Attractions in New Zealand

There’s a lively arts scene with heaps going on in music, theatre, film and comedy. And you get a good dose of annual leave plus public holidays so there’s plenty of time to enjoy all the great things New Zealand has to offer. You also get to choose the lifestyle you’ve dreamed of – whether it’s a modern apartment in a lively urban environment, a home with a garden and room for the kids to play, somewhere by the seaside or maybe a rural retreat. You’ll enjoy the food and wine here, and you certainly won’t miss those big commutes.

New Zealand is one big natural playground – and you'll get plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

Hit the water

New Zealand is geographically long and skinny so wherever you choose to live you’re never more than 100km or so from the sea. Our beaches are usually sandy, the water quality is great, and there’s some seriously good surf to be found.

There are many rivers and lakes, especially in the South Island, and plenty of opportunities for boating, fishing, kayaking, windsurfing, kite boarding and canoeing. There’s great sailing too, especially in Auckland, our ‘City of Sails’. In some countries these sorts of activities are only accessible to those with deep pockets, but not in New Zealand.

If you enjoy being in, on or under the water, you will be right in your element here in New Zealand.

Get into the countryside

You’re also never far from countryside and the New Zealand bush. Nearly a third of our land area is in national parks or other protected areas ideal for tramping (trekking), hunting, camping and family holidays. Even the cities offer huge natural reserves ideal for walking, picnicking or mountain biking (New Zealand has some of the most spectacular cycling trails in the world). New Zealand is famous for its mountains, especially the Southern Alps, and there’s good winter skiing in both islands, not to mention climbing. There are so many ways you can indulge your favourite past time (or try something new).

New adventures

Remember, we’re the people who invented bungee jumping, black-water rafting and zorbing. Adventure is in our DNA. Literally thousands of red blooded everyday Kiwis, men and women, train for and compete in endurance events. They include our most famous triathlon of all, the Coast to Coast where competitors cross the South Island’s Tasman shore, race over the alps then down to the Pacific shore in Christchurch.

Beyond the attractions of the outdoors life, you’ll find New Zealand has another face – reflected in a lively and growing arts culture.

Art, music, drama

There are excellent galleries and museums to explore in most centres, a world-class national orchestra and strong regional orchestras. All the main centres have professional theatre companies and there are national ballet and opera companies. 

Both Wellington and Auckland host international arts festivals in alternate years attracting big-name acts, and there are a host of other local and speciality festivals. Amongst them is the World of Wearable Arts festival, an exuberant celebration of inventiveness in the textile arts that sells out annually.

Film, music, comedy

If film is your thing, you won’t miss out here – remember, we nurtured Peter Jackson, Director of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. Towns and cities have cinemas large and small screening family blockbusters, international art house movies and the products of the surprisingly strong local film-making industry.

Kiwi popular music is strong – from rock and reggae to dub and hip-hop – while world music fans flock to the World of Music Arts and Dance (WOMAD) festival held annually in New Plymouth’s beautiful Brooklands Bowl. Many major rock and pop acts tour to our larger cities, and the smaller scale of our venues means you often get more of a close-up experience than you would in huge stadiums elsewhere.

Food, glorious food!

We really enjoy our food, and we make the most of the vast range that is produced on our doorstep and delivered fresh to our supermarkets. We’re major producers of pasture-fed lamb, venison and beef. Seafood, dairy products, fruit and vegetables are abundant and are about the same price as what you'd expect in your home country. Reflecting our increasingly multi-cultural society you’ll find a good and growing range of ethnic restaurants and food outlets (with plenty of organic options), particularly in our cities.

New Zealand's wine and food is amongst the best in the world. Taste is everything - whether it be from freshly harvested produce from gardens, land or sea. our vibrant (and increasingly sophisticated) hospitality sector offers something for everyone – from the full range of ethnic cuisine, fine dining to casual outdoor meals, tastings at the cellar door, mingling with local producers at farmers markets, or an authentic Māori hangi experience.