New Zealand Travel Guide

  Westport is situated on the North side of the West Coast, a coastal town built beside the mouth of the Buller River, and founded in 1861. This friendly town has wonderful local guides to talk you through the history of the Great Gold Rush era and New Zealand’s Black Gold (coal) mining days while taking you to historical landmarks and buildings. Experience a simulated underground coal mine; learn of the brave immigrants who came to work this rugged landscape at the Coal-town Museum. Many café’s and award winning restaurants have local fare freshly available for visitors looking to sample Pacific Rim cuisine. Head out of town and into the lush native bush where horse riding and trekking, rafting, caving, tramping, kayaking and Jet boating will have you amongst some of the world’s most beautiful scenery.

Greymouth is the largest town on the West Coast, located beside the Tasman Sea and the Grey River. Greymouth has an endless array of activities in this adventure play-land. Here you can Heli-raft, white water raft, river, lake and sea fish, canoe or kayak, indulge in cave exploration amongst lime formations, horse trek and 4WD farm bike through coastal flax and scrubland. And after exhausting yourself on thrill seeking adventures, Greymouth offers up guided tours, gold panning in Alpine rivers, found in historic gold mining areas, dolphin watching tours, take a Brewery visit and quench your thirst, and learn more about the process of brewing from your friendly host, visit the replicated mining town, Shantytown, set in the 1860’s; hop aboard the steam train while there, visit the art galleries in town and take a look at knife-makers, glassblowers, carvers specialising in the intricate artwork of Pounamu (New Zealand Jade), and various artists at work. Stroll along the quayside and enjo

  Whitianga is located on the eastern side of The Coromandel Peninsula and is the main settlement of Mercury Bay. In November 1769 Captain James Cook, an English explorer, sailed into Cooks Beach to watch the passage of the planet Mercury across the sun, hence the name Mercury Bay. Today Whitianga is a flourishing coastal town with over 4,000 permanent residents; its deep-water harbour is popular departure point for big game fishing enthusiasts and is the home of the Mercury Bay Boating club. Whitianga has a wide variety of places to stay, from budget to international standards; there is an excellent selection of restaurants and cafes within walking distance of each other. The sheltered bay makes Whitianga beach an excellent place for surfcasting, swimming, sailboard riding, and yachting. On land there are numerous things to do from mini golf to horse trekking.

  The Waipa District lies in the heart of New Zealand’s Waikato region, stretching over 1447 square kilometres, and encompassing the towns of Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Kihikihi, Pirongia and Ohaupo. The district has several large hydro lakes used extensively for water sports and recreation including Lake Karapiro, the home of New Zealand rowing. Waipa District boasts a rich agricultural base dominated by dairy farming, but also featuring sheep and beef, thoroughbred horse studs, deer farming and fruit production. Waipa also hosts the largest annual agricultural exhibition of its kind in New Zealand, the National Agricultural Fieldays, which attracts visitors to the Mystery Creek Events Centre from all over the world.

There is so much going on in Hamilton , one place, in particular, is well worth visiting. Take a look at ‘The Hamilton Gardens’ with the Chinese Scholars Garden, Japanese Garden of Contemplation, English Flower Garden, Indian Char Bagh Garden, American Modernist Garden to the Italian Renaissance Garden. Collections of Gardens are also on exhibition, such as the Te Parapara Collection. Te Parapara was originally the first settlement of the earliest Maori settlers in Hamilton; this area is a horticultural heritage area of national significance. Hamilton boasts the 400 V8 Supercars Street-race, hot-air ballooning, scenic sightseeing tours, Cruise Waikato, Waikato Museum, bungy jumping, canoeing, Water-world and the Hamilton Zoo.

New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki region and packed full of tourist treats. Brooklands Zoo, the Art Gallery, the Aquatic Centre, Puke Ariki and the gem itself Pukekura Park. Within Pukekura Park, situated below ground; you will find the Fernery, where three glass topped caverns have been hollowed out of the side of the hill and ferns have blanketed them. International Acts perform at the celebrated TSB Bowl of Brooklands, a large grass amphitheatre, encircled by lake water and trees. Seven countries host Womad (World of Music, Arts and Dance), an international musical extravaganza. Womad will have you singing, dancing, tasting the flavours of the world within the Global Village, and unwinding in this family-friendly atmosphere. The TSB Bank Festival of Lights comes alive in Pukekura; set amongst the waterfalls and lakes, plants and trees are majestically lit up, the waters shimmer from the lights reflection. Fire poi dancers entertain, wooden rowboats are illuminated whil