Free Travel Newsletter : November 2017
Written by Steph Kendall
Brought to you by New Zealand Tourism Guide www.tourism.net.nz.
Lucky Subscriber
Congratulations to Dan Rickett, this month's lucky Free Travel Newsletter subscriber, winning a "Kiwi Country New Zealand" DVD.
We steered clear of the more traditional ways to celebrate Christmas this year picking out just one family 'Christmassy' event for you, The Christmas Avenue of Trees which captures the spirit of the festive season beautifully. The best way to find and join in with traditional Kiwi Santa Parades or carols at candlelight is to look at local press or online listings for the particular location you'll be in. In the meantime, set your course for an Ironman to beat all others, turn back time to the land of the dinosaurs, enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to view the best of Banksy and put some dates in your New Year calendar for wine and song!
Read more about:
- Ironman 70.3 Taupo
- The Christmas Avenue of Trees
- Dinosaurs at Brooklands Park
- The Art of Banksy
- Soundsplash Festival 2018
- Bridge Pa Wine Festival 2018
- New Zealand Tourism Guide - Which Airlines Fly in New Zealand?
- What There Is to See and Do In... Christchurch
- New Zealand Fast Facts
Ironman 70.3 Taupo
Location: IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo Event Village, Northern Domain, Taupo
Date: Friday 8 December 2017
Want to race in some of the most beautiful environment New Zealand has to offer? The well-established Ironman raced in Taupo is now in its eleventh year and offers participants a 1.9km swim in the pristine fresh waters of Lake Taupo, 90km of bike riding through stunning rural landscapes and a 21.1km run taking in the lake lined with spectators.
There is lots to do including a kids' run (with a range of achievable distances) and for non-competing visitors, there is Taupo's world-class trout fishing, mountain biking, hiking, adventure activities and hot pools to enjoy.
The Christmas Avenue of Trees
Location: The Salvation Army, 11 Durham St, Levin
Date: 14 - 16 December
Come and see decorated trees and celebrate Christmas with the Salvation Army and local community. There will be over 50 Christmas trees on display for all to enjoy decorated by individuals, community groups, and businesses.
A gold coin donation or a non-perishable food/ household item is requested as a donation from each person attending. All donations and food/household items will be donated to the Levin Inter-Church Food Bank. On the final night (Saturday 16th), there will be Christmas carols from 7pm hosted by the Levin Salvation Army Band.
Dinosaurs at Brooklands Park
Location: Brooklands Park, Brooklands Road, New Plymouth, Taranaki
Date: 30 December to 7 January 2018
Step back in time 70 million years to an age when dinosaurs roamed New Zealand. DinoFest is back for its second year with more dinosaurs, more roaring, and more chomping. Meet Rexy and Roxy two-legged meat-eating dinosaurs, baby dinosaurs, and 'Big Herb' the plant eating titanosaur... Learn more about the prehistoric ferns, cycads and conifer trees whose descendants still grow in the gardens.
The dinosaurs experience can be easily combined with a picnic, a visit to the zoo, or a walk around the gardens. Tickets include a Dino Dig, Feel a Fossil, kids' dinosaur tattoos, sieving for fossil sharks' teeth, (genuinely 55 million years old - you get to keep one), art activities and a Jurassic Dinosaur Trail. Free entry for children under 2 on the day of DinoFest.
The Art of Banksy
Location: Aotea Centre, 50 Mayoral Drive, CBD, Auckland
Date: Friday 5 January - Tuesday 6 February 2018, 10:00am - 5:00pm
After Amsterdam, Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Melbourne, The Art of Banksy exhibition is coming to Auckland. This extraordinary collection of no less than 80 original pieces by one of the most intriguing and talked-about artists in modern history will be displayed including the famous painting of the girl with the red balloon, known as 'Girl and Balloon', the controversial work 'Laugh Now' - a famous graffiti piece that depicts a monkey with a sign hanging from his neck with the words: 'Laugh now, but one day we'll be in charge.'
This prestigious exhibition of originals - all privately owned - offers a rare perspective for New Zealanders to enter Banksy's world. Banksy refrains from revealing his identity and does not appear in public, but is considered one of the world's top political graffiti artists and social activists.
"This is a one of a kind exhibition - you will never again have the opportunity to see so many works in one place," says curator, Steve Lazarides, "Once the exhibition is over, the artwork will be returned to 40 different art collectors around the world, and the chances that they will be displayed together again in the future are extremely slim."
Soundsplash Festival 2018
Location: Wainui Reserve, Wainui Rd, Raglan, Waikato
Date: Friday 19 January - Sunday 21 January 2018, 9:00am - 12:00am
The sell-out Soundsplash Festival returns to Wainui Reserve with its breathtaking coastal views and Ngarunui beach just 500 metres away. A perfect location for attendees to enjoy the full Soundsplash experience.
The eco-conscious and family-friendly Soundsplash site features a main stage nestled at the base of a stunning natural amphitheatre, with plenty of room to sit, relax, dance and enjoy. With several stages, a myriad of market stalls, fun and informative workshops, kids and chill zones, this festival caters for the whole family.
