New Zealand: Holidays, Events, Climate
Public holidays
There are a number of public holidays that do not have a fixed date, but are based on the location of Easter. Easter takes place on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the beginning of spring. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, which ends on Holy Saturday, is 46 days before Holy Saturday. The date for Pentecost is then 50 days after Easter. Corpus Christi is celebrated on the second Thursday after Pentecost. All Saints’ Day is celebrated for Orthodox Christians on the first Sunday after Pentecost, but for Catholic Christians the date is fixed on November 1st. On October 31, Protestants celebrate Reformation Day. The Halloween festival also takes place on this day.
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
January 16 | Anniversary Day Southland (holiday in Southland, only celebrated there) |
January 23 | Anniversary Day Wellington (Wellington holiday, only celebrated there) |
January 30 | Anniversary Day Auckland and Nelson (Holiday of Auckland and Nelson, only celebrated there) |
February 6 | Waitangi day |
March 13 | Anniversary Day Taranaki (holiday of Taranaki, only celebrated there) |
March, 20 | Anniversary Day Otago (holiday of Otago, is only celebrated there) |
April | Good Friday, Easter Monday |
April 25 | Anzac Day A day commemorating the dead of the Australian-New Zealand Army in Gallipolli, Turkey |
June 5 | Celebration in honor of the Queen’s birthday |
25th of September | Anniversary Day South Canterbury (South Canterbury holiday, celebrated there only) |
the 20th of October | Anniversary Day Hakwes Bay (Holiday of Hakwes Bay, only celebrated there) |
23rd October | Labor Day |
30th of October | Anniversary Day Marlborough (Marlborough holiday, only celebrated there) |
November 17 | Anniversary Day Canterbury (Canterbury holiday, celebrated there only) |
November 27 | Anniversary Day Chatam Islands (Holiday of the Chatam Islands, only celebrated there) |
December 4 | Anniversary Day Westland (holiday of Westland, only celebrated there) |
25 December | Christmas |
December 26 | Boxing Day |
Source: Countryaah – New Zealand Holidays
Cultural events
Date | Event |
mid-January | Instant Kiwi Festival World Buskers Festival: The week-long street festival with music and theater performances takes place in Christchurch. |
end of January | Auckland Anniversary Regatta: The Auckland Harbor Regatta is one of the largest in the world; Around 600 boats take part in it every year. |
Early February | Maori Performing Festival: The festival that shows the best dance and music groups takes place in Waikato. |
February 6 | Maori Food Festival in Khawia |
2nd Saturday in February | Marlborough Wine Festival |
3rd weekend in February | Flower Festival in Christchurch |
March | New Zealand International Festival of Arts: The festival takes place in Wellington. Theatrical and musical performances with artists from all over the world are presented over several weeks. It is the most important arts festival in New Zealand. |
1st week of March | Sheep rogue weaver in Masterton |
1st week of March | Pacific Festival in Auckland: The festival is one of the largest festivals in the world. On it you can experience the culture, music, food and dance performances of the different Pacific islands. Auckland is a city that has a not inconsiderable proportion of Pacific Islanders. |
middle of March | Wild Food Festival: In Hokitika, on the west coast of the South Island, you can try a lot of game dishes. |
end of March | Ngaruawahia Regatta: A canoe (“Waka”) regatta takes place in the place of the Maori Queen. |
Mid-April | Bluff Oyster and Seafood Festival: In Bluff, a town on the South Island, you can taste a lot of seafood at the festival. |
Easter | Royal Easter Show: Breeding animal show in Auckla |
Easter week | Warbirds over Wanaka: Festival of old war aircraft in Wanaka on the South Isla |
Mid-April | New Zealand Hot Air Balloon Festival in Hamilton |
end of April | Waiheke Island Jazz Festival: Jazz festival on the island just outside Auckla |
Mid-June | New Zealand National Agricultural Fair : The fair is held in Hamilton. |
end of July | Queenstown Winter Festival: You can go skiing at night; the festival is celebrated with fireworks. |
Last week of July | Christchurch arts festival |
August | Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival |
September | Hastings Blossom Festival: Hastings Blossom FestivalNew Zealand Wearable Art Festival: New Zealand clothing design is presented in Nelson. |
October | Rhododendron Festival in DunedinRhododendron Festival in Taranaki |
November | Showtime Canterbury: Canterbury Agricultural ShowToast Martinborough: Martinborough Region Wine Festival
Ellerslie Flower Show: The Auckland Flower Show is one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. |
December | Light Festival in New Plymouth: The entire Pukekura Park is illuminated. There are music events and you can row on the illuminated ponds in the park. |
