New Zealand is a kaleidoscope of natural wonders kaleidoscope, Zealand, natural, wonders, New

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New Zealand is a country of striking contrasts — in its landscapes, its cultures, in its diversity of people and in its infinite variety of opportunities for the enterprising tourist. Two hundred years ago, many of its most fantastic spectacles were unknown to outsiders. But today, with modern road, air and rail links, previously inaccessible parts of the country have been placed within easy reach. A breathtaking kaleidoscope of natural wonders has been brought before our eyes.

And all this splendour is the more easily witnessed due to the fact that it is handily contained within two main islands whose total land area of 270,534 square kilometers makes New Zealand less than one-third the size of British Columbia.

From the booming cosmopolitan seaside city of Auckland, to the volcanic hot springs of Rotorua in the North, from the fertile, vine-strewn hillsides of Christchurch to the snow-capped peaks surrounding Queenstown in the South, the journeys are short and simple.

Air New Zealand is making access even more affordable, offering an airfare that allows travellers from Vancouver to custom-build a multi-destination itinerary at considerable savings.

For example, for 10 days only, between Oct. 29 and Nov. 8, you can snap up a bargain ‘Kiwi Explorer Pass’ that lets you visit up to four separate New Zealand resort destinations all for a basic return fare of just 998 Cdn, excluding taxes and fees.

This special fare applies to travel between Feb. 26 and Apr. 30, 2011. It means that for the same price as you might normally pay to fly just to Auckland, you can add visits to Rotorua, Christchurch and Queenstown, at no extra charge. You can stay just for a week, or for a maximum of six months.

Travellers from Vancouver disembarking in Auckland will feel instantly at home. The city’s temperate climate, its easy access to the coast and its varied activities, have earned Auckland consistent top-five rankings in international lifestyle surveys, just as similar advantages have done so back home in B.C.

Auckland is the warmest main centre of New Zealand and one of the sunniest, with an average of 2060 sunshine hours a year. The average daily maximum temperature is 23.7C in February and 14.5C in July.

The city sprawls over a narrow isthmus between the sparkling waters of the harbours of Waitemata and Manukau. Its ocean-side location has long fostered a love affair with the sea, and the 135,000 recreational yachts and launches that crowd the waters have earned it the nickname of the ‘City of Sails.’ Every third Auckland household boasts a boat.

The blissful early morning calm on the isthmus during settled weather, before the sea breeze rises, was described as early as 1853: “In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in the early morning. At that time, generally, a solemn stillness holds, and a perfect calm prevails.”

It’s the time of day most Aucklanders choose to walk and run in one of their city’s many parks. Looking up, they see a cloak of rainforest covering surrounding hills marked by dozens of dormant volcano cones. New Zealand, a geological late arrival to the earth’s landmass, was born in a cataclysm of volcanic activity whose processes are still incomplete. The largest volcano, Rangitoto Island, was formed within the last 1,000 years when its eruptions destroyed Māori settlements on neighbouring Motutapu Island. Rangitoto’s imposing size and its position guarding the entrance to Waitemata Harbour make it Auckland’s most iconic natural feature.

When Europeans first came to Auckland in the early 19th century, a Māori chief sold the land to one Joseph Weller in exchange for a “large cask of powder.” Gunpowder, unfortunately, only helped to exacerbate local tribal warfare, decimating native populations.

Today, Auckland is home to many cultures living in harmony. The majority of inhabitants claim European, predominantly British, descent, but substantial Māori, Pacific Islander and Asian communities co-exist side-by-side. Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. Ethnic groups from all corners of the globe have a presence here, making it a most cosmopolitan city. Hundreds of cafes, restaurants and clubs contribute to a vibrant nightlife. Urban socialites parade on High Street, Queen Street, Ponsonby Road, and Karangahape Road while Newmarket and Parnell boast up-market shopping areas. Fleamarkets in Otara and Avondale offer a colourful alternative shopping experience. There are fine swimming beaches along Waitemata Harbour and excellent surfing, particularly at Piha and Muriwai.

New Zealand’s national treasures are on display at the Auckland Art Gallery, with more than 14,000 artworks, while other significant cultural artifacts are kept at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the National Maritime Museum, or the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT). Auckland Zoo exhibits exotic creatures, and so does Kelly Tarlton’s popular Underwater World.

The internationally recognized Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra has hosted such luminaries as Luciano Pavarotti, Burt Bacharach, Nigel Kennedy, and, of course, the orchestra’s patron, the world-renowned, New Zealand-born soprano, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

Te Kanawa, whose parents were of mixed Māori /European ancestry, has been a tireless advocate of native causes and a guardian of Māori legends and myths. And nowhere is the power of those legends more pervasive than among the geothermal oddities of Rotorua on the east coast of North Island, just a 40-minute flight from Auckland.

Millions of tourists from across the world are drawn every year to these pullulating pools of sulphur-laden mud baths, hot springs and steam vents. As long ago as 1880, the New Zealand government realized the potential for health tourism and laid out the foundations of the city on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua.

Even earlier, the mysteries of the “hot lakes” had imbued native tradition. Te Kanawa has written of sitting by the lake at night as a child “watching the silver moon over the water” and recalling the legend of the beautiful Hinemoa and her forbidden love for the mighty warrior Tutanekai, who lived on Mokoia, an island in the lake.

