Holidays - New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands.

The country is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga.

Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long isolation New Zealand developed a distinctive fauna dominated by birds, many of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and introduced mammals. With a mild maritime climate, the land was mostly covered in forest.

The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the uplift of land and volcanic eruptions caused by the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates clashing underfoot. English is the predominant language in New Zealand, spoken by 98 percent of the population. New Zealand English is similar to Australian English and many speakers from the Northern Hemisphere are unable to tell the accents apart. After the Second World War, Māori were discouraged from speaking their own language in schools and workplaces and it existed as a community language only in a few remote areas.

The Tongariro National Park, located in the Taupo region, is a World Heritage Park and one of the oldest National Parks in the world. Westland National Park located in the South of New Zealand West Coast, famous for its diverse landscape, glaciers, Franz Joseph Glacier and Fox Glacier, it spectacular scenery and pristine nature. 

The Bay of Islands is a “must see” if you are visiting New Zealand. Its one of the places renowned for having 144 islands, with many superb beaches and secluded bays and an abundance of marine life, including marlin, whales, penguins and dolphins. It is regarded as the birthplace of New Zealand. The scenery is breathtaking and can only be appreciated by cruising through the area. The Bay attracts thousands of tourists who just want to enjoy the subtropical climate and swim at some of the best beaches in New Zealand.

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean. The South Island is sometimes called the "Mainland". he South Island has 15 named maritime fiords which are all located in the southwest of the island in a mountainous area known as Fiordland. The spelling 'fiord' is used in New Zealand, although all the maritime fjords use the word Sound in their name instead.