New Zealand is on trend. Unspoilt nature and outdoor activities as well as unique flora and fauna make New Zealand a sought-after holiday destination. Unfortunately, it's on the other side of the world, some 18,000 kilometres away, so it makes sense to plan your trip in advance. Here are the highlights of New Zealand's two main islands that will make your holiday a hit.
First of all, here are a few general tips on the climate, nature and historical background of New Zealand.
Climate: The seasons are reversed as New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere. The warm summer is from December to March, the mild winter is from June to August. The north of New Zealand is subtropical, the south temperate. The Tasman Sea brings a lot of rain to the west of the country, while the east is more sheltered by the mountain ranges inland.
Flora and fauna: New Zealand was cut off from the rest of the world for millions of years, allowing unique animals and plants to develop. The most famous bird is the kiwi bird. Dogs and rats were brought in by the indigenous Maori people, deer, various fish species, rabbits and pets have been introduced by European settlers over the last 150 years.
History: New Zealand was one of the last parts of the world to be populated by humans. The Maori arrived on the North Island from Polynesia around 1000 BC. It is likely that there were other peoples there before.
The first European, Abel Tasman, arrived in 1642, and 130 years later James Cook sailed around the island. In 840, after 20 years of fighting, the Maori handed New Zealand over to the British.
New Zealand has been autonomous since 1931.
Other: In New Zealand, drivers drive on the left-hand side of the road.
A visa is generally required to enter New Zealand. Applications can be made at Embassy New Zealand (this link is in German).
There are strict regulations regarding the entry of plants, fresh fruit and vegetables and organic material that may contain bacteria. This serves to protect nature.
Coromandel.
Coromandel is both the name of the area and a small town. The town of Coromandel is well worth a visit. There are also beautiful beaches such as Hot Water Beach in Pauanui. There you can dig a hole in the sand at low tide and bathe in hot water. Hahei Beach is another beautiful beach from where you can reach Cathedral Cove on foot or by boat.
Rotorua:
There are 15 lakes in Rotorua where you can indulge in fishing and other water activities. The area around Rotorua was once formed by volcanoes. A few minutes from the city centre, there are hissing geysers, bubbling water and boiling mud everywhere, bearing witness to the enormous activity in the earth's interior.
The Arawa people lived in Rotorua for six centuries. There are dozens of providers who take culturally interested tourists into the world of the ancient Maoris and show them how the Maoris lived, cooked and performed rituals.
Rotorua is also a true adventure playground for action-seekers. There are some of the best mountain bike trails in the world here, you can roll downhill in the New Zealand Zorb, walk into the crater of a volcano or go white water rafting.
Taupo:
The area around Lake Taupo is lively and popular. In addition to breathtaking scenery, the area offers sporting activities all year round. Taupo, Turangi and Mangakino are the three main towns.
Napier:
Napier is known as an Art Deco city. Nowhere else in the world is there such a concentration of buildings from the 1930s. The old Napier was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake on 3 February 1931. The city was rebuilt in the style of the era and was the most modern city in the world towards the end of the 1930s. Napier is also adorned with palm trees and fruit trees.
Every year on the third weekend in February, Napier celebrates Art Deco Weekend, where people dress in the style of the 1930s and big band music hangs in the air.
Wellington:
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and is located at the southern end of the North Island. From here, you can take the ferry across Cook Strait to Picton on the South Island. The city is surrounded by hills that are ideal for outdoor activities. Wellington is also known as a cultural metropolis with a lively nightlife.
Worth seeing next to the harbour is the parliament building (Beehive), which also offers guided tours.
Picton:
The ferry docks in Picton on the South Island of New Zealand. Picton is a small harbour town in the middle of a well-known wine region. There are beautiful beaches and hiking trails here.
Kaikoura:
Kaikoura offers so many activities that it is impossible to list them all here. That's why only the two most important ones, whale watching and helicopter flights, are listed here. But even just one of these two activities is worth a trip to Kaikoura.
Christchurch:
The garden city of Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. The city centre has a pleasant and personal flair. The main square with the cathedral is probably the most interesting part of the city. There are shops and an antique tram that you can take a tour of. Christchurch also has many parks to offer, especially Hagley Park with its botanical gardens, in which only original New Zealand plants grow.
Akaroa:
Akaroa is located around 85 kilometres outside of Christchurch. The small village with only 576 inhabitants is strongly influenced by the French settlers who founded the town. There are nice boutiques in the town that sell local artefacts. Akaroa also offers activities such as boating, hiking, dolphin watching, swimming, cycling, off-road safaris and horse riding.
Hokitika/Greymouth:
The two towns of Hokitika and Greymouth are the largest towns on the west coast of New Zealand, which is famous for its mountainous landscape, lush rainforest and glaciers. North of Greymouth in Punakaiki in Paparoa National Park are the so-called Pancake Rocks, which look like stacked pancakes.
Fox Glacier/Franz Joseph Glacier New Zealand:
The Franz Joseph Glacier in Westland National Park is one of New Zealand's most spectacular attractions. The Franz Joseph Glacier is the steepest and fastest advancing glacier in New Zealand. It is 12 kilometres long and 7000 years old. The glacier's ice body glides through a mountain valley into the rainforest. You can get as close as 15 metres to the glacier.
Fox Glacier is only 25 kilometres away from Franz Joseph Glacier. Fox Glacier is 13km long, 300 metres deep and has a total drop of 2600 metres. The village of Fox Glacier is a beautiful place to relax.
Wanaka.
Situated directly on Lake Wanaka, the town of Wanaka with its surrounding mountains offers a unique panorama. Wanaka is known for its water sports activities and as a ski resort.
Arrowtown. The former gold mining town is entirely dedicated to the flair of the gold fever of the 19th century. You can visit former gold mining sites or even go prospecting for gold yourself.
Queenstown.
Queenstown, New Zealand, is the adventure capital of the world. Not only are there spectacular landscapes, but also extreme sports such as bungee jumping, skydiving, climbing, skiing, rafting, kayaking, fishing, horse riding, cycling, hiking, flying, sailing, surfing, jet boating, hang gliding, snowmobiling, snowboarding, heli-skiing, and many more.
Mount Cook.
The Alpine village of Mount Cook is located in the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. The largest mountain is the aforementioned Mount Cook at 3754 metres, but there are 27 other mountains in this mountain range with peaks over 3050 metres high, as well as hundreds of other mountains not much smaller, which together make up the famous Southern Alps.
Of course, there is so much more to see in New Zealand, but this selection of places will give you a good overview of the country and its extensive flora and fauna.
