Holiday in New Zealand
Planning a holiday to New Zealand? Read our travel tips before you depart.
Where in the world is New Zealand?
From crisp spring days to long golden summer evenings and cosy winter nights, New Zealand has something unique to offer in each season.
New Zealanders or kiwi are friendly and down-to-earth people who embrace the spirit of manaakitanga, or hospitality. With a patchwork history of Māori, European, Pacific Island and Asian influences, New Zealand’s population of five million people is a melting-pot of cultures.
Why are New Zealanders called Kiwis?
The name ‘kiwi’ comes from the curious little flightless bird that is unique to New Zealand. Māori people have always held the kiwi bird in high regard. Their feathers were used to make ‘kahu kiwi’, valuable cloaks worn by tribal chiefs. Kiwis love the great outdoors , for the same reason that many visitors come to New Zealand, Kiwis have developed a passion for the outdoors and delight in activities that make the most of the spectacular landscape.
With so much coastline, it’s little wonder New Zealanders love the water and it’s reputed that over 15% of New Zealand families own their own boat. Respected as superior yacht designers, Kiwis continue to dominate on the world yachting, kayaking, windsurfing and rowing scene.
Become one of the locals
How can you embrace the spirit of Kiwi people?
Strike up conversations along your journey – a casual chat at a bar or restaurant or at a local market – it’s the best way to get insider knowledge on the area you’re visiting and you may even pick up the local Kiwi lingo and make new life-long friends!
Kiwis are as likely to visit an Asian restaurant or modern art gallery as they are to attend a local rugby game.
Mateship on the sporting field
The two World Wars saw heavy casualties inflicted on the New Zealand male population. But it also saw loyalty to your friends and comrades — ‘mateship’ — become a prized social value. This quality is still seen on the sporting field today.
Rugby football is the most popular spectator sport in New Zealand. Though the sport has public school beginnings in England, in New Zealand, rugby is definitely the grass-roots sport of the ‘average bloke’.
