Newzealand Travel Resource

Geography

The total land area is 270,535 sq Km / 104,453 sq miles, about the size of Italy, the United Kingdom or the US state of Colorado. New Zealand consists of two large islands, North Island and South Island, plus several smaller ones of which Stewart Island is the largest and often referred to as 'third island'. North and South Islands are separated by the 32km / 20mile wide Cook Strait. To the north and east lies the Pacific Ocean and between New Zealand and Australia lies the Tasman Sea. North Island is volcanically active with a central plateau. South Island has the high snow covered mountain peaks and glaciers of the Southern Alps, a range running almost 500Km / 300miles along the Island.

Climate and Weather

New Zealand's climate is dominated by two main geographical features: the mountains and the sea. New Zealand does not have a large temperature range, lacking the extremes found in most continental climates. However, New Zealand weather can change unexpectedly—as cold fronts or tropical cyclones quickly blow in. Because of this, you should be prepared for sudden changes in weather and temperature if you're going hiking or doing other outdoor activities. New Zealand has a largely temperate climate. While the far north has subtropical weather during summer, and inland alpine areas of the South Island can be as cold as -10 C in winter, most of the country lies close to the coast, which means mild temperatures, moderate rainfall, and abundant sunshine.

Population

New Zealand is an independent nation and a member of the British Commonwealth. It has a diverse multi-cultural population of around 4.1 million people. The majority of New Zealanders are of British descent, and the largest minority is New Zealand's indigenous Maori who make up around 14 percent of the population.

Transportation

Major cities and towns in New Zealand are accessible by air on a daily basis while many smaller areas have some type of domestic airport. The Trans Scenic railroad network covers most of New Zealand and in comparison to flying allows people a more scenic and economical travelling experience while coach travel is available to most destinations in both the North and South Islands. New Zealanders enjoy an extensive suburban bus network as an economical way to travel around a town or city. Taxis are often more convenient than buses and for this reason hiring a taxi is more expensive but with benefits such as operating 24 hours a day along with pick up and drop off to any destination, whereas buses are limited to the routes they can take and timetables.

Top Attractions

1. Auckland Museum.
2. Hauraki Gulf Islands.
3. Sky Tower.
4. Bay of Islands.
5. Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Reserve.
6. Te Papa Museum.
7. Cable Car.
8. Cathedral Square.
9. Cathedral Square.
10. Christchurch Gondola.

Best Travel Time

New Zealand’s summer is a good time to visit the country. Those looking to avoid the usual tourist crowd should refrain from travelling to New Zealand during their peak summer months, from mid-December to mid-January.

Food and Drink

National specialties:
• Kumara (native sweet potato) in Auckland.
• Feijoa (local fruit) and golden-fleshed Zespri Gold kiwi fruit from the Bay of Plenty.
• Battered fish and chips from Gisbourne.
• Pavlova (a large roundcake with a meringue base topped with cream and fruit) from Taranaki.
• Salmon and mussels from Marlborough.
• Yams, seaweed and crayfish from Canterbury.
• Whitebait from the West Coast.
• Koura (freshwater crayfish) from Central Otago.
• Bluff oysters and muttonbird from Southland.

National drinks:
New Zealand boasts world-class domestic wines and beers, some of which have won international awards. A wide range of domestic and imported wines, spirits and beers is available from hotel bars, ‘liquor stores’ and wine shops.
• Merlot (Auckland and Wairarapa), Chardonnay (Bay of Plenty, Gisbourne, Wairarapa and Canterbury), Pinot Gris and Noir (Auckland, Wairarapa, Marlborough and Central Otago), Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough and Wairarapa).
• New Zealand draught beer and lager.

Local Products/Shopping

Special purchases include distinctive jewelry made from New Zealand greenstone (a kind of jade) and from the beautiful translucent paua shell. Maori arts and crafts are reflected in a number of items such as the carved greenstone tiki (a unique Maori charm) and intricate woodcarvings often inlaid with paua shell. Other items of note include woolen goods, travel rugs, lambswool rugs, leather and skin products.

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