New Zealand Travel Guide

  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