Auckland is a fantastic city. Its spectacular skyline glitters in the bay and its streets are filled with a breezy cosmopolitan air. But sometimes you need a break from the bright lights and bustle, and Auckland has the perfect solution. Twelve miles east of the city in the Hauraki Gulf lies Waiheke, a gorgeous green island dotted with sandy beaches, grassy meadows and eclectic homes.

The contrast is quite remarkable. Hop on a ferry from Auckland's busy port and half an hour later you pull up into Waiheke's quaint Putiki Bay. It's a whole world away from the city. There is a tangible feeling of community on Waiheke, but the regular influx of holidaymakers and city dwellers means that new faces are always made to feel welcome.

There is a definite bohemian vibe on the island. During the 1960s Waiheke was home to communities of artists and hippies. The majority have since moved on to the lesser-known Great Barrier Island further out in the bay, but their legacy lives on in the many painters' studios, craft shops and general artistic air.

Waiheke is about 20 kilometres long, and the climate is generally slightly warmer than Auckland's. Most of the island is uninhabited - all of the neighbourhoods and towns are situated towards the western end . The population is around 8000 but swells considerably during holiday seasons when Aucklanders and visitors from further afield flock to the island to enjoy the beach life and chilled-out atmosphere.

As well as the natural allure of sand and sea, Waiheke is popular for the regular dance parties held at Stonyridge Vineyard during the summer. The island plays host to a number of festivals including events dedicated to wine jazz, and these are definitely worth a look.

Wine is a huge part of island life. Waiheke is well known for its cabernet sauvignon which is famous throughout the world. There are over 20 vineyards containing around 300,000 vines. The Goldwater Estate is one of only two New Zealand vineyards to be named among the best in the world. Many vineyards offer tours and wine tasting events, and some have restaurants where guests can sample the local grape while enjoying scenic island views.

There is a range of accommodation available on the island ranging from backpacker hostels to luxury boutique villas. The island packs out during the summer months (November to February) so make sure you book well in advance to get the best rates.

By: Kris Barnes
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If you want to see natural beauty at its absolute best - you must visit New Zealand.

New Zealand is also one of the easiest countries in the world to travel around. The roads are excellent (and almost deserted), hotels are plentiful, crime is almost non-existent, there are no dangerous insects, snakes or predators to worry about, there are no diseases or infections to guard against, the people are helpful and friendly, the currency exchange-rate is massively in your favour (so your pound or your dollar goes a very long way) and English is the native language. New Zealand is paradise for travellers.

Basic Facts
New Zealand is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country is made up of two large islands (the North Island and the South Island) and several smaller islands -Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands. New Zealand is also known as Aotearoa, which is usually translated into English as the Land of the Long White Cloud. The Realm of New Zealand includes the Cook Islands and Niue, which are self-governing, but in free association; Tokelau; and the Ross Dependency (in Antarctica).

New Zealand is notable for its isolation, separated from Australia by 2000 kilometres (1250 miles).
Its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga.
New Zealand has a population of about 4 million(very small for a country of this size - so lots of space!).
Around 80% of the population are of British descent,with the Maori being the largest minority.
The largest city is Aukland. The capital city is Wellington. English is the native language.

Money
The currency is the New Zealand Dollar, and the exchange rate is excellent - your money goes a long way! Credit-cards are accepted everywhere. If you are from North America or Western Europe, you will feel right at home in New Zealand. This is a civilised, highly developed country - with some of the greatest scenery in the world and no crowds to pollute it or spoil it! Come soon - you'll have a great time!

How to get here.
New Zealand is a long way from anywhere! So the only sensible way to get here is by air.
New Zealand is well connected - with several airlines flying here from all parts of the world.
There are six international airports here. They are located in Aukland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Queenstown, and Wellington.The largest airport is Aukland. All airports here are excellent.

Visa Requirements.
Citizens of North America and Europe do not need Visas for visits of up to three months. Travellers from other areas should check with their own governments before booking.

When To Come.
New Zealand is an all year round destination. The weather here is mild and temperate. Temperatures in the sub-tropical far north average around 25 degrees in the summer (Dec, Jan, Feb) and 16 degrees in the winter (June, July, Aug). South Island coastal areas average around 5 degrees cooler. In the mountains temperatures are considerably lower -especially in winter when it can drop to minus 10 - but the skiing is great!
The seasons here are opposite to those in Europe and North-America, so the best time to come is probably in your winter - our summer. Escape the cold, you'll love it!

Getting Around.
Travelling within New Zealand is a joy. Internal flights are plentiful. Roads are excellent and uncrowded. Railways are superb, safe and spectacularly scenic.

Where to stay.
New Zealand is blessed with an abundance of great places to stay. Whatever your budget - you'll find something you like!

What to do.
If I made a list - it would go on forever!
There's so much to see and do here - you'll never be bored!
From Abseiling to White-Water Rafting, from Antarctic Encounters to Whale-Watching, you can do it all in New Zealand. Popular activities include visiting spectacular glow-worm caves, jet-boating through canyons, rafting over rapids, skiing on pristine slopes, sailing in the Bay of Islands, walking or cruising through majestic Fjords, whale-watching, scuba-diving, trekking, visiting the Lord of The Rings movie areas, etc etc etc.
And for the less active we have an abundance of relaxing options too - including a round or two of some wonderful golf-courses, basking on uncrowded beaches, wallowing in warm-water springs, and plain old gazing at the scenery everywhere you go!


