If you are looking to engage all five senses while on vacation, New Zealand in autumn has it all. A real feast for the senses, autumn is a time of plenty in every imaginable way. During the months of March, April and May, skies are blue and foliage is ablaze with golden colours. Fruit harvests are underway and New Zealanders are heading out on weekends to play and enjoy a jam-packed calendar of events.
Taste
Each year in May, seafood fans set off for Southland for the
Bluff Oyster Festival (May 21, 2016) – where music, entertainment, wild foods, seafood, oysters and local beverages take centre stage.
If you prefer something from the land, make your way to the inaugural
Waiheke Wine & Food Festival from March 30 – April 3 to sample some of New Zealand’s best reds along with some local cuisine.
And then there’s the feijoa – the humble “pineapple guava” fruit that makes New Zealanders living abroad feel homesick. All around the more temperate parts of the country, you’ll find roadside stalls stacked with fruit from late March to June. If you miss the short season, sample golden
feijoa wine at the
Lothlorien Winery near Matakana, north of Auckland.
Bluff Oyster Festival
Touch
Moutohora Island is less than 10km off the coast of Whakatane, in the North Island’s Bay of Plenty. The cool autumn air is a perfect match for the warm thermal beach pools and the squelch of sand between your toes. The island is also known for its rare and endangered bird, reptile and plant life.
Despite the name,
EcoWorld Aquarium in Picton is the place to get a feel for one of New Zealand’s ancient reptilian species, the tuatara. Touch the wizened, gnarled skin of this ancient living fossil at the “Meet the Locals” events.
Across the waters of Cook Strait, at the Museum of New Zealand
Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, you can run your fingers over the glossy, soothing surface of pounamu – the deep green New Zealand jade – and learn how important it is to Maori culture.
Hear
The sound of kiwis calling to each other at night is one of the most evocative sounds in New Zealand. Camp on
Aroha Island, a beautiful 12-hectare sanctuary on the shores of the Kerikeri Inlet on the North Island, and listen out for the kiwi’s distinctive, high-pitched call.
The burping and belching of the fascinating mud pools in the North Island’s Rotorua region are an aural reminder of the earth’s geothermal wonder.
Hells Gate has mud you can bathe in; elsewhere in the region, you’ll find hissing geysers erupting up to 20 times a day (
Te Puia) and rumbling geothermal caverns (
Wai-o-Tapu).
Less of a natural sound – but just as stirring – The Bay of Islands
Country Rock Festival each May features great music in a spectacular setting with more than 50 local and international acts.
Smell
In the heart of the Waikato, in the small country town of
Te Aroha, you can relax in natural soda waters sourced from springs deep underneath bush-clad Mt. Te Aroha. The silky texture and remedial properties of the waters at
Te Aroha Mineral Spa have been attracting visitors for centuries. Fill your bottle or go for deep immersion in a slipper bath complete with aromatherapy – and breathe deeply.
If you’re looking to get away from it all, you may prefer to take a walk on the green side on one of
New Zealand’s nine Great Walks – short hikes or multi-day experiences in remote wilderness settings. Or visit Wellington’s
Zealandia Eco-sanctuary to inhale the earthy perfume of the forest floor underfoot.
The
North Island’s Chateau Tongariro is one of the most beautiful hotels in New Zealand. Built in 1929, its Neo-Georgian grandeur is the perfect place to inhale crisp, clean mountain air.
Sight
For the past three years, the annual Great Easter Sunday Long Brunch has taken place within the grounds of
Wairakei Resort in Taupo. The perfectly manicured garden is a treat for the eyes while the brunch with a jazz band takes care of the ears and taste buds too.
The
Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve in Tekapo designates that nearly 4,300 sq. km be protected from light pollution, making a visit to the area’s Mount John Observatory a must for stargazers.
Forgotten World Adventures in the central North Island allows visitors to pilot modified rail carts or pedal rail bikes along more than 142 km of disused railway tracks, through established deciduous trees that look astonishing in autumn. The apple trees will just be ripening.
Amazing new experiences are just one flight away. Air New Zealand (
www.airnewzealand.ca) has direct non-stop flights from Vancouver to Auckland and offers flights from many other North American cities.
New Zealand is a destination where everything is close – from dramatic natural scenery to vibrant cities. Start the day at the top of a mountain, then drift asleep to the song of the ocean. There’s an incredible choice of things to do. Leap into outdoor adventures, connect with Maori culture, or embrace pure relaxation. And it’s safe, friendly and easy to get around. Kiwis’ warm, genuine hospitality means that however you experience New Zealand, you’re sure to leave feeling like one of the family.
For more information on New Zealand or to create your unique adventure, please visit: [url=http://www.newzealand.com]http://www.newzealand.com[/url] and check out the “Wishlist” handy vacation planner.