Sporting events
Date | Event |
January 1st week | First night triathlon in Gisborne |
January 3rd week | Fishing competition in Tutukaka |
Last week of January | Glider pilot competition in Wanaka |
February | Chinese New Year:International Dragon Boat Championship: Dragon Boat Regatta in Wellington |
Early February | Bay of Islands International Billfish Tournament: Deep sea fishing competition in the Bay of Islands |
End of February | Ironman in Taupo |
at the beginning of March | Rangitoto Swim: A distance of approximately 4.5 km is swum from Rangitoto Island to Auckland. |
end of March | Around the Bay Run in Auckland: fun run in which around 60,000 people take part. |
3rd week of April | Lake Taupo International Trout Fishing Contest: Trout fishing competition in Taupo |
end of April | Rotorua Marathon |
May | Trout fishing competition in Rotorua |
Mid-July | New Zealand rally |
end of July | World Heli Challenge: Heliskiing in Wanaka, in which snowboarders can also participate. |
Mid September | Crater lake competition in Taupo: There are running, cycling and kayaking competitions. |
the beginning of October | Rotorua trout fishing competition |
beginning of November | Harbor Crossing in Auckland: Swimming competition (swim 1.8 km from Devonport to Auckland City). |
beginning of December | Kepler Challenge: Long-distance running on the Kepler Track |
New Zealand: climate
The climate of New Zealand is subtropical in the north of the North Island and temperate in the rest of the country.
On both islands, the west is the wetter and windier part, due to the prevailing westerly winds. The east is drier and sunnier.
There is usually a fresh wind blowing, so temperatures rarely rise above 25 degrees.
But even when the wind is fresh, the sun is extremely strong, so it can get quite warm in sheltered areas.
The transition times such as spring and autumn are very short.
The winter is characterized by frequent and heavy rain showers. Due to the island location, however, with a few exceptions, the sun comes through almost every day. With the exception of a few areas, it doesn’t get wintry cold on the South Island, where it can also snow. The thermometer rarely falls below 10 degrees during the day. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t be cold.
Winter in New Zealand is unbearable for Europeans as the houses are damp and cold. The wooden houses are hardly insulated and can therefore hardly be heated due to the lack of a heating system. Diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis and asthma are correspondingly high.
South Island
The climate in Otago on the South Island differs from the above in that there are dry, hot summers with temperatures of up to 30 degrees and winters with snow.
In March 1988, New Zealand was hit by cyclone Bola.
Due to the heavy rainfall, especially in the western regions of the South Island, there are downright impenetrable primeval forests. The climate here is extreme, especially in a 400 km long and 30 km wide area on the Southeast Island, part of which is the Western National Park. In this “western country” there is an annual average of over 10,000 mm of precipitation (corresponds to a height of 10 m!). The result is impenetrable, uniquely beautiful and lonely rainforests.
On the east coast, temperatures are a little higher than on the west coast, even during winter. The proximity to the sea, especially in summer, keeps the temperatures at a bearable level thanks to light and cooler winds.
Climate table
Month | Average number of rainy days | Mean maximum temperatures in (°C) | Mean minimum temperatures in (°C) |
January | 10-11 | 22-23 | 15-16 |
February | 10-11 | 23-24 | 15-16 |
March | 11-12 | 22-23 | 15-16 |
April | 13-14 | 19-20 | 13-14 |
May | 18-19 | 17-18 | 10-11 |
June | 18-19 | 14-15 | 11-12 |
July | 20-21 | 12-13 | 7-8 |
August | 18-19 | 14-15 | 8-9 |
September | 16-17 | 16-17 | 9-10 |
October | 15-16 | 16-17 | 11-12 |
November | 15-16 | 19-20 | 12-13 |
December | 11-12 | 21-22 | 14-15 |
Travel times
The ideas of what is meant by a particularly favorable travel climate depend on a number of factors. Pure cultural travelers certainly see the climate differently than people who want to spend a pure beach holiday, for example. The state of health or age can also play an important role. Therefore, our travel time recommendations are divided into the following two categories:
For people who are more sun-hungry
For people who like to enjoy a lot of sun and for whom higher temperatures do not cause any problems, the following seasons are particularly suitable for a stay in the country:
Those who love it warm and sunny should visit New Zealand from mid-January to the end March visit. After Christmas, the summer weather is usually more stable and you avoid the Christmas season with the big holidays, when almost all of New Zealand is on the move.
