New Zealand – MaiTravelSite

The Best Trek in New Zealand: Tongariro National Park

maitravelsite — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:33:48 +0000

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is claimed to be the best trek in New Zealand. This 4 day journey takes you accross 2 volcanoes, several lakes and picture perfect sceneries, but if four days is too much walking for you no problem: there are shorter alternatives as well. This time I have posted my article as a guest author in www.adventuregirl.com, the blog featured by TV personality and Travel Show host in the US Stefanie Michaels. Stefanie is the travel expert for Travel + Escape Channel’s UberGuide series, as well as an eco-travel expert for Hollywood Green for Discovery’s Planet Green. Other television appearances include being the a regular expert for travel and social media for E! Entertnainment’s That Morning’s Show.

Time to enjoy the read and get some tips on this incredible hike! Enjoy the pictures below and then click on this link (doing so will take you straight to the article in her blog): The Best Trek in New Zealand: Tongariro National Park

Excellent trekking in New Zealand

The waterfall at the park

Have you been in New Zealand? Did you do this trek? Which others do you recommend? Please remember to share this article if you liked it!

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New Zealand: North Island in 10 pictures

maitravelsite — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:04:56 +0000

New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, is known as the city of sails because of the hundreds of yachts that can be spotted near the harbour. This is how to get from the airport to Auckland.

Two things make Rotorua stand out as the second most visited city in New Zealand’s North island: geothermal energy has been used here as a natural resource for hundreds of years in all sorts of ways; from cooking, to heating to bathing and everything in between.

Rotorua is also the best place in New Zealand to learn about Maori culture, deeply embeded in this isolated country.

The Tongariro Alpine crossing is the most popular trek in New Zealand. It takes about 4 days and takes you to beautiful places like the Tama lakes featured in this photo, with Tongariro volcano covered by clouds in the background.

New Zealand is also known as the country of the extreme: skydiving, speedboating along waterfalls or bungee jumping are just some of the activities you can enjoy here. I’m not sure I would dare to skydive…would you?

New Zealand has 13 times as many sheep (about 47 million) as it does people and produces the finest wool in the world.

Ocean sports are a common hobby for New Zealanders. Surfing, windsurfing, diving, sailing, kayaking and many more sports can be practiced in great, unspoiled areas.

Wellington is the southernmost city in New Zealand’s North Island. It’s weather is usually unpleasant, but this didn’t keep these girls from jumping into the ocean to celebrate the end of their school year.

With so many mountains and natural wonders it is New Zealand has some of the best sceneries you can contemplate in this part of the world. Traveling independently is highly recommended if you want to take a break and enjoy the views at a moment’s notice.

Often missed by travelers, Mount Taranaki on the West coast is a picture perfect volcano when the weather is good. The area has isolated beaches and Egmont Natural Park where trekking is very popular.

Have you visited New Zealad’s North Island? What did you like most? How did you travel around? Please remember to share this post if you liked it!

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Taranaki in New Zealand– a hidden secret

maitravelsite — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:17:46 +0000

It has always been known that New Zealand has an extravagant nature and is one of the those traveler friendly countries in the world. This was emphasized right after the Lord of the Rings saga which was the ultimate free advertising could have gotten and rightfully so. Today Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) is a hot spot with attractions that cater to anyone’s need, although those who prefer natural wonders or are adrenaline junkies will find themselves in their own paradise.

New Zealand’s South Island is perhaps the most popular one, yet North Island has just as much sightseeing to do and is not difficult to find. At all. However, one of the most interesting places that is missed way to often is Taranaki volcano in Egmont National Park, in SW New Zealand. This picture perfect volcano located very close to the ocean is also a landmark to be seen from many surf and windsurf spots to be found in the area.

We explored Taranaki during our recent trip to New Zealand, and this time

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Get hot in Rotorua, New Zealand

maitravelsite — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:21:28 +0000

And smelly, too. Not because the place is a dump, quite the opposite in fact, but because it is a highly volcanic area where not only spas and steam baths are the thing to do, but it is also the best place in New Zealand where you can learn about Maori culture and understand the cultural heritage of this distant country (New Zealand is, after all, far away from everywhere).

Tourist info place in Rotorua

We arrived to Rotorua from the North with our camper van, and were sure we were on the right track when the southern winds brought the sulfur stench up our nostrils (Sulfur smells like rotten eggs. It emanates naturally from volcanoes, an element highly present in the Earth’s core), making Liza and I stare at each other as if asking who had hmm…errrr…farted.. before remembering where we were arriving.

Rotorua is a pleasant town: small, well designed, clean, with a few photographic areas, it is quite manageable and has many spots near the lake (lake Rotorua) where you can park the camper van or pitch the tent for an overnight stay; of course you can always check for camping sites in New Zealand.

Lake Rotorua

Most visitors come here to gaze at the geothermal activity within the city, but there are more things to do in Rotorua engage in any of the extreme sports that are popular in the area (skydiving stealing the show), and visit any of the Maori cultural shows that abound.

These do not vary too much in content, but do vary a lot in price, some of them costing up to 200 NZD per person for a 4 hour show. Upon asking at a souvenir store what are the best activities in Rotorua he suggested among other things that we visit one of these shows, but not one of the expensive ones (like Te Puia) but the cheapest instead.

The reason is that where as in the expensive shows everything is staged, Te Whakarewarewa has a small dance show (which I admit is not that great) and also includes a guided visit of Te Whakarewarewa village, and this is what differentiates it from the rest.

In this village people still live as they used to over 400 years ago, right in the middle of a highly geothermal area (some houses have had to be abandoned because of safety reasons), and there is a nice walk to be enjoyed in the nearby woods.

The very entertaining guide explains how they live in harmony with nature and the many uses they make of geothermal energy. This tour costs 28 NZD and is very good value in my opinion. Highly recommended (you can get more info at www.whakarewarewa.com).

Other things to do include a walk along the lake, visiting any of the museums of the city, jumping on a speed boat for a fast race against time, visiting the nearby redwood forrest and as a personal suggestion I recommend you visit Okareka lake which is only a 15 minute drive away, towards lake Okataina. In fact if you’re sleeping in a camper van or a tent, spend a night there. Right besides the dock there is a small parking space with a green area and camping tables. The scenery here is breathtaking, both during sunset and in the morning, making you feel alive as soon as you look close the day or welcome the new one. Plus the ducks that want your food are a geat source of entertainment. Again, if you’re a photography aficionado, have your camera ready. You wont regret it!

Try reading the bottom sign-quickly

Unless you want to experience all of the extreme activities in the area or are a very slow walker two days is enough to see and enjoy what Rotorua and its nearby surroundings has to offer, but not less. It is a must in your North Island tour and one place you will not forget. Now continue reading more New Zealand travel tips!

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