If you only ever make one major journey in your life - make it to New Zealand - the most beautiful country on the planet!

By: Terry Jenkins
You can read more about New Zealand (with great pictures) on my website. TheTopTenSite.com
Terry C Jenkins has travelled here there and everywhere in his work as a photographer. He now helps to run The Top Ten Site http://www.thetoptensite.com.

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"Ki Ora! Welcome to New Zealand!" This is often the comment you will get when you step off the plane into one of our international airports at Christchurch, Hamilton or Auckland.

New Zealand is an amazing place to live and a fantastic place to visit. We have lush, green rolling hills surrounding us in many parts of the country but then we also have acres and acres of lush, green flats with flowing rivers all leading out to the Pacific Ocean.

There is so much to do here and no matter what your age, there is something for everyone.

Having lived in New Zealand all my life and having traveled around most of the North and South Islands, I can tell you there is no other place in the world I would rather live.

So, what can you do in New Zealand? Well, if you are into hiking and camping, this is going to be like heaven for you. We have some fantastic mountain ranges. The best places to go for hiking and camping are Taupo, which is in the middle of the North Island, Wellington, Christchurch and the west coast of the South Island, there are some amazing hiking tramps down there.

Not into hiking or camping? Prefer shopping? I have just the place for you! Auckland, our largest city, has got one of the best places for shopping every! There are so many factory shops and bargains to be had, you will most certainly find something and being a bargain shopper myself, I would recommend checking out "Dressmart" at Onehunga, it is huge and has some of the best shopping to be had! Another fantastic place to shop is the main street of Wellington; catch a cable car to get around. Christchurch has some fantastic shopping malls also.

Ok, so you are over shopping? Want to see all the different attractions New Zealand has to offer? Well, where do I start?! Here is a list of my favourites spots throughout New Zealand, there are many more but these are the ones I love:

*Swimming at 90 mile beach at the top of the North Island. This is just past Kaitia which is about 6 hours drive from central Auckland.

*Fishing off Great Barrier Island. There are some great charters and this is some of the best deep sea fishing you can find.

*Enjoying a good coffee on the waterfront at Mission Bay in Auckland. This is a fantastic place to be during summer.

*Visiting the Auckland Museum for some history about our beautiful country. Learn about the Maori culture and how our country has evolved through the ages.

*Head on down to the Waitomo district and go to the Waitomo caves where you can go white and black water rafting and see the amazing glow worms in the caves. This is a truly surreal experience.

*Visit our national bird, the Kiwi at the Kiwi house in Otorohanga. Get up close and personal with this two legged flight less birds. They are gorgeous.

*Taupo - my favourite place to be during summer and winter. Taupo has one of the largest lakes in the world which is the crater left behind by one of the biggest volcanic explosions to rock this world. The lake is renound for its amazing trout fishing. Also one of my favourite things to do is para gliding behind a boat on the lake, you get some amazing views! Take it that step further and do a tandem sky dive over the Taupo district. My Dad did this for his 50th birthday last year; he was on a high for days after that!

*Drive an hour and half out of Taupo and you will come across some of the best skiing in the world. Mt Ruapehu (which is still an active volcano!) is one of the busiest mountains during winter; you can ski on either side of the mountain as there are two ski fields.

*Cape Kidnappers is another great historical place to visit and it is one of the warmest places in New Zealand. Take the tour up to the point at Cape Kidnappers and visit the colony of Gannets (birds) that gather there. Be warned about the smell though, it's something you have to experience!

*Catch the ferry at Wellington across to Picton in the South Island and you will find a very different New Zealand. The South Island is not so much hustle and bustle, it is more a relaxed, take your time atmosphere, a great place to chill out.

*Nelson is one of the fastest growing cities in New Zealand and it is not hard to see why. This is a great beach side city and lots of people are retiring here or bringing their families to for the lifestyle.

*Head down the west coast of the South Island and you will come across a town called Kaikoura, where you can take a cruise on a boat to see some of the most amazing dolphins and whales, up close and personal.

*Queenstown is probably my favourite town in New Zealand, it has a great atmosphere all year round, is surrounded by a beautiful lake and one of the best ski fields in New Zealand. Whether visiting during summer or winter, you will love the locals and tourists a like, this is definitely a place to be.

*Invercargill, where one of my brothers lives, is a small town at the very bottom of the South Island. On a clear day, you can see Stewart Island in the distance. Drive half an hour out of Invercargill and you will come across Bluff... famous for it's Bluff Oysters, this sleepy little town has "lands end" marked by street signs pointing you in the direction you want to head. A great place to have your picture taken and of course if you like shell fish, you will want to taste their oysters.

There you have it, some of my favourite places throughout New Zealand, my home country and the place I will always come back to.

Please come and visit us and come up with your own favourite places to visit!

By: Kat Beechum
Kat Beechum is passionate about many things and loves to write about these passions.

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