Top New Zealand hotels
Useful Tips.......Emergency number Christchurch
7 Reviews The New Zealand dollar has depreciated in value over the last few years. It now lies around $1NZ=$0.49US good for all of you wanting to travel to NZ but bad for us kiwi's!! The notes were changed...
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Local People Christchurch
9 Reviews This old english method of having a bloke yelling the news pre newspaper days was trialled a few years ago as a tourism stunt - and it stuck. The Town Crier of Christchurch screams a few items of...
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Maori Christchurch
3 Reviews When you are entering into Maori cultural exhibits, the visitors must be invited in to join the community before entering. Your group must select a chief or king for the group, and then that leader...
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Driving Christchurch
2 Reviews When you drive along the Summit Road please thank all the idiots of Christchurch for being able to park on such nice carparks along the road. Those carparks have been altered attractively because car...
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Climate Christchurch
3 Reviews The South Island is cooler than the North Island by a few degrees but on the whole NZ is known for its clean air. Average temps in winter (July) 1C – 12C Average temps in summer (January) 12C –...
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Wizard Christchurch
3 Reviews Speaking to the masses, though not so often these days, is the Christchurch Wizard aka Ian Brackenbury Channell. He has actually been deemed a "living work of art" and has been doing his thing in...
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Especially in the North Island of New Zealand, it is quite easy to find examples of Maori art - in numerous museums, cultural centres, art centres, on even European buildings inside and out. Many buildings in areas of high Maori/islander concentration (such as the 4 canoes Hotel in Rotorua where we stayed) were liberally adorned inside with a huge range of Maori arts.
The North of New Zealand is sub-tropical and the South temperate. The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest June, July and August. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20-30C and in winter between 10-15C. New Zealand on a whole usually has 4 very distinct seasons.
You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver's licence from your home country, or an International Driving Permit (IDP) but you must carry that license with you at all times and only drive the class of vehicle of which you have the permit for.Driving is on the left in New Zealand. Cars turning left must give way to oncoming cars turning in the same direction. Traffic always gives way to the right and pedestrians do not have the right of way except at crossings. Unlike in the States, you MAY NOT turn on a red light.The speed limit on the open road is 100km/h (approx 60m/h). In built up areas the speed limit is 50km/h. For Driving Distances
The most important rule about walking in New Zealand is please leave the gates as you find them, i.e. close them as soon as youýve walked through them, or leave them open if the landowner has left them that way.
The Kiwi is New Zealand's icon bird, but unlike Australia's Icon, the Kangaroo, you're not going to see Kiwi's everywhere in the wild...in fact, you'd be lucky to see a single one at all, and they are becoming more endangered. We went to the Mt Bruce National Wildlife centre to see our real Kiwis. As for the souvenir variety, kiwis come in all shapes and sizes, and I think they're rather cute. Blow up the pic and see - I think they have individual expressions, which make them even cuter.
L & P is New Zealand's famous soft drink, made of Lemon and Paeroa (a kind of mineral water). It doesn't taste like anything we know in Australia (closest relative might be Creaming Soda, but still not close enough for an addict like me).Fortunately, even in Australia you can buy it sometimes at the supermarket, or else at all good "New Zealand Icecream" chain ice cream shops. It's great! Don't miss trying it. This trip, for the first time I found a new mix for it: try adding Absolut Citron, and it's even nicer!
The Dairy and sheep industries are New Zealand's largest industries, but now after the Lord of the Rings filming, Tourism is quickly catching up and is predicted to pass the Dairy industry entirely!Fishing is also another huge industry here.
The silver fern is New Zealand's floral emblem, and features on many of their souvenirs as well.From above, the fern looks fairly much like any other, but if you lift the frond and look underneath, you will see that it really is silver!It's said to shine quite well at night too.
The Maori women of New Zealand create their fibre dresses from Harakeke, otherwise known as the Flax plant. Harekke is also used for woven basketbs a floor mats as it takes good to water and liquids and is quite durable. The fibre of the plant is extracted using a shell, plied, softened and used to make cloaks. This material called Muka weaves into a beautiful, soft and durable fabric.In modern times, Maori weavers have experimented with other media.Erenora Puketapu Hetet has created artworks combining metals and other materials with traditional weaving techniques.Piupiu is a skirt-like garment made up of numerous strands of prepared flax, woven or plaited onto a band. This enables the strands to hang loosely when worn. With movement these strands move to and fro, or oscillate, which is the meaning of the word piupiu. A favorite song to sing by Maori weavers goes like this:f the centre...
The north of New Zealand is subtropical and the south temperate. The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest June, July and August.In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20-30ºC and in winter between 10-15ºC.
Copthorne Hotel Commodore Christchurch Airport Christchurch
6 Reviews and 293 Opinions Prior to the earthquakes, I have always stayed in town at some renowned hotel chains. When I was...
SKYCITY Grand Hotel Auckland Auckland
7 Reviews and 434 Opinions The rooms and hotel in general were nicer than expected, and service was good. While this hotel may...
Browns Boutique Hotel Queenstown
1 Review and 170 Opinions Within stroling distance from the main town. Welcoming and homely. A warm cozey room admist the cold...
Reviews and photos of New Zealand attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for New Zealand sightseeing.
Q: Last time in NSW/Australia it was quite easy to find good parking-places for my small motorhome, partly INside the villages, but...
A: With "official parkinglots" I mean rest-area along highways and other roads, such "Rest and revive-places" that are announced along the bigger roads ! I also saw some of...
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