Free Travel Newsletter : December 2009
Written by Steph Kendall
Brought to you by New Zealand Tourism Guide www.tourism.net.nz.
Lucky Subscriber
Congratulations to Amit Shah of India, this month's lucky Free Travel Newsletter subscriber, winning "The Ultimate New Zealand DVD".
If you have the time, it's definitely worth exploring New Zealand from top to toe, as well as including sky-high and flightseeing adventure. If you're visiting in December, slip into your sandals and jandals, join in with the nationwide celebrations for Christmas and New Year and see the sights of the Land of the Long White Cloud from way up high.
Find out about:
- National Jandal Day, 4th December
- Schools Out For Summer
- New Year's Eve Events in New Zealand, 31st December
- Off the Beaten Track to... Cape Palliser
- Get A Bird's Eye View of New Zealand
- New Zealand Fast Facts
National Jandal Day, 4th December
Wear your jandals (flip flops) on the 4th of December and support Surf Life Saving New Zealand, a charity providing equipment, training and services for lifeguards. Surf lifeguards ensure visitors and New Zealanders enjoy beaches safely and rescue over 1,500 people from drowning every year...(more).
Schools Out For Summer
Just a quick reminder for all travellers holidaying in New Zealand during December and January. New Zealand schools' academic terms finish for the Christmas/summer holidays around the 11th December and the kids don't go back to school until the beginning of February. So if you are heading to popular holidays spots, try to book your accommodation, activities and tours as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment.
Bookings can be made online for accommodation, tours, attractions, transport and much more via the New Zealand Tourism Guide.
New Year's Eve Events in New Zealand, 31st December
Are you seeing in the new decade during your holiday in New Zealand? There are lots of fantastic events being held throughout the country literally bringing in the New Year with the biggest of bangs... (more).
Off the Beaten Track to... Cape Palliser
Head to the southernmost point of the North Island to Cape Palliser, where you can climb the Cape Palliser lighthouse for spectacular views of the coast and South Island, see a breeding colony of fur seals and spend time exploring Aorangi Forest Park... (more).
Get A Bird's Eye View of New Zealand
Take your New Zealand adventure to new heights and take a look at the country's stunning scenery from way up high. Helicopters, small fixed-wing aeroplanes, a vintage DC-3, hot-air balloons, float planes and even skydiving tours can take you to the extremely hard-to-reach places and little known beauty spots accessible only by air. Create a magical, memorable holiday moment and treat yourself to a journey through the skies of the Long White Cloud.
Find out more about scenic flights and flightseeing in New Zealand.
New Zealand Fast Facts
New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major landmasses. The first settlers were of Polynesian descent and arrived between 700 and 2,000 years ago. The first Europeans arrived in 1642. Until the early 20th century, the North Island was sometimes referred to as Aotearoa, which in modern Māori usage, is the name also given to the whole country. Aotearoa translates as “land of the long white cloud.”