For people who prefer a temperate climate
People who prefer a temperate climate and lower temperatures should better use the following seasons to stay in New Zealand:
mid-November to Christmas Eve. The weather can be warm, but it is still changeable. In November the sun is not as strong as it is at the end of December.
National customs
Haka
is the war dance that Maori warriors performed to intimidate their enemies. Today it is performed on official occasions or at rugby games of the national team, the “All Blacks”.
Hongi
Hongi is the traditional Maori greeting that involves rubbing nose to nose.
Tattoos
are generally widespread in Polynesian culture, including New Zealand, where they are called moko. Traditionally, the moko was worn around the waist and face. Facial moko, however, was reserved for men of a certain rank. Women of higher rank were only allowed to wear a moko on their chin and around their mouth.
Flax braiding/weaving
Because of the lack of fur or woolly animals, the Maoris made their clothing from flax. In an elaborate procedure in which the flax leaves were processed with mussels, they exposed the fibers of the plant. These were then woven into cloaks, some of which were also woven into feathers that were both water-repellent and warm.
Kete
Baskets made from flax leaves are called kets.
Fishing
is the New Zealander’s favorite activity. For this passion New Zealanders buy boats that are often many times the value of their houses. As a traveler, fishing is easy to get into conversation with all walks of life in New Zealand.
Rugby
is New Zealand’s national sport. The national team is called “All Blacks”.
Drinking manners
The drinking habits are quite rough. Often the only goal is to consume as much alcohol as possible in the shortest possible time. This applies equally to men and women!
New Zealand: Sightseeing
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that NZ stands for the nation of New Zealand as a two-letter acronym.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area
The Te Wahipounamu nature reserve with the Westland, Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring and Fjordland national parks was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1990. This area covers an area of 26,000 km². In this area are the four national parks already mentioned above, which are located in the west and southwest of the southern island.
Tongariro National Park The Tongariro
National Park was included in both the UNESCO World Heritage List and the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990.
It is located in the center of the North Island south of Lake Taupo.
The park with a size of approx. 790 km² is famous for its volcanic and lunar landscape with hot springs. The one-day Tongarino Crossing hiking trail gives you a good overview. However, this is extremely crowded in high season. Next to it is the North Island ski area.
Sub-Antarctic Islands
The sub-Antarctic islands of Snares, Bounty Islands, Antipode Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1998.
These islands of New Zealand are south of the country and north of the Antarctic Convergence.
- The Snares Islands, with an area of 3.28 km2, which are located at a geographic position of 166 ° 30 ‘East and 48 ° 00’ South. On the Snares Islands, evidence of a settlement by the Maoris before the modern discovery of the islands was found. Entering the island is not allowed.
- The Bounty Islands, with an area of 1.35 km2, which are geographically located 179 ° 05 ‘East and 47 ° 45’ South. The highest point measures approx. 70 m.
- The Antipodes Islands, with an area of 20.97 km2, with Mt. Galloway with a height of 366 m. The islands are geographically located 178 ° 45 ‘east and 49 ° 40’ south.
- The Auckland Islands, with an area of 625 km2, with Mt. Dick with a height of 705 m as the highest mountain and Lake Turbott as the largest lake. The islands have a large natural harbor, Carnley Harbor. The archipelago is made up of four main islands: Auckland Island, Adams Island, Ewing Island and Enderby Island. On the latter, 600-year-old evidence of Maoris has been found. In 1842, a group of Maoris from the Chamtam Islands settled in Port Ross on Auckland Island with some Morioris they had enslaved.
- The Campbell Island, with an area of 113 km2 with the Mt. Honey with a height of 569 m and the Six Foot Lake, the largest lake. It is the southernmost of New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands.
Special places
Whangara
In the east of the North Island, not far from Gisborne, is the place where the legendary Paikea, riding a whale, reached New Zealand.
The marae and its history became known worldwide through the film Whale-Rider.
In the place where the film was shot, there are still remains of props such as the waka (canoe) and some plastic whales.
Whangara is only signposted from State Highway 35 by a very small sign.
Civic Square, Wellington
In a modern, inner-city square that is home to the Tourism Authority and Wellington Art Gallery.
