Three Reasons to Visit New Zealand in 2018

With 2018 just around the corner, many travellers are thinking about where to go next. Now is a great time to start planning a trip to New Zealand. Renowned for its cinematic landscapes, kilometres of pristine coastline and welcoming locals, the Land of the Long White Cloud also offers a great deal to do, see and experience. And whether you’re visiting for adventurous pursuits or have more refined pleasures in mind, you’ll find these three reasons to start planning a trip to New Zealand to be more than a little compelling.

Rotorua is New Zealand’s first bilingual city

Since being recognized as one of New Zealand’s three official languages 30 years ago (alongside English and sign language), Maori has finally been afforded the status it deserves. To further boost the language’s mana (prestige), Rotorua has been declared New Zealand’s first official bilingual city. This is an exciting move forward for the country and it offers visitors the opportunity to engage with locals and to perhaps learn some Maori words.

Come ashore with the Volvo Ocean Race in Auckland

It’s been 37 years since this race began and now it’s the world’s number one offshore competition, testing both sailors and yachts to the limit. Embarking from Alicante in Spain in October this year and finishing in The Hague in the Netherlands in October of 2018, competitors will cover 45,000 nautical miles, sail across four oceans, and leave six continents in their wake. Bringing the sailing world together, other host ports include Cardiff, Guangzhou and Cape Town. Auckland is one of the plum spots to experience the Volvo Ocean Race, from February 24 – March 18. The city promises plenty of activities on and offshore to keep fans entertained throughout the racing weeks.

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Get in training for the Golden Oldies in Christchurch

Promising “fun, friendship and fraternity,” the Golden Oldies games in Christchurch, in April 2018, is a month-long celebration of sport, with a focus on mature participants. Featuring basketball, cricket, netball, lawn balls, squash, softball, rugby, golf, football and hockey, this biennial event attracts sports fans and teams from around the world. As much about the love of sport as it is about winning, you don’t even have to be a member of an existing team to take part, because many teams are eager for extra players. Contact the organizers prior to the event and it’s likely that you’ll be able to slot into a team. There’s no upper age limit – participants can be as young as 35. With 10,000 entrants expected to converge on the city, this will be Christchurch’s biggest participant event ever – and also the first time in Golden Oldies history that all of the events have been held in one location.