Holidays New Zealand

The Outback Inn, Hamilton

Deb — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:45:00 +0000

Founded in 1995 by Richard Bate, The Outback Inn is a very popular student party bar that is located near Waikato University and today is one of the hottest spots to visit near the university. Although the bar is mostly marketed towards students, many people enjoy a night out at the Outback Inn due to the fact that it has plenty to offer everyone with bars, gaming areas, pool tables, and a full service kitchen.

One of the reasons for its quick rise to popularity is the fact that The Outback Inn ran a great deal of promotions and offered top level service from the start. Every week there are new food and drink specials and on a daily basis most students will find the low prices and the Happy Hour prices to be inviting and just what they need to make heading out affordable.

Although it started out as a simple bar and dance area, the bar has since then expanded a great deal building onto the existing structure to fit in more room for more partiers. As with most bars, with a higher occupancy level the parties only continued to grow and now a trip to The Outback Inn is like heading out to a frat party with an open invite.

Today the Outback Inn sports four different bar areas, a function area for special events and for performing bands, a new full service kitchen allowing them to offer a wider menu to revelers, eight pool tables for those who do not like the dance floor, and a gaming room for blowing off some steam and just generally having some fun. Still known for their excellent friendly service, for a drink and a night out without pub hopping The Outback Inn is an excellent choice.

Are Queenstown running out of ideas?

Deb — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:39:41 +0000

Queenstown is regarded as the adventure tourism capital of New Zealand but many people are worrying that the area has run out of exciting adventures for people to take part in. Prominent adventure companies in the area have said this is not true and the growth of adventure tourism in Queenstown is as strong as ever.

Some of the adventure activities in this part of New Zealand include, bungee jumps, gondolas, hot air balloon rides, and skydives. One of the most recent additions to the adventures already available in the area was the flying fox, but since this time there has been relatively few new adventures introduced.

A director of an adventure tourism company in the area is Shaun Kelly who has commented, “It’s quite unusual for New Zealand to go such a long time without a new adventure activity being introduced and I expected it is only going to be a matter of time before the next big adventure comes along. The adventure tourism market in Queenstown definitely has its ups and downs and right now we are in a down but I fully expected to pick up again in the next year or so.”

Mr Kelly runs a jet boat business that has been operational since the late 1980s. He continued, “It would be fair to say that this is a slower time than I have seen before but it is the nature of business that there are slow periods and I’ve certainly seen a lot of companies go out of business recently.”

It is expected that the increasing government regulations for the adventure industry is making it harder for new adventure ideas to become reality. Despite all the regulation, the adventure tourism industry is estimated to be worth around $90 billion.

New Zealand air force opens its doors to visitors

Deb — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:35:55 +0000

The mission of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand is to offer visitors a chance to enjoy and see firsthand the history of the Military Aviation in New Zealand. The collection housed inside of the museum offers millions of different items for visitors to see firsthand including weapons, medals, engines, aircraft, parachute wedding dresses, pin-ups, and hundreds of other pieces of memorabilia that tell the story of the evolution of the Air Force. In addition to this visitors get to see 28 different classic aircraft up close with open doors and engines so that you can really see what an Air Force plane looks like.

While the aircrafts are the major attraction housed within the museum for most visitors, and certainly for the children, there are plenty of other collections that are also worth spending some time looking through as well. For instance, the intricacy of the aircraft engines even though they date back to the 1940s is quite interesting to view and real life shanties set up to resemble what the soldiers actually lived in while at the Air Force area also quite fun to walk through and see firsthand.

In addition, there is a large art collection that features works that portray the Air Force in action and many portraits of pilots that bravely fought for the country. Of notable value is the collection of works by Maurice Conly which is the largest collection housed in New Zealand by the famous painter. Also offered in the art collection are a number of oil paintings and other canvas works and for those who enjoy looking at memorabilia style art the collection of cartoons, prints, and paper that was passed back and forth between pilots should also be of interest.

Those who want to see the medals up close will enjoy the chance to see a real Victoria Cross medal as well as over 200 more medals that were given to brave pilots throughout the history of the New Zealand Air Force. While visiting make sure to pass through the special exhibition ‘Horizon To Horizon which details the path of how the Air Force of New Zealand came to be and its evolution into the modern Air Force that the country maintains today. With contributions and stories from many different brave Air Forcemen it’s an exhibit that you should budget at least an hour for to see in full.

Camping New Zealand forum helps campers find information

up2u — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:30:55 +0000

The more information traveler’s are provided with about New Zealand is making a huge impact on how their overall experience is when they arrive and this is all in accordance with the New Zealand Camping Forum.

