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Create your unique New Zealand honey adventure

New Zealand's Honey Trail



New Zealand honey is creating quite a buzz with its health benefits, attracting both the curious and the sweet-toothed. New Zealand has thousands of beekeepers managing more than 500,000 hives. Thanks to growing awareness about the unique health benefits of bee products, demand is blossoming. Discover the secret world of bees through apiarists opening their hives and lives to visitors.

Arataki Honey in Hawke’s Bay

Producing top-quality honey since 1944, Arataki Honey is one of the biggest beekeeping enterprises in New Zealand – with more than 20,000 hives dotted throughout bush and farmland, making the most of regional variations of flavour. Learn all about honey and meet the bees at the interactive, fun and informative Arataki Honey Centre. Take a close look at these industrious creatures in the large glass observation hives, dress up as a beekeeper, or look at life through the eyes of a bee. Entry is free.

Bay of Islands Honey Shop

Aside from being home to New Zealand’s largest beehive, this sweet little business in Kerikeri, in the North Island’s far north, offers hive tours and beekeeping courses that are safe and fun for all ages. Learn how honey is made and discover the difference between workers, drones and queens. Watch the queen lay her eggs, observe the waggle dance, and listen to the tremendous noise these busy creatures make. The Bay of Islands Honey Shop has a wide range of New Zealand Manuka and honey-related products including skincare, beeswax candles, sweet treats, beekeeping equipment, giftware and delicious local honeys. At just $4 per person, the tour offers wonderful value.

Blueskin Bay Honey, Dunedin

Blueskin Bay Honey’s Dave Milne has more than 100 hives scattered throughout the region surrounding New Zealand’s southern city of Dunedin, with most in the Blueskin Bay area. His company supplies local restaurants and shops and sells its wares at the famous Otago Farmers Market. Milne’s quality product is all-natural, not artificially overheated, over filtered or creamed.

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Recently launched hive tours enable visitors to suit up and try their hand at beekeeping while learning about honey making. This two-hour adventure includes an informative introduction, information about the region’s plants, a walk around the hives, removal of honey and the all-important tasting.

Comvita Bay of Plenty

Comvita's headquarters today is a very different set up from the one Claude Stratford operated from the garage of his home in the small Bay of Plenty town of Paengaroa, 40 years ago. Today's operation is slick and streamlined with up-to-the-minute systems and modern premises that include a visitor centre that attracts visitors from around the world. Comvita’s long portfolio of innovative products – everything from health-giving New Zealand Manuka honeys to medical dressings – are exported worldwide. Along with shopping and sampling from Comvita's product collection, visitors can experience the life of a bee in the virtual beehive and take educational tours explaining the process from raw material to final product.

Huka Honey Hive Taupo

For 23 years, Huka Honey Hive, next to the majestic Huka Falls at Taupo, has been considered the place to discover the story of bees. At Huka Honey, you can view live hives and shop for honey and honey-based products – and you’re free to wander around and admire the bees and sample the fruits of their labours. The coffee lounge is charming with indoor and outdoor seating. But like the bees, you’ll want to make the most of the sunshine. And the honey ice cream has to be tasted to be believed.

The Honey Centre, Warkworth

Loved by local and international visitors alike, the Honey Centre in Warkworth was opened in the 1990s by the Fountain family – friendly bee experts who are more than happy to share their knowledge. Wonder at the working hives and watch the bees go about their industrious business. With plenty of bee products available, including skincare and children’s toys, you can also taste honey and learn how regional differences and various blossoms affect flavour. Situated by a duck pond, be sure to allow plenty of time to enjoy the café and the Honey, Mead and Fruit Wine Shop. To create your unique New Zealand honey adventure, please visit: www.NewZealand.com and type “honey” in the search box.


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For more information on New Zealand, please visit: NewZealand.com. The site offers interactive planning tools, special travel deals, operator listings and information on New Zealand.


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