Bungee-jumping is a popular sport in New Zealand

If you haven’t heard of many people making their way to New Zealand, it’s probably because there hasn’t been much hype about the islands. But a rise in the number of Indian tourists has caught the attention of the tourism authorities. “Last year, New Zealand recorded a 7.8 per cent growth rate with 21,853 Indian arrivals as against 20,265 at the end of 2006. There has been a 15-20 per cent growth from the east. Though the number is small, they are evolved travellers,” reveals Kiran Nambiar, country manager, Tourism New Zealand.

A trip to New Zealand begins in the romantic settings of the City of Sails, Auckland. In this north island, there is a lake as big as Singapore! “Historically, NZ was the last landmass to be created, 70 million years ago. Man introduced all the animals on the island and the forests are pre-historic,” explains Nambiar.

A big attraction for the eastern Indian traveller could be that the whole country has only 30-40 per cent of the population of Calcutta!

New Zealanders are also known to be groundbreakers, with the first to split the atom, the first to climb Mount Everest, the first country to give women the right to vote and the first to start bungee-jumping commercially...

What to do...
“A” for adventure sports and we mean nerve-shredding adrenaline-rush fun!
• Take a ride on a ski plane — a small plane with skis, its wheels go up and you land on a glacier!
• Try a jet-boat safari or go bungee jumping.
• Zorb: They put you inside a big capsule and roll you down a hill!

In the north, which is full of volcanoes, Rotorua is a good place for surreal experiences such as geothermal lakes, with steam rising from the surface. “