Campers come from near and far come toNew Zealandand they make up a wide portion of the tourist industry. They come and spend money and partake in a number of activities and leisure sightseeing.

There are educational programs as well that allow campers to stay in some of the famous parks. This is according to the Advocacy Manager Geoff Ensor.

When traveler’s come to visit they typically want a good idea of the type of things they are going to do. They want to know the type if camping allowed and doing what’s right is not by chance Ensor states.

This forum has focused its attention the last few years on offering adequate information and giving a better knowledge of camping inNew Zealand. There are a number of rental operators that give responsible information to the clients and they can be found online as well as in notice boards.

This is going to be the second summer that this Forum works alongside the ferry companies to offer camping brochures to travelers that are planning on working and camping their way along theCook Strait.

There is an average of 60,000 visitors and hits to the www.camping.org.nz website offering regional information.

The Freedom Camping Act that was passed a few years ago states that all campers that are caught breaking the rules are to be fined as a last warning and resort.

The manager Rose Bartlett at the council supports this effort to help keep camping under control and to keep the sites working effectively. This is done to decrease the amount of complaints that have been reported over the last few summers.

There has been a noticeable increase in knowledge of campers who travel here toNew Zealand. There has only been one single infringement notice given to a camper who worked on the vineyard and that was after there were 3 attempts made to move to a designated area.

Travelers are surveyed with an average of 20 questions and the purpose of this survey is to show what people stay in the camping grounds and what percentage of people prefer other accommodations while visiting.

To get additional information, you can check out the New Zealand Camping Forum which is located at www.tianz.org.nz/main/nz-freedom-camping-forum.

Gay and lesbian tourism New Zealand

alan — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:06:17 +0000

Gay and lesbian tourists are being encouraged to visit New Zealand in 2012, as a new marketing campaign promotes both gay and lesbian events and businesses in the country. The tourism website PureGayNZ.com has relaunched itself with support from businesses run by gay and lesbian Kiwis as well as those which provide services to all tourists, no matter what their sexual preference is.

Vijay Naiker, boss of the umbrella organisation Pure NZ Marketing Group welcomed efforts by the local people to attract more gay and lesbian tourists to the country, especially as 2012 is predicted to be a tough year for those in the tourism industry.

Gay and Lesbian Tourism New Zealand has been promoting businesses run by gays and lesbians for over eight years, as well as advertising other hotels, bars and restaurants which have proven themselves to be gay-friendly. A recent survey by the HSBC Bank named New Zealand as the world’s friendliest country, with few respondents reporting problems with intolerance of any kind.

The Gay and Lesbian Tourism New Zealand website offers reviews of gay-friendly accommodation options and places to eat, as well as where to find the best bars. As part of the relaunch, users can now book rooms directly through the site and the PureGayNZ.com brand has expanded to take advantage of the social media phenomenon.

Vijay Naiker added that since the re-branding, the website has seen visitors from as far away as Denmark and Spain making enquiries or actually booking a holiday in New Zealand based on the gay and lesbian promotional material.

Of course, the online guide also tells potential visitors about the amazing sights that New Zealand has to offer, on both the North and South Islands, and includes practical details about transportation and some of the best day trips to take from the major cities.

PureGayNZ.com is also happy to promote gay and lesbian events that are taking place in New Zealand, and Gay and Lesbian Tourism New Zealand has good relationships with the organisers of many regular festivals, especially 2012 Gay Ski Week in Queenstown, which takes place in January. Other major gay and lesbian cultural events include the annual Outtakes Film festival and the drag queen celebration Queen of the Whole Universe which is held in Auckland.

Matakana is a beautiful part of New Zealand

alan — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:52:47 +0000

Matakana is a beautiful part of New Zealand

Matakana is a beautiful part of New Zealand which is known for its wonderful vineyards and stunning views. It is located in the beautiful countryside of New Zealand and here you will find the contemporary and elegant Takatu Lodge. This is a place with exceptional food and a unique location near the vineyards.

You will find this lodge just a short drive from Matakana and it offers luxurious accommodation and breathtaking views. All of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows so that you can make the most of the surrounding scenery. They all also have a very luxurious feel and sunlight streams in through the windows throughout the day.

The food served at the lodge is both vegetarian and carnivorous and for breakfast there are plenty of options to choose from including a wide variety of seasonal fruits. One of the wonderful touches that the Lodge give you during your stay is that they give you a special gift each day. On the first evening this is a bottle of an award-winning wine from a local estate that you can enjoy while sitting on your balcony watching the sunset.