Bridge Pa Wine Festival 2018
Location: Wainui Reserve, Wainui Rd, Raglan, Waikato
Date: Friday 19 January - Sunday 21 January 2018, 9:00am - 12:00am
Eight Hawke's Bay wineries are once again coming together to run the Fourth Annual Bridge Pa Wine Festival. All wineries will be connected by buses allowing attendees to visit multiple wineries and enjoy a wide range of wine experiences. Each winery is teaming up with a local chef or restaurant to offer a variety of dishes.
New Zealand Tourism Guide - Which Airlines Fly in New Zealand?
Whether you are a local or an overseas visitor to New Zealand, you'll probably need to fly between cities or towns at some stage. New Zealand Tourism Guide offers a map which shows at a glance which airlines fly to which places. The larger airlines generally fly to the main centres and a few other places but some of the smaller airlines are often the only ones to fly into the smaller areas around New Zealand.
To find out which airlines fly where, start by checking in to our Flying within New Zealand page and then hover over an airline logo. The map shows you where each airline flies.
What There Is to See and Do In... Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand and is located midway down the East Coast. It was originally named after Christ Church, a college at Britain's Oxford University. It is known as the Garden City for its many beautiful parks and gardens. Although some parts of the city are closed due to earthquake damage, most areas are operating as normal and tourism businesses are open. The city's post-earthquake displays Kiwi ingenuity and creativity with projects such as the Gap Filler program, the Greening the Rubble campaign and the Transitional Cathedral gaining international attention.
Highlights of the city
There is lots to do in Christchurch itself (as well as the nearby attractions in Akaroa, Sumner and Lyttleton). We've featured just 11 of many family-friendly attractions:
- Air Force World - Brings you face to face with 28 classic aircraft, thousands of artefacts, artworks and stories of famous aviators.
- Botanic Gardens - Within the grounds of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens alongside the Avon River, is the finest collection of exotic and indigenous plants in New Zealand including the famous Rose Garden (more than 250 different roses), Herb Garden, Heather Garden, Rock Garden, Rhododendron Collection and the Cockayne Garden.
- Canterbury Museum - Explore the museum, including the Hall of Antarctic Discovery and learn about the past, present and future of Canterbury. The museum includes a natural history centre for children bursting with weird and wonderful things to explore.
- Christchurch Casino & City Dining - If you're feeling lucky, head for Christchurch Casino and if you want to be 100% sure of good fortune, enjoy one of the many excellent restaurants and fine dining in the city centre.
- Hagley Park - Hagley Park was created in 1855 by the Provincial Government. According to the government's decree at that time, Hagley Park is "reserved forever as a public park, and shall be open for the recreation and enjoyment of the public." Especially picturesque in the Spring when the cherry trees blossom (mid-September).
- International Antarctic Centre - Features a real snow and ice experience and a 45 minute behind the scenes tour of the Antarctic Campus on the Hógglund Ride. It's the closest you'll get to experiencing Antarctica without going there!
- New Brighton - Stroll down the New Brighton Pier and admire the amazing views out to sea. Drop a line at the end of the pier and catch your dinner, (or visit a local fish 'n' chip shop).
- Orana Wildlife Park - Experience the diverse splendour of the animal kingdom in tranquil, spacious surroundings. It's the only open range zoo in New Zealand sitting on 80 hectares of land and offers unique animal encounter experiences.
- Riccarton Bush - Join a guided tour and visit Deans Cottage and enjoy a tranquil walk through the bush or stroll in the park grounds.
- Take to the air - View the beautiful patchwork fields of the Canterbury Plains with a skydive from an aircraft, or take a dawn balloon flight over Christchurch (add champagne for a special occasion).
- Willowbank Wildlife Reserve - This family-friendly reserve is known for its kiwi breeding programme and native New Zealand bird life. Children can feed and pet the animals, enjoy donkey rides and much more.
What Did You Do and See in Christchurch?
If you enjoyed an activity during your stay in Christchurch, why not let other NZTG readers know about it? You can share with the Instagram community or post on the New Zealand Tourism Guide Facebook page. We look forward to seeing your news and views.
Find out more about the Christchurch region.
Share Your Experience
If you have had a particular experience during your stay in New Zealand unlike anything else, why not let us know. We've picked out a few to give you some ideas!
New Zealand Fast Facts
Air New Zealand is well known for its fresh take on safety videos which have been designed to engage passengers' attention to often-ignored advice. Over the years, Air NZ recruited stars from film, music and entertainment to help create a catalogue that has over 108 million online views to its credit.
The latest (thirteenth) release starring Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr was viewed over 16 million times in six days. The original creative safety video (and arguably the best) dubbed The Bare Essentials dates to 2009. It featured then chief executive Rob Fyfe and aircraft crew in body paint.
What's your favourite? Visit https://www.airnewzealand.com.au/safety-videos
