, a vibrant capital, majestic fiords, geothermal phenomena... New Zealand has a mix of culture and nature that makes travelling to the land of the kiwis a unique experience. Here are some places you must visit if you want to take full advantage of this adventure.
Learn about Maori culture - North Island
Maori culture has contributed hugely to New Zealand's reputation abroad. Indeed, it is fascinating. However, there is much more to it than the famous haka, including delicate art and unique mythology. In Wellington, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (meaning "our place") contains collections of items, clothes, photographs and art tracing the country's history in a fun way. A visit here is full of fascinating discoveries and should be combined with watching a Maori dance performance.
Gauge Wellington's pulse - North Island
Wellington is known as the coolest little capital in the world! Located in the very south of North Island, New Zealand's capital has a unique charm and atmosphere. Wellington gives off a contagious energy, driven by its locals, flurry of culture and many cafes and restaurants, like Cuba Street with its bohemian feel. The famous cable car (a red funicular with a vintage look) takes visitors 120 metres up into the hills to enjoy views over the city. It is next to a botanic garden: a natural and peaceful haven to stroll around. Covering more than 25 hectares, exotic forests sit alongside features including the superb Lady Norwood Rose Garden containing multi-award winning flowers.
Sail through the fiords - South Island
The further south you go, the more it feels like you're on an adventure. The marvellous Fiordland National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990 and is home to incredible scenery with lakes, rivers, rainforests and fiords. Each fiord has a surprise up its sleeve when you sail through it, like Marlborough Sound, where the water is turquoise. The vertical waterfalls, cliffs and peaks around Milford Sound are vertigo-inducing. With its three branches and 421 metre depth in places, Doubtful Sound is one of the biggest fiords in New Zealand. It provides an opportunity to see remarkable wildlife including the rare native Fiordland penguin.
Stretch your legs on an iconic walk - South Island
From the charming coastal town of Picton on North Island, you can take a boat to one of New Zealand's best-known hiking trails: the Queen Charlotte Track. 70 kilometres long, it is divided into stages, allowing travellers to complete short walks. Plant enthusiasts will enjoy the huge colonies of tree ferns, manukas and beech trees. However, the Track is really famous for the views it offers during hikes: there are breathtaking panoramas of the coast and its various bays.
Visit the Wai-O-Tapu geothermal site - North Island
Head to the very north of North Island. Located 90 minutes in the car from Tauranga, Rotorua is a little paradise for those who enjoy unusual landscapes. Here, you find Wai-O-Tapu, which means "sacred waters". Several paths allow visitors to explore this area created by thousands of years of volcanic activity. Fumaroles, craters, hot and cold water sources and the famous "champagne pool" renowned for its size and green and ochre shades all contribute to an almost supernatural panorama. Nearby, the Pohutu Geyser (meaning "huge spurt" or "explosion") puts on no less of a show!
The Essentials - New Zealand
Ready to visit New Zealand? Here is some basic information to help you prepare for a successful trip to kiwi land!
Top tips
Dos. New Zealanders are always polite and welcoming to visitors. They expect some basic etiquette and a friendly attitude in return.
Don'ts. Maori sites are considered sacred. Listen to your guide's advice about how to behave at different landmarks and make sure to ask permission before taking photos.
Unique features
In August 2019, a team of scientists announced that they had identified the fossil of a giant penguin on New Zealand's South Island. The animal lived 66 to 56 million years ago, was 1.6 metres tall and weighed 80 kilos. This made it 40 centimetres taller and 4 times heavier than today's penguins. The country was already known for having been home to one of the biggest birds to have ever existed. The moa, which became extinct at the end of the 18th century, could reach 3.6 m tall and weigh 200 kilos.
Essential phrases
Although English is mostly spoken (with a strong accent), some Maori words and expressions slip into everyday phrases. Here are some.
Hello / Good evening: Kia ora
Goodbye, see you soon: Ka kite ano
Welcome: Haere mai
How are you?: Kei te pehea koe? (address to a person)
My name is...
Gastronomy
Hangi is more than a dish: it's a traditional Maori cooking technique where a hole is dug in the ground, then hot volcanic rocks are put at the bottom. Next, wire baskets containing the food (pork, chicken, mutton or lamb, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, onions, etc.) are inserted. A low heat is used for cooking.
Myths and legends
Maori has a rich mythology. Of all the legends told, the creation story is one of the best-known. In the beginning there was Rangi-nui (the Sky), who joined together with Papa-tuanuku (the Earth). Their constant embrace plunged the world into darkness. Fed up with the lack of light, their children decided to separate them. Pushing with all his might, Tane-mahuta (the guardian of the forest and the birds) managed to part them. In doing so, he injured his mother. Blood poured onto the Earth for the first time, dyeing New Zealand's soil red. This is why all Maori sites are ochre. Sad to no longer be alongside his wife, the Sky began to cry and rain fell for the first time, filling up the oceans.
In the spotlight
Kiwi birds are so symbolic of New Zealand that New Zealanders are called "kiwis". These birds are one of the species on the island that are especially endangered. Being unable to fly, kiwi populations have decreased sharply in recent years. The government has launched a plan to increase their numbers from 70,000 to 100,000 by 2030. Measures include extending the protected areas where they live, managing predators better and furthering knowledge about the five kiwi species.
Culture
Books. Finding oneself, understanding the world and humans... In Au pays du long nuage blanc (In the Land of the Long White Cloud), Charles Juliet publishes the diary he kept for five months in Wellington. He tells of meeting other artists, gives his impressions of this bustling city and legendary country and knocks together some poems. This is an intimate way to immerse yourself in New Zealand, whose Maori name, Aotearoa, means "land of the long white cloud".
Music. Maori music is mostly vocal and accompanied by percussion that provides the beat for the dances that go with it. There are songs for all occasions: welcome songs, healing songs and ritual songs. The haka is a challenge or war chant danced with or without weapons.
Film. There is no better way to explore New Zealand landscapes from a new perspective than watching the Lord of the Rings films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's books. They were filmed in some 45 locations on North and South Islands: Matamata, Mount Ngauruhoe, Tawhai Falls, Mount Victoria, Kawarau River, etc.
Facts and figures
10New Zealand has 10 major wine regions spread across 1600 kilometres.
