Nieuw-Zeeland NI White Island
The south of New Zealand's North Island has plenty of space for a variety of natural wonders, such as the smouldering volcanoes, spouting geysers and hot mud pools of Rotorua, the vast crater lake of Lake Taupo and the volcanic activity on White Island. On Mahia, the stunning nature is all yours and in Gisborne and Hawke's Bay you can taste exquisite wines. Napier is known as the Art Deco capital of the world and Wellington simply effervesces with life.
Rotorua is a region of smouldering volcanoes, spouting geysers and hot mud pools. You will forget the sulphurous odour that greets you, however, as soon as you have reached the volcano valley of Waimangu. A walk among the seven craters to the world's largest hot water spring is an exceptional experience and the walking track at Lake Rotomahana, a hot crater lake, takes you past fluorescent green, brown, orange and purple mud pools and dazzling green and blue lakes. The Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Whakarewarewa, or ‘Waka', provides insight into these people's traditional lifestyle. Here you can sample a meal cooked according to a traditional Maori method called ‘hangi', which involves creating a large pit in the ground.
Lake Taupo is a crater as large as Singapore (616 km2), making it the largest freshwater lake in Australasia, inhabited by countless trout. A visit to Huka Falls, over which 22,000 litres per second surge, is an absolute must. You will find hot springs and other geothermic wonders across the entire region. White Island, a small volcanic island just off the coast of Whakatane, is equally as special. It's not altogether surprising that the island is completely uninhabited, as it is New Zealand's only active marine volcano. At the main crater, you can watch how gasses and steam are emitted from the earth; you'll probably feel like you've landed on a different planet here.
If you also want to visit the less touristy parts of New Zealand, the Mahia Peninsula is highly advisable. Here you will have a lot of beautiful nature to yourself: Mahia is exquisitely beautiful and unspoilt, with long sandy beaches that skirt the bottom of Dover-like cliffs. Even the views inland across the green peninsula are breathtaking.
Gisborne, the Chardonnay capital of New Zealand, is situated at the most eastern tip of North Island. The vines here are the first to catch the morning sun and they benefit from the most hours of sunlight. And you can really taste the difference. After Marlborough and Hawke's Bay, Gisborne is the largest producer of wine grapes in New Zealand. You may of course visit the various different wine houses here, by appointment.
Hawkes Bay is an even larger wine region that Gisborne and Reminiscent of the Mediterranean, this region is famed for its Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots. However, the Sauvignon Blanc and the Riesling are also held in high regard. More than forty wine houses are open to the public and you can also enjoy delicious food at many of these. When you walk through Napier, you'll be overcome by the feeling that you're strolling through a film set. After a serious earthquake shook Napier in 1931, the city was rebuilt in Art Deco style, with Maori motifs; here you will find many buildings by the architect Louis Hay, who was a great admirer of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Tongariro National Park is famous is variegated landscape, which is created by three volcanoes, high altitude steppes and densely vegetated forests and ferns. During night walks through the park, you can go in search of and receive information on the endangered kiwi: the national icon. Tongariro Crossing is often described as the best day walk in New Zealand and the diversity of the landscape makes this hike particularly popular: past various craters, hot springs and luminous turquoise lakes. (For less energetic walkers, a shorter, less intensive walk is also an option.)
Wellington is perhaps New Zealand's nicest city. Windy or not, its steep roads and many Victorian building are reminiscent of San Francisco. It's a fun city, with plenty of cultural attractions and a marked path takes you through the city and up Victoria Hill, where fantastic 360º panoramic views over the entire city await you. Another great trip is by car to the artistic Miramar Peninsula. Many artists and creative individuals live here, including Peter Jackson, director of the film trilogy Lord of the Rings.