Otara Market
The market, which sells tropical vegetables and food as well as handicrafts from the Pacific Islands and Hip Hop CDs and T-shirts, is held on Saturdays from 5 to 12 in Otara in South Auckland.
Special buildings
Bach
The “Bach”, the holiday home or the New Zealand dacha, appeared around 1920 with the introduction of the car in New Zealand. If you want to see original Bachs, which are under monument protection, we recommend a visit to the island of Rangitoto in the Gulf of Hauraki. The island can be reached from downtown Auckland by ferry in around 30 minutes. The volcanic island is also worth a visit because of its “lunar landscape”.
Waitangi Treaty site
The Waitangi Treaty was signed on the site in 1840 and signed by William Hobson on behalf of the Queen of England and 50 Maori chiefs. The original contract will be issued on the premises. The Waitangi Treaty House, which was built in 1833-1834, and a Maori meeting house, “whare runanga”, are also located here. The special thing about the building is that it does not, as usual, only represent the ancestors of one tribe, but the ancestors of all the tribes of Aotearoa.
Old Wellington Parliament House
The former Wellington Parliament House is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. It was built in the neoclassical style in 1870 and gives the impression of being a stone house. Today it houses the law faculty of the University of Wellington.
Katherine Mansfield’s Birthplace, Wellington
Address: 25 Tinakori Road, approximately 10 minutes’ walk from the Houses of Parliament.
www.katherinemansfield.com
Grafton
Bridge When the Grafton Bridge in Auckland opened, it was the world’s longest concrete span bridge. It is still an important transport link in Auckland today.
Harbor Bridge (Harbor Bridge)
The Harbor Bridge over Waitemata Harbor in Auckland was only inaugurated in 1959 after 5 years of construction. It is 1,021 m long. You can bungee jump from the bridge or take a guided tour where you can learn more about the bridge construction.
Tolaga Bay Wharf
The Tolaga Bay Wharf, the symbol of the city, is an approx. 660 m long landing stage bridge, which was built in the years 1926-1929 and is at the same time the longest in the country.
Sky Tower in Auckland
The television tower in Auckland has dominated the city’s skyline since 1997. With its height of 328 m, it is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere. The brave can plunge down from the tower on a bungee rope. It is illuminated in bright colors at night, depending on the season and the event.
Blue Baths
This Spanish mission-style bath opened in 1933 and was one of New Zealand’s most popular hot water baths. It was closed in 1981 and today, lovingly restored, is partly used as a swimming pool again. It is located in Rotorua, which has around 55,000 residents and is in the center of the North Island. A few hundred meters away is the Bath House, built in the English Tudor style, which was opened as a spa in 1908. However, due to significant construction defects, it was closed as a bath in 1966. It now serves as a museum after its restoration and is considered to be one of New Zealand’s most popular old buildings.
Museums and cultural assets
Te Papa Museum of New Zealand
The National Museum of New Zealand is located in Wellington directly on Lambton Harbor. In addition to a multimedia collection of natural history, the museum’s collection contains exhibits that reflect the history of the country. These are e.g. B. Maori wakas and houses as well as exhibits on the history of the white settlers. www.tepapa.govt.nz
Museum of Wellington, City and Sea
In addition to the history of the city and a city model, many ship models and maritime exhibits are on display. The museum is located in Queens Wharf on Lambdon Harbor.
www.bondstore.co.nz
Auckland Museum
The museum, which also houses the ANZAC memorial in Auckland, is located in Domain Park on a hill, from which one has a wide view over the Gulf of Hauraki. In addition to a natural history collection that has been well prepared for children, it contains one of the world’s largest collections on the Pacific. Artifacts and boats from almost all of the South Sea islands are on display. B. staff navigation maps, jewelry, costumes and many other exciting exhibits. The Maori collection shows a large number of original houses and a huge battle canoe. The museum is currently being expanded.
www.aucklandmuseum.com
Auckland Art Gallery
The gallery has a large number of early paintings about New Zealand. Here you can admire landscape paintings by William Hodges and portraits of Maoris by Gottfried Lindauer as well as pictures by Charles F. Goldies. You get a good insight into the country as it must have looked at the time of the first explorers. The museum extension should be completed in 2009.
www.aucklandartgallery.govt.nz
Grovett Brewster Gallery
The New Plymouth Gallery is one of the most important modern art galleries in New Zealand. The museum has control over the estate of the artist Len Lye.
www.govettb.org.nz
Christchurch Art Gallery
One of the most beautiful modern buildings in the country is probably the Christchurch Art Gallery located in Christchurch, on the South Island. It was built by the Melbourne architect David Cole (born 1954) and was officially inaugurated in 2003.