Other gifts include the opportunity for visitors to see some of the renowned sculptures from the area being created. This is done away from the Lodge in a natural bush setting to give visitors a truly authentic experience. One of the best wines in the region is Pinot Gris, a white wine which any visitor will love tasting. Other popular wines in the region include Merlot, Marlbec and Cabernet Franc.

Along the coast in this region there are a wide number of activities to enjoy including boat cruises, kayaking, and canoeing. Just inland, visitors will find a stunning golf course with 18 holes. If you are interested in exploring local foods then it can be a good idea to head to the farmers market in Matakana which has plenty of local delicacies on offer. Wine tasting is one of the most popular activities in this part of New Zealand and the Lodge has its own vineyard for guests to enjoy various wines from.

The Big Splash adrenaline ride Rotorua New Zealand

up2u — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:23:53 +0000

Leave it to the Kiwis to come up with a truly exciting and adrenaline-boosting ‘theme park’ ride that leaves a visitor with both the heart and the brain working overtime. The Big Splash that opened last Friday (20 January) at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua is beautifully designed to do just that.

Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park opened in 1932 as a wildlife conservation project, and generations of Kiwi children know it as the place to see kiwi and tuatara and feed the trout. Big Splash is the result of a project costing NZ$10 million, the biggest investment in the park’s history, and arguably the best.

The ride takes nine minutes, mostly on a gentle boat ride through New Zealand’s ecological history, from prehistoric times through the present. From the first resident dinosaurs, through the arrival of humans from Polynesia and then Europe, and the impact each had on the environment, it provides a fascinating narrative and impressive technology including state-of-the-art animatronics to bring that history to life.

To bring you back to the present with a mighty splash, the finale is a 12-metre, 4-second plunge that’s reportedly guaranteed to raise your ‘consciousness’ and get you good and wet. The Big Splash is included in the price of park admission and there’s no limit to how many times you can ride.

Waterslide thrill
Big Splash can cater for 500 tourists per hour with a fleet of eight-seater boats that depart every minute.

The boats travel through a native forest canopy, past a Maori pa settlement and a European timber mill town. Life-sized moa, Haast eagle and dinosaur models inhabit the dense one-hectare forest which has been populated with 7000 native trees and plants to represent how Aotearoa New Zealand once was.

An onboard commentary interprets the arrival, and later destruction, of native bird and plant species as the land is settled and exploited by the human settlers arriving from the Pacific Islands and Europe

The gentle boat journey ends with a 12-metre drop on the waterslide.Access to the ride is included as part of the Rainbow Springs admission price, and it operates daily between 9am and 5pm.

Conservation role
Big Splash offers an appropriate addition to Rainbow Springs Wildlife Park, which plays a strong conservation role as a breeding centre for the unique tuatara – a curious lizard-like reptile with origins in the dinosaur age – and New Zealand’s most prolific brown kiwi hatchery.

The ride is expected to be a major draw-card for Rotorua, giving international and local visitors an exciting and unique insight into New Zealand history and culture

Free-flight bird show
Shows in the new free-flight bird auditorium are scheduled to take flight in March.

The show will feature a flock of exotic birds that are currently in training. Some native birds will also be involved in the show at a later date.

Rainbow Springs attractions include tours of the Kiwi Encounter nursery and hatchery (open 10am – 4pm daily), the fascinating tuatara, walking and bird spotting in the extensive native and exotic forest, and feeding wild trout in the Rainbow Pool.

Background: Rainbow Springs

Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park – an award-winning tourism attraction and an icon of New Zealand tourism – first opened near Rotorua in 1932.

Spread over a 22-acre park with a natural fresh water spring, Rainbow Springs is a conservation and breeding haven for endangered New Zealand species such as kiwi and tuatara.

The park offers a unique wildlife experience for visitors, who can see animals in their natural environment, both during the day and night.

Attractions include New Zealand’s first ‘open to view’ Kiwi hatchery, and a range of wildlife including trout, tuatara and native birds.

The park became involved in kiwi conservation in 1995 with the arrival of an orphaned egg, and the hatchery is now the largest kiwi hatching facility in New Zealand. Eggs are harvested in 13 areas around the North Island where brown kiwi are found.

The park is open for day and night experiences including evening strolls and a hosted dinner activity. Clever night time lighting enhances the evening experience.

Visitors can view adult birds foraging and feeding in a purpose-built nocturnal Kiwi House, or see conservation work in progress and learn more about the iconic bird in the Kiwi Encounter hatchery and nursery.

The best nightlife in New Zealand

up2u — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:42:33 +0000

For those looking for the best nightlife in New Zealand then it would be a good idea to head to Queenstown, Wellington or Auckland as this will take you through some of the most varied and exciting nightlife that the country has to offer.