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Barred by her jealous father from seeing her lover, Hinemoa one dark night floated out to the island on a raft of drinking gourds. She was guided by the music of Tutanekai’s flute as he played into the night. As she neared the island, the gourds filled up and the raft began to sink. Throwing off her cloak, Hinemoa plunged naked into the icy water. She reached the bank shivering, close to exhaustion. Stumbling inland, she “found herself by a beautiful pool of hot, sulphurous water. She lowered herself in and lay there, soaking up the warmth.” By the time Tutanekai put down his flute and came to her, Hinemoa was sufficiently recovered to welcome his ardent embraces throughout the long, moonless night.

The pool today is known as ‘Hinemoa’s bath’ and adds a romantic flavour to the thermal attractions that are at the heart of Rotorua’s tourist appeal. They include the Buried Village (Te Wairoa) — so called after it was smothered by the eruption of Mount Tarawera in1886.

Rotorua has the nickname ‘Sulphur City’ because of the hydrogen sulphide emissions that give off a “rotten eggs” smell. When the curmudgeonly Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw visited in 1934 he grumbled that it was a “damnable place” that he would have paid good money to avoid.

But more than one million visitors each year — about half from overseas — show that Shaw was wrong. Besides its volcanic pools, the Rotorua region — with its 17 lakes — is an aquatic paradise, with fishing, waterskiing, swimming and other activities. Rotorua hosted the 2007 World Waterski Championships and Lake Rotorua was the venue for the World Blind Sailing Championships in 2009.

Rotorua is also home to botanical gardens and historic architecture. Many of its buildings hint at this history. Government Gardens, close to the lakeshore at the eastern end of the town, are a particular point of pride. Another attraction is mountain biking. Whakarewarewa Forest has been called “the Disneyland of mountain biking” with its many challenging trails.

After leaving Rotorua, the crusty Shaw went on to Christchurch where he claimed to have been “waylaid” by the local mayor and subjected to a civic reception that left him a “pitiable wreck.” As we’ll discover next week, you won’t need a civic reception to experience the wonders of the two jewels of South Island, Christchurch and Queenstown, the latter aptly dubbed the “adventure capital of the world.”

Special to the Vancouver Sun


If you go:

If you’re staying in a fine hotel and you need help you go to the desk of the concierge. It’s that simple.

So why shouldn’t you expect a similar service on a long-haul flight?

Well, now you can.

Air New Zealand first introduced its inflight concierge service in 2008 and it is now available on all the airline’s major international routes, including its direct service from Vancouver to Auckland.

The concierge service is not some luxury frill available only to folks paying top dollar.

It’s available to everyone on the plane, whether they’re sitting in Business Premier, Pacific Premium Economy or Pacific Economy Class.

So what can you expect?

The night before your flight, expect to receive a call from the concierge who will be on board your plane. Give the concierge a hint about your special interests and next day on your seat you’ll find just the kind of reading material to help you while away the hours.

As the airline boasts: “If you’re interested in golf expect to see a magazine on your chair detailing courses fit for Tiger Woods. If fine dining is your passion, you may find a magazine filled with the gourmet cuisine you crave.”

You’ll meet your concierge in person when you get to the departure gate to answer any last-minute questions before you board the sleek new Boeing 777-300 jet.

And, once the flight is underway, your concierge will be on call with advice on everything from the trendiest shopping to boutique hotels and best-kept local secrets.

Don’t confuse the concierge with other cabin crew: each concierge has been specifically chosen and trained to provide the know-how travelers need. They can offer the kind of practical assistance in a wide range of areas to make sure travelers make the best of their stay, whether it’s advice on itineraries, travel arrangements or accommodation.

It’s just like staying in a five-star hotel.

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The natural assets of Auckland have made it a dream destination for all kinds of travellers, from doing-it-on-the-cheap backbackers to cost-is-no-issue super yacht owners. From the centre of the city, a short journey could land you in a vineyard, on a sub-tropical island, high in the kauri forests of the west or on the edge of a perfect surf beach


Auckland city, everyone lives within half an hour of beautiful beaches, rainforest hiking trails and a choice of holiday islands. From the central city, a ferry can cruise you away to another world – as close as Devonport village or as far as Great Barrier island

Small luxury hotels, such as the Boatshed on Waiheke Island, deliver a slice of New Zealand life that is all about relaxation and pleasure. Sumptuous accommodation is accompanied by gourmet food and a choice of local experiences. On Waiheke, for example, there are vineyards to visit, beaches to comb and artists’ galleries to visit


Art exhibitions are often held to celebrate Matariki, the Maori New Year, a time of knowledge sharing, story telling and cultural appreciation. Artists often combine traditional motifs with contemporary techniques to produce outstanding works like these. Matariki begins in June when a group of stars, the Pleiades, first appears on the eastern horizon


the opportunity to experience a Maori haka is not to be missed. The energy and emotion of these posture dances will raise the hairs on the back of your neck. There are varying forms of haka. They all serve to build unity in the performers and communicate a warning or challenge to enemies or a message of celebration when performed for friends.