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 New Zealanders' passion for sailing is revealed by the huge number of craft out on the harbour at weekends and evenings, particularly in summer. Auckland is known as the 'City of Sails' and the opportunities there for the experienced sea-adventurer as well as the timid beginner are unrivalled. Day trips on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour are available year-round. Four-to-six berth yachts can be chartered for cruises of several days or weeks, and yachting schools are keen to impart their wisdom to visitors on short courses. Other destinations that offer charter yachts and excellent cruising grounds are the Bay of Islands north of Auckland, and Picton in the Marlborough Sounds, an extensive area of fiords at the head of the South Island. Many idyllic out-of-the-way places are best accessed by boat which provides a unique way to explore the country. |
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 Sport has always played a vital role in defining New Zealand as a nation, and most Kiwis highly value an active sporting lifestyle, whether competitive or recreational.
The climate and geography make the country a natural arena for adventurous sporting pursuits - fishing, hunting, kayaking, horse riding, skiing, snowboarding and much more. Every year multisport endurance races lure competitors from all over the world - the Coast to Coast, which traverses the South Island, is the most well known. Kiwis are also very big on team sports - rugby, netball, rugby league, cricket and sailing. |
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 Maori are the tangata whenua (indigenous people of the land) of New Zealand and their culture is an integral part of New Zealand life. About 15% of the country’s population of 3.8 million is of Maori descent. Maori are a tribal people and their tribes are known as iwi. Visitors to New Zealand are presented with many opportunities to experience Maori culture first-hand. Best known of these is the geo-thermal region of Rotorua in the North Island, where tourists can enjoy Maori kai (food) cooked on hot stones underground as part of a traditional hangi. They can also enjoy a Maori powhiri (welcome), visit local marae (meeting houses), listen to kapa haka (traditional performances of song and dance) and relax in the popular thermal pools. Maori culture forms the basis of New Zealand culture and is the essence of its society. |
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