Free Travel Newsletter : March 2011
Written by Steph Kendall
Brought to you by New Zealand Tourism Guide www.tourism.net.nz.
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The brilliant golds and reds of Autumn leaves help to create a very magical atmosphere in New Zealand during March and April. You can enjoy breathtaking scenery on beautifully clear, crisp sunny days, relax and wind down at wineries all over the country and kick back at unique arts festivals on the South Island.
Find out about:
- Dunedin Fringe Festival, 17th - 27th March
- 90 Mile Beach Marathon, 26th March
- Festival of Colour, Southern Lakes, 12th - 17th April
- Wine Tours in New Zealand
- Off the Beaten Track to... Nelson Lakes
- New Zealand Fast Facts
Dunedin Fringe Festival, 17th - 27th March
If you're on the South Island of New Zealand during March, why not head down to Dunedin and the beautiful Otago Peninsula to enjoy the only fringe festival on the island as well as getting up close to some wonderful wildlife...(more)
90 Mile Beach Marathon, 26th March
Head up to the 90 Mile Beach (actually 55 miles long) on the western coast of the far north of the North Island for some body boarding in the desert-type landscape of the dunes. If you can get there for race day and the Te Houtaewa running challenges...(more)
Festival of Colour, Southern Lakes, 12th - 17th April
Six days and nights of astounding performances and inspiring exhibitions set against the spectacular autumnal backdrop of the Southern Lakes. Based in Wanaka, this year's festival extends to Queenstown, Luggate, Hawea, Cromwell and Glenorchy...(more)
Wine Tours in New Zealand
As New Zealand settles into its season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, there's really no better time to visit one of its 650 wineries to sample and buy locally-grown and produced wine. Whether you like a white or a red, a sip or a case, you'll enjoy visiting wineries in some of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand. With wine growing areas in Northland, Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury/Waipara and Central Otago, you'll find a diverse array of wines and scenery to enjoy. Specialist wine tour operators arrange tours, either one day or multi day tours, so you don't have to drive between destinations and wine routes, accommodation and dining are all arranged for you.
View more information about wine tours in New Zealand.
Off the Beaten Track to... Nelson Lakes
You'll find St Arnaud, the gateway to the Nelson Lakes National Park at the north of New Zealand's South Island about one or two hours drive from Nelson or Blenheim. This park establised in 1956 consists of 102,000 hectares of the northern most Southern Alps including tranquil beech forest, craggy mountains, clear streams and lakes...(more)
New Zealand Fast Facts
New Zealand has long been nicknamed as the Shaky Isles due to its frequent seismic activity. The islands lie on the margin of two colliding tectonic plates, the Pacific and Indo-Australian plates. Earthquakes are common and the country records about 14,000 quakes a year – though usually only about 150 are felt. Christchurch in the South Island was hit by a 7.1 richter scale earthquake in September 2010 and sadly a more damaging one in February 2011.