Posts Tagged cruises

Getting to Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is a favourite travel destination for both nature lovers and shopping enthusiasts. It is also a popular family destination due to the wholesome local culture and abundance of family-friendly attractions, not to mention the famous tantalizing Wellington cuisine and the fascinating practices of the local indigenous people. There are a number of ways you can reach Wellington – by air, boat, car and train.

By Air – Wellington has one main airport – Wellington International Airport. It is located southeast of central Wellington. Although it is a relatively small airport, it is quite busy as it is commonly used as a transit point to places such as Auckland and Christchurch. The two main airline services at Wellington International Airport would be Air New Zealand and Qantas. Most visitors reach Wellington from the Australian cities of Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane taking Qantas. You can also take Air New Zealand from the Australian city of Gold Coast. International flights arrive twice daily, and these are usually full, so be sure to book your flight in advance. Once you have reached the airport, you can take the regular airport bus, shuttle van or taxi to your eventual destination. These transport services are all available directly outside the terminal.

By Boat – If you are coming from Christchurch, you can take a bus or train to the New Zealand city of Picton where you can board a ferry to Wellington. These are regular ferries and are quite popular among tourists. There are also a substantial number of leisure cruise ships which stop at Wellington. Such cruises usually make a two or three day stop.

By Car – If you want to drive to Wellington, you can choose between two main highways: State Highway 1 or State Highway 2. While both roads are fairly easy to handle, the terrain can get quite tricky at times so be sure to watch your speed and drive carefully. You are highly recommended to avoid driving during winter as snowfall makes the journey dangerous and the road may be blocked at certain points.

By Train – Entering Wellington by train is also a viable option for if you are coming from Auckland, Palmerston North, Masterton, Johnsonville, Hutt Valley, Porirua or Paraparaumu. There are daily commuter services and occasionally, express services too. Train tickets are reasonably priced and taking the train also allows you to enjoy New Zealand’s beautiful terrain on the way to Wellington.

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The Joys of a New Zealand Luxury Holiday

New Zealand is truly a country with the most spectacular landscapes almost everywhere you look, making it popular for film-makers – the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed here as was the hit movie Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and its sequel, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. From dense forests to snow-capped mountains, along with an abundance of wildlife, and lakes galore, there is plenty for you to see and do on your luxury New Zealand holiday.

This is a country that is drenched in culture and history, with a unique blend of Maori, European and Pacific influences making up the friendly warmth that New Zealanders are known for. Wherever you travel in New Zealand, on both the north and south islands, you’re sure to have ample opportunity to see some of the traditional Maori lifestyle. The Maori New Year is centred around the time when a particular cluster of stars called the Matariki appears over New Zealand’s Aotearoa, bringing on a huge celebration throughout each June.

No matter what part of New Zealand you are visiting, there’s sure to be celebrations at this time of year, including traditional dancing, food, craft-making and generally renewing relationships with family and friends.

New Zealand luxury cruises are another way to see this amazing country. There are many long, breath-taking strips of coastline for visitors to discover, either on a large cruise liner or by chartering a smaller, more personal yacht or motor boat. Cruising in the World Heritage listed Fiordland is simply amazing. The rocky landscapes around Dusky, Milford and Doubtful Sounds are almost vertical and dwarf even the largest of cruise ships, with a wealth of cascading waterfalls adding to the already incredible scenery. The Bay of Islands has more than 144 islands and bays for you to explore.

As well as the stunning coastline, New Zealand offers many picturesque harbours, fiords and islands for you to explore. If you enjoy a bit of adventure, there are several places where you can experience the exhilaration of white-water rafting on your New Zealand luxury holiday.

Christchurch is known for its formal parks and gardens, along with its TranzAlpine train trip. Cited as one of the top 6 scenic rail journeys in the world, this is an ideal way to explore Arthur’s Pass. Meanwhile Wellington, on the country’s north island, is more creative; better known for its arts, culture and heritage.

Food lovers will appreciate the fine selection of fresh cuisine throughout New Zealand, with their unique blend of European, Asian and Polynesian influences. Eating in New Zealand is traditionally more relaxed, with a focus on enjoying the company and experience in a laid-back manner. If you enjoy a fine wine, visit the Hawkes Bay wine region where there are several vineyards for you to sample the local fare. You will also find a lot of Art Deco architecture around this region.

