New Zealand Essential Info

Overview

This little island country packs a big punch! Discover New Zealand’s weird side at the Waitomo glow worm caves and the geothermal wonderland of Wai-o-Tapu, take in the natural beauty at National Parks like Tongariro and Abel Tasman, visit one of Auckland’s many world-class museums and immerse yourself in the unique Maori culture in Wellington.

Basics

Best Time To Go

Oct-Apr

Current Weather

53 °F

Mostly Cloudy

Fun Facts

1. Organised commercial bungee jumping first began in New Zealand.
2. New Zealand is home to the giant weta, the heaviest insect in the world. It is heavier than a sparrow and looks like a giant cockroach.
3. The kea, a bird native to New Zealand, is known for pulling windscreen wipers off cars and eating the strips of rubber from windows.
4. In 1996, a man broke into a radio station in Wanganui and took the manager hostage, demanding that they play the Muppet song “Rainbow Connection”.
5. New Zealand high schools and universities are permitted to keep a pound of uranium or thorium for educational purposes. However, there is a $1 million fine if it explodes.

Popular Foods

1. Tuatua (Maori word for Clams)
2. Fish and Chips