Hi everyone
I am now at Hobbiton movie set
2 hr driving or 170 km from Auckland CBD
Today is a bit cloudy, you can see that behind me
I hope when I go inside
the sky would be clearer and there'll be more sunlight
so I'll have better footage for you
Hope so!
I checked the weather forecast a few days ago
to see if the weather is good and book the tickets
Because it's the beginning of winter now
and the weather in winter is kinda unpredictable
I would wait and buy the tickets only 1-2 days in advance
In case I book the tickets too early and the weather changes, it would be all for nothing if it rains
After arriving at the gathering point, they will take me on the bus to get to the movie set
It takes only 8 minutes
There're loads of people around me but I've found a corner with few people
let me show you my tourmates behind me
We just fill half of the bus, it's probably a 40-seat
If you're a movie nerd, you're definitely familiar with the enchanting village
in the "The Lord of the Rings" blockbuster - the fairytale land of the Hobbits
You may not know that Hobbit village is actually a real place
The village named Hobbiton located in Matamata - New Zealand
This is an absolutely beautiful countryside town in the North of New Zealand
2 hr driving from Auckland CBD
This area used to be a New Zealand family's 500-hectare farm
I feel so lucky today because it's not too cramped
Actually, this is the third time I've been to this movie set
It was quite crowded in the first time I went with my family
the weather was pretty nice, though
The second time I went with my brother on a tour straight from Auckland
This time I drive here on my own
OMG so beautiful!
Let me show you
This part is wonderful
A vegetable garden!
Let me show it to you with my camera
In 1998, "The Lord of the Rings" ekip set foot in New Zealand
with hope to find a similar setting in the book
a tall tree near a pond
The rolling hills seemed to be made for the Hobbits
they're perfect for building small houses
I'm really happy
because when I first came here it was cloudy though I've checked the forecast beforehand
now the sun shines everywhere
I'm so glad
Let me show you the house behind me
The family operating the farm didn't know who Sir Peter Jackson was,
and they had never heard of The Lord of the Rings books
but they agreed to turn part of the farm into a movie set
Little did they know that it would make their farm a worldly famous destination!
First opened to tourists in 2002,
the Hobbiton movie set draws in more than 350,000 visitors each year.
This one is probably the tenth house I've taken photos of
I think my camera is running out of storage
A charming path
back and forth
To the ones who adore the beauty of nature
this is a perfect spot
You can check-in every single corner of this village, it's just like in fairy tales
If you are a color lover, Hobbiton movie set is really a match for you
Because it is extremely colorful here
there are green, yellow, red doors
I've picked a flamboyant shirt myself to match this place as well
When in Hobbiton, you feel as if you were in a magical land, like in a fairy tale
The ekip didn't intervene too much in the landscape
The village still keeps its natural untouched beauty with 44 half underground houses
I can't find my words to fully describe the magnificence of this place
You can see the emerald green hills, the canopies, the glassy ponds
and the vibrant flowers in this picturesque village
But few people know that these 44 Hobbit holes were just facades
All of the scenes taken inside were filmed in the studio in Auckland - New Zealand
When going to Hobbiton, don't miss the Bag End, home of Bilbo Baggins -
the protagonist in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy
The beautiful house wearing the ancient vibe of Europe
with green painted windows
lies under the oak tree's shade
I'm in front of the most beautiful house in Hobbiton
The largest one and on top of the hill
Later on, I will go down the hill and show you another charming house here
There're actually a lot of people queuing behind me to check-in
From the lovely circular doors in cheery colors
to the stone bridge and the small path weaving through the houses and the hillside,
all will surely fascinate you
Each house has a unique circular shape
tiny windows and cup sets on the wooden table outside
Most of the hobbit-holes are locked and visitors can only admire them from outside
But some are left ajar for visitors to get in
You can go visit and explore Hobbiton in whichever season of the year
Because the climate is mild and fresh all year round with clear green pond
Each season here has its own beauty
A sunset scene in the movie made in Hobbiton was actually a sun rise
as the houses here are to the East
The ekip had to filmed the sun rise and reverse the time
They had to capture the sun rise 7 times to get a good shot
As it lies on a far away land of inning alluvium
the construction was quite challenging
The New Zealand Army had to bring in heavy equipment to make 1.5 kilometres of road into the site
from the nearest local road and initial ground works.
Hobbiton movie set was estimated to having been invested 500 million USD
and considered the most costly project in New Zealand's film industry
To decorate over 40 hobbit holes here, the crew had to collect a great number of oak wood and canopy nearby
to cover the houses, creating an ancient setting and friendly to nature
The team even imported artificial canopy to keep the setting always green
I'm at the final destination of this tour
After about 2 hr you will gather here
Each person can choose a free drink included in the ticket
The ticket is 89 NZD including transportation from the gathering spot to the movie set
After walking for around 2 hr you will get here and take a free drink
The women can choose Ginger Beer which has no alcohol
This is also the most beautiful section in the movie set
You can see that
I go in the afternoon so the sun is really warm
If you go in the morning, it will still be as beautiful but I prefer in the afternoon
as there will be sunlight, feels warmer
Before, I took a tour going straight from Auckland
it covers a buffet in addition
Hey guys, I've finished the trip
A wonderful trip
People say that we should go here one time only for check-ins
But I've been here 3 times
Each time has different feelings
But this time I've learnt many more beautiful corners and managed to take a great deal of photos
Be assured that when you go on tour you will have enough time to take pictures
This trip lasts 2 hr including gathering and going on their bus (8 mins)
then you will have one and a half hour to go explore
and the last 10 mins to enjoy the drinks
and get back here within 8 mins
That's it for today
I will go back to Auckland now
See you in my next journeys!
Thank you for watching! Byeeee ~