Rotorua offers visitors a selection of beautiful beaches, boutique shopping with nearby natural hot springs for total relaxation. This area also boasts some amazing volcanic landscapes that are definitely worth visiting. Waimangu Volcanic Valley is another natural phenomena worth experiencing. This Valley was formed after the 1886 eruption of Tarawera, with seven massive craters forming. One of these, Inferno Crater, is the largest geyser-like phenomenon in the world, with its contents flowing over below, into the Frying Pan Stream, every few weeks.

Many of New Zealand’s cities, including Auckland, have a selection of five star resorts and lavish retreats where you can relax in style. After a day of exploration and discovery you can indulge in some well-deserved pampering before deciding how to enjoy your evening.

For absolute opulence, New Zealand’s north island offers Rahimoana Eagles Nest. This exquisite accommodation boasts a personal chef and personal trainer, along with use of a Porsche Cayenne Turbo!

For luxury New Zealand travel to the snow-fields, Terrace Downs, near Christchurch, is the perfect place to stay. Here you can combine the ski slopes with a fantastic golf course, fishing, bushwalking and delectable food and wine. If you’re keen on skiing around Queenstown, Peppers Beacon, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, is ideal.

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Queenstown New Zealand-A Day in Paradise

Queenstown New Zealand is a spectacular place. Located on the shores of the deep blue Lake Wakatipu, and surrounded by the 7,000 foot (2,300 metres) high Remarkables, the scenery is breathtaking. Queenstown is a must for any New Zealand holiday.

We would like to share a day in Queenstown with you.

Out of bed around 8am, the day is bright and sunny, although cool, with a maximum predicted temperature of 14 degrees celsius today. It’s mid October and although today is a perfect alpine day, there is snow on the peaks and small falls are still possible, although less likely as the month progresses.

We start the day with a cooked breakfast in our apartment at the Beacon, which overlooks the lake. Amazing views, and it really is worth paying a little extra for a room with uninterrupted lake views. Lake Wakatipu is around 40 kilometres (about 22 miles) long, and stretches between the small villages of Glenorchy and Kinston. The drive to either of these from Queenstown is a memorable experience as you follow the lake edge all the way. But that’s not for us today.

Today we drive to the beautiful lakeside township of Wanaka (Wan-a-ka), which is around one hours drive from Queenstown. You can go via the township of Cromwell, but a much more interesting drive is via the Crown Range. The road climbs over the Crown Range and is the highest main road in New Zealand. There are several lookouts on the way, which provide wonderful photo opportunities looking back towards Queenstown (make sure you have plenty of film, or for digital users, a large memory card). On the way, around 25 kilometres before Wanaka we pass the historic Cardrona Hotel, which dates back to the 1800s. More on that later. Once in Wanaka we stroll along the lake edge, and from the small pier in front of the Tourist Information centre, you can see hugh trout swimming just metres below you in the clear waters of Lake Wanaka. Unbelievable. We take a stroll through the town and as always, we are impressed by the cleanliness and presentation of the town centre. The locals really do take a lot of pride. There are numerous cafes and gift shops for your kiwi memorabilia. If you have an hour or two to spare, visit the Puzzling World. This place is great fun for kids and adults, and has a maze, various optical illusions and lots of brain teasers. Well worth a visit.

But now it’s time to head back to Queenstown. But not before a visit to the Cardrona Hotel for lunch. As you enter the hotel, you are greeted by examples of local historic bits and pieces, and in the bar area, look through a glass panel in the floor to an old gold mine shaft. The hotel has a menu full of hearty kiwi dishes, and a selection of fine wines and beers. If the day is cool you have the option of sitting inside by the open fire, but with such a perfect day, we decide to sit out back in the spacious and manicured garden at one of the many timber tables. Our table sits on a beautiful lawn area and we are struck by the distance between us and the closest diners (probably 15 metres or 50 feet). If you have children there is plenty of room for them to explore safely. We sit in the sun and sample a Speights beer (ok, I sample two) and a local Sav Blanc, and tuck into our lunch, thinking how perfect the day is. Our meal is well presented and very, very good. We are even joined by the resident cat, who sits next to us on our bench seat, and delicately takes a few small pieces of chicken from me. The locals sure are friendly.

Time to head back to Queenstown, and as we descend the Crown Range we are again dumbstruck by the view and the beauty of the Wakatipu basin. As we reach the bottom of the range, we detour a few kilometres to the historic township of Arrowtown, an old gold mining village, which is now filled with lovely cafes and shops selling local arts and crafts.

Its then a 20 minute drive back to Queenstown, where we put our feet up in our apartment, gaze out at the lake, and watch the old steamer the TSS Earnslaw as it sails past on one of its regular cruises. We wonder what adventure tomorrow holds for us in this gorgeous place.

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