Queenstown has a lot on the wine front but there is also plenty of beer to keep people happy. This part ofNew Zealandis very beautiful and many people would say that the city ofQueenstownhas the liveliest bar scene anywhere in the country. You will find people from all over the world who have come to Queenstown for an adventure and you will not struggle to find interesting company if you are out on the town.

Wellingtonis the capital ofNew Zealandand is very compact so travelling around either by foot or on public transport is very easy. There are a wide range of places to eat in the city offering everything from pub food to fine dining.Cuba Streetwould be a good place to head to if you are after a lively bar scene and there are many clubs hidden away above shops and many places offering coffee into the early hours. This area of the town probably has the most musical acts on offer as well as much more.

Courtenay Placehas some of the best bars and theatres inWellingtonand you will find a range of food offering everything from Chinese buffets the Spanish tapas. There are numerous pubs themed in both Kiwi and British styles and these provide an excellent place to relax and enjoy a beer or a cocktail.

Auckland’s nightlife is located all around the city but the majority of bars and clubs will be found onK Road, these bars have a rather wild reputation. The range of food inAucklandis excellent and there is something to suit everyone’s budget. The Orbit Revolving Restaurant is at the top of theSkyTowerand provides an unforgettable dining experience as you overlook the beautiful city far below you.

New Zealand’s wine is diversifying

up2u — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:39:59 +0000

New Zealand’s wine industry is around three decades old and while this might seem like a long time, in the wine industry this is relatively little. What is very exciting for people who are interested in wine is that the country is still experimenting with different flavours and varieties of grapes. This experimentation is growing at a rapid pace and every year it seems thatNew Zealandwine makers are trying out new varieties of grape and blends.

Varietal wines, instead of blends are what dominates theNew Zealandwine industry that there have been some notable exceptions in the north of the island where the weather is a little warmer. This has resulted in several classic wines such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon being blended in the style of manyBordeauxwines.

The taste ofNew Zealandconsumers are constantly developing and the capabilities of the wine industry are always increasing. That said, it is likely that non blended wines are going to dominate theNew Zealandwine industry for some time to come.

Varietal wines are those that are made from one single type of grape, whereas blended wines include a number of these varietals mixed together. There are different standards internationally about what constitutes a blended wine and inNew Zealandthe threshold is rather low because the country has an intense focus on making high-quality wines.

New Zealandis most famous for Sauvignon Blanc wines and these became most popular in the late part of the 20th century due to the introduction of the wines to the British market. This type of wine is very intense and has a distinct flavour and is generally well-regarded in the international wine community. This wine is mostly produced in the south part of the country but there are winemakers all overNew Zealandmaking this type of wine.

The second most popular type of white wine inNew Zealandis Chardonnay and this is mostly grown in the North of the country. Until six or seven years ago Chardonnay was the second most popular type of wine from New Zealand but it has been recently been overtaken by the country’s Pinot Noir. The quality of the Chardonnay fromNew Zealandhas greatly improved in recent years as a wider variety of Chardonnay grapes have been brought to the country.

Pinot Noir is certainly the most popular type of red wine made inNew Zealandand some of the country’s best Pinot Noir comes fromCentral Otagowhether winegrowers benefit from a moderate climate and mountainous terrain. Most winemaking areas inNew Zealandare near the coast andCentral Otagoprovides an environment for making a wine with a more complex flavour, which is something that has been met with great favour by wine critics.Bordeauxblends are something we have already mentioned and these are becoming increasingly popular inNew Zealandand most blends include red wines such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

New Zealand wreck divers face serious problems

up2u — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:26:29 +0000

The wreck of the container ship Rena, which crashed off the coast of New Zealand, is being examined by divers whose work is being made even more dangerous by the debris and torn steel surrounding the vessel.

The on scene coordinator for Maritime New Zealand is Rob Service, who has said that divers are finding it very challenging to enter the vessel due to dangerous conditions. They are not being given permission by MNZ to enter the vessel until it has been deemed completely safe for them to do so.

The ship is located near the Bay of Plenty and currently 52 containers have been recovered from the water. A Further 18 have been located but have not yet been recovered. This week, recovery operations are going to be focused on Motiti Island as well as White Island, both of which have significant debris on them.

Oil cleanup is also taking place at Leisure Island and Mount Maunganui where there are thirty workers working to clear up the oil. Stuart Crosby is the mayor of Tauranga and he has recently commented, “I don’t think we should be placing blame on this container ship but we should be looking at how to improve maritime safety in the country.”