Government Building
The second largest wooden building in the world is the Government Building near what is now the seat of government in Wellington. Formerly the seat of government, it now houses the law school of Wellington University. It was completed in 1876. It is within sight of the new and modern parliament building. www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz
Marae in Ngaruawahia
Residential complex (Marae) of the Queen of the Maoris in Ngaruawahia, a small and not very beautiful town on Highway No. 1, just behind Hamilton. The Queen of the Maori has no political power and is also not undisputed among the various Maori tribes (around 42).
Special churches
Oldest Wooden
Church in New Zealand The oldest wooden church in New Zealand, Old St. Paul, is located in Wellington and was consecrated on June 6, 1866 by the Bishop of Wellington, Bishop Abraham. It is built in the English neo-Gothic style. The architect was the pastor Friedrich Thatcher (1814-1890).
New Zealand’s
oldest stone church The oldest stone church in New Zealand is St. Mary’s Church in New Plymouth, built in 1845/46. The architect was also the pastor Friedrich Thatcher.
Cape Reinga or Te Rerenga Wairua
The cape is located in the north of the North Island. The name means “jumping off point for souls”. Demanch, the souls of the dead can slide down the slope to the old poutukawa tree on seagrass ropes before they start their last jump to Hawaiki. Hawaiki is the place from which Kupe, and after him the Polynesian ancestors of the Maoris, are said to have set out for New Zealand.
St. Mary’s Church in Tikitiki
The church is one of the few churches that combines Maori and British architecture. It was built in 1924 and inaugurated in 1926. It is located in the region of the East Capes on the North Island, here approx. 45% of the population are Maori. To the east of the church is the Sir Apirana Ngatis monument. The exterior of the church, which looks like a perfectly normal wooden church in British colonial style, does not suggest anything about the interior, which is modeled after a traditional Maori meeting house. The interior has perforated wall panels, carvings and beams painted in traditional patterns. The pulpit with its traditional Maori weaving, called taniku, deserves a special mention.
New Zealand Alps
The New Zealand Alps are located on the South Island and extend for a length of about 360 km and a width of about 50 km almost along the entire island.
A total of 17 peaks are higher than 3,000 m. The highest local mountain is the 3,724 m high Mount Cook, which is also the highest mountain in the country. In the Maori language, the mountain is called Aoraki.
It was first climbed in 1894 by New Zealand climbers Tom Fyfe, George Graham and Jack Clarke.
Mount Cook is part of Mount Cook National Park, which was established in 1953. The national park covers an area of 707 km² over 140 mountains with altitudes over 2,000 m. About 40% of the park is covered by glaciers, the most famous of which is the Tasman Glacier on the slopes of Mount Cook. The glacier is around 27 km long – with a maximum width of around 3 km.
Other glaciers are the Murchison glacier, the Hooker glacier and the Müller glacier.
The meltwater from both glaciers flows into the Tasman River, as does the meltwater from the Hooker Glacier and Müller Glacier. The Tasman River then flows into Lake Pukaki. From here, the meltwater reaches the Pacific Ocean via the approximately 210 km long Waitaki River north of Oamaru.
The mountain range is a 100 to 150 million year old fold mountain range and lies on the border of the Pacific and Australian plates. Since the mountain range is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, earthquakes are more common here.
More natural beauties
New Zealand is full of incredibly beautiful landscapes. The country also has a total of 17 national parks. The following are the most important and most striking:
Rainforests
There are a number of dense rainforests which, without exaggeration, can be described as dense jungles. These dense forests, which can only be walked on special paths, have no poisonous snakes or dangerous animals and there is no risk of malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and the like. to infect. Worth mentioning is the rain forest in the Egmont Nature Reserve near New Plymouth on the North Island. There is also the huge huddling rainforest with a length of around 400 km and a width of around 30 km on the west coast of the South Island, which includes the Western National Park.
Franz-Josef Glacier
The Franz-Josef Glacier ends almost at sea level and can be reached on foot in about 40 minutes from an easily accessible car park. It is located around 180 km south of Greymouth on the west side of the South Island.
