After two years
"Fortress New Zealand" is no more.
New Zealand is now fully open for travel.
I'm Denise.
Join me as I explore
new offerings and revisit classics
and the stunning landscapes of New Zealand
On the North Island.
I visit the Waitakere Ranges
Regional Park,
just 45 minutes drive from Auckland.
This is where native rainforests
and rugged black beaches meet.
The Muriwai Beach is a wild,
windswept coastline
with clifftop trails.
It's a black beach due to iron content from ancient volcanoes in the area.
Back in Auckland,
I visit the brand new
All Blacks Experience, the first major
tourist attraction to launch
since the pandemic.
You don't have to be a rugby fan
to enjoy this stirring multi-sensory
showcase of New Zealand's iconic rugby team.
Discover what it takes
to make, shape and be an all black
Test your kicking, catching and lineout skills
at interactive stations.
To learn more about Maori culture,
I travel north to the Hokianga
Harbour, known
as the cradle of Maori nationhood
in North Island.
The newly launched Manea:
Footprints of Kupe tells of Maori
creation story through a heartfelt
and immersive 4D presentation.
Now, on to the South Island
where I arrive in style on a jet boat.
The K Jet transfer from the airport to hotel
is an innovative way to include jet
boating in your itinerary
if you're pressed for time.
I ride the Skyline gondola up
to Bob's Peak, where we visited
the iconic luge, manoeuvring carts over
tracks and tunnels
that overlook the spectacular
Wakatipu Basin.
To unwind after a day of adventure,
Onsen Pools is my
go-to stop in Queenstown.
This time, we try
sunset soaks in the outdoor
cedar-lined tubs,
heated to a delightful 38 degrees Celsius
on a chilly evening.
A scenic flight takes me to Wanaka,
soaring above the southern Alps
and braided rivers.
In Wanaka,
children are feeding ducks
and spotting eels, and teenagers
are skating at the nearby park.
My favourite experience
is riding an e-bike along
the lake under the canopy of willows.
I cycle to the Rippon Vineyard,
possibly the most picturesque winery
I have ever seen.
The enchanting vineyard meanders
down the hillside towards the lake
and offers gorgeous mountain views.
Later, I cruise to Mou Waho island,
a secluded, protected
nature reserve in Lake Wanaka.
In a surreal moment, we see a rainbow.
As we head along
the trails of the island,
a weka – or flightless native bird –
pops out and follows us,
even eyeing our cookies.
The view at the peak?
Splendid.
Before leaving the island,
our guide leads us to plant a tree,
to leave the island better than before.
This exemplifies the Tiaki Promise
that New Zealand is inviting
international travellers to follow.
Tread lightly.
Care for nature.
Embrace local culture.
Kia ora
With such warm hospitality
and unyieldingly beautiful landscapes,
New Zealand
is certainly worth visiting and worth giving back to.