Posts Tagged flights

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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New Zealand is a Dream Destination

There is no lovelier place to visit than New Zealand; it is a dream destination. New Zealand is filled with opportunities for vigorous outdoor activities or lazy relaxed snoozes on sandy deserted beaches. New Zealand is comprised of two large islands located in the South Pacific about 7,000 miles from Los Angeles. The best way to get there is to find which airlines fly to New Zealand. It is about a twelve hour non-stop flight from the West Coast of the United States to Auckland, New Zealand. Most flights take off for over night flights. Travelers can sleep through most of their travel time.

Once there, visitors can enjoy the Southern Alps on the South Island and skiing, or the beaches and surfing on the North Island. There are swift-flowing rivers that beckon fishermen and rafters alike. Stunning hiking trails with waterfalls, clear alpine lakes, and abundant greenery entice nature lovers from around the world. Volcanic mountains dot the North Island as well as tropical rainforests. For those seeking solitude with spectacular scenery, they can find it in New Zealand. The population is only four million; one of the least densely populated countries in the world. However, the cities of Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch do offer all the modern amenities of any large city with plenty of activities and nightlife excitement.

One of New Zealand’s best attractions is the fact that its glorious summers of warm temperatures and dry humidity occur at opposite times of those in North America. If visitors are longing to escape the cold of winter, purchase air fares for New Zealand and enjoy summer all over again. One thing to consider, though, airfares to New Zealand are discounted, sometimes heavily, in the off season months of June, July, and August. The north island has a subtropical climate and the temperature is only about 10 degrees cooler during the winter, so it can be enjoyed year around. The South island is a little colder, especially in the mountains. However, this works out great for avid skiers. They can purchase cheap airfares to New Zealand and enjoy winter all over again in the Southern Alps.

Another attraction of New Zealand is its friendly people. With its high diversified population, New Zealanders, or Kiwis as they refer to themselves, are individualistic and are happy to welcome all who visit their country. Maoris are the natives to the land, and their arts and crafts are colorful reminders of their Polynesian Heritage. Visitors can also watch a game of Rugby, the national sport. Each game begins with Haka, a Maori Dance, which is meant to inspire fear in opponents. Also travelers should enjoy some of the local cuisine which focuses on lamb and fish.

Air fare to New Zealand can be found which is reasonably priced, so don’t let the fear of high priced air fares to New Zealand stop any one who wishes to enjoy the beauty of this remarkable country. New Zealand is a dream destination that will keep cameras busy and will create lasting memories. Check out airfares to New Zealand soon and enjoy a dream come true.

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New Zealand Vacation – West Auckland Attraction

For many tourists a New Zealand vacation is a dream destination. A green country situated south-west of the Pacific Ocean in the southern hemisphere with subtropical to moderate climate. The country is split into two main Islands North Island and South Island with numerous smaller ones. Stunning scenery and extreme adventures attract with their enormous variety on a relatively small landmass. There are glaciers to climb, trails to tramp or hike. On more than 15,000km coastline are endless beaches to walk, swim and surf, whales and dolphins to watch and swim with. Sea, lakes, and creeks are a fisherman’s paradise. Exhilarating are an active volcano, white water rafting, and exploring caves. Many things more are attracting tourists. Travellers come from all over the world all year round with the peak time during November and February, the New Zealand summer.

International flights arrive predominantly at Auckland or Christchurch. The country’s biggest airport and city lie in Auckland. Here is a chance to combine beautifully metropolitan excitement and cultural life with nature’s incredible beauty. The Huraki Gulf rims the inner City coastline leaving picturesque views over beaches, bays, inlets, and islands. A myriad of sightseeing and action opportunities are available or just passing time in the sun in a nearby cafe and strolling the promenade.

Water and strand activities involve sailing, sea fishing, kayaking, and island cruising to spend an idyllic stay on one of the gulf’s islands. Other man made pastime invite to bungee jumping, Harbour Bridge climbing, or golfing. There is also room to stretch out to the outskirts of the city. There twenty one regional parks encapsulate each a different quality of the rich variety surrounding Auckland. Like this they are accessible and enjoyable in many ways for everyone.

The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park in the west is one of the largest. Walk, swim, and surf endless black iron sand beaches at the west coast. Some popular beaches are effortless accessible like Piha or Muriwai. Others like Karekare and Bethells call for a short walk to get to the water. More remote places like Whatipu and Anawhata challenge with a gravel road and a walk to reach the beach. Perfect family beaches are assigned around the Waitemata Harbour and Manukau Harbour.

The parkland has a net of two hundred forty kilometre tracks acquiring varying degrees of fitness. Stunning views over the City, Ranges, valleys, wetlands, and coastlines are the reward. Offered are 10 minute walks to overnight tramps. Discover magical places with cascades and waterfalls, waterholes or a lake bordering an inland sand dune. Take pleasure in exploring the flora in its richness. There are kauri trees New Zealandss forest giants once desired for their wood, today valued for their uniqueness. More than one hundred specimens of fern grow in this park from sizes of a couple of inches to more than 12 metres height. This makes over half of the amount home to New Zealand. The nick name The Land of the Fern found its origin in this fact. Eye catching along the coast is also the New Zealand flax and the pohutukawa trees. Flax leaves are the resource for traditional Maori weaving. The iconic pohutukawa trees fringe the coasts. Often they are called New Zealand’s Christmas trees tributed to their blooming season around Christmas time. Through their crimson red blossoms they gained international recognition and are found in gardens as far as South Africa. All in all West Auckland is a region worthwhile your time on a New Zealand vacation.

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