Fox Glacier
The Fox Glacier, which arises from the same glacier massif as the Franz Josef Glacier, is located around 30 km south of the Franz Josef Glacier.
Hot springs
As there are numerous volcanoes in New Zealand, three of which are still active, there are also a number of hot and sulphurous springs in which it is possible to bathe. However, it must be ensured that the water does not come into contact with the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, as there is a risk of infection with amoebic meningitis. So, neither drink nor immerse yourself in the water and do not sharpen each other. Hot springs can be found near Rotorua, in the center of the North Island.
When the volcano Mount Tarawera erupted on June 10, 1886, over 120 people died and the entire region was devastated.
Milford Sound
A fjord landscape on the west coast in the south of the South Island of breathtaking beauty. From here one of the most dangerous roads in the world (avalanches, heavy storms, torrential rain, landslides or even earthquakes) leads to the small town of Te Anau. It is the Milford Road, which is popular with many tourists.
Waitomo Coves
The Waitomo Coves in King Country near Hamilton. The caves into which you can abseil served the Maori king at the time as a refuge over 120 years ago.
Nairere waterfall
The Nairere waterfall in the area of Matamata on the North Island. This waterfall, located in the middle of the rainforest, falls in two steps over 150 m into the depth. From an easily accessible car park, the foot of the waterfall can be reached in approx. 45 minutes via a well and discreetly laid out path, the summit after another 45 minutes. From the summit there is an incredible view of the plain of the region.
Pancake Rocks
The Pancake Rocks, about 40 km north of Greymouth in the Paparoa National Park on the north-west coast of the South Island. On a circular route you can experience the surging of the ocean against the cliffs with sometimes larger natural tunnels in the rocks, through which the water is pressed and behind it shoots up in huge fountains.
Seal Colony
A larger seal colony, around 70 km north of Greymouth, which is easily visible from above via a currently laid out path.
White Island
White Island is a still active volcanic island about 40 km north of the city of Whakatane on the east coast of the North Island in the South Pacific. The crater lies below sea level and is protected from the ingress of sea water by its high crater edges. The volcanic island is privately owned, but can be visited and entered by boat.
Abel Tasman Park
The Abel Tasman Park is a very beautiful national park in the north of the South Island of New Zealand with an area of 225 km². The park has beautiful white bays with campsites. You can walk from bay to bay for several days or go kayaking. If you don’t want to walk the whole route, you can also take a water taxi. However, the park is now so overcrowded in the high season that the number of visitors is being limited.
Mount Taranaki
In the center of the Mt. Taranaki Egmont National Park lies the 2,518 m high Taranaki, a dormant volcano that is covered with a snow dome all year round. This rises as a solitary in the southwest of the North Island near New Plymouth. In addition to climbing a mountain, you can hike in the national park, which runs radially around the mountain top, in the unique rainforest on various tracks.
Pancake Rocks
The Pancake Rocks, about 40 km north of Greymouth in the Paparoa National Park on the north-west coast of the South Island. On a circular route you can experience the surging of the ocean against the cliffs with sometimes larger natural tunnels in the rocks, through which the water is pressed and behind it shoots up in huge fountains.
Fiordland
For more information, see Goruma under Geography
Big lakes
Lake Taupo
The lake is located in the middle of the North Island. With an area of around 622 km², it is the largest lake in New Zealand. Its maximum depth is around 160 m – with a water volume of around 59 km³
Lake Te Anau
Lake Te Anau is located in the southwest of the South Island. It has an area of 344 km² – with a maximum depth of 270 m.
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu is located in the southwest of the South Island. It covers an area of 291 km² with a maximum depth of 380 m.
Lake Wanaka
Lake Wanaka is located in the southern third of the South Island.
It has an area of 192 km² – with a maximum depth of around 300 m
More Attractions
Wellington
Harbor The Wellington Harbor plays a particularly important role for tourists, as the ferry boats to the South Island leave here.
Otara Market in South Auckland
The market in Otora is the largest Polynesian market in the world. In addition to fruits and vegetables, you can buy South Seas music, hip-hop CDs, T-shirts with cool messages and handicrafts. The market is held on Saturdays from around 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Wine regions
On the island of Waiheke in the Gulf of Hauraki, approx. Half an hour by ferry; Hawke’s Bay to the east of the North Island and Martinborough to the east of Wellington. As well as on the South Island: Marlborough, Waipara, Wairau and in the area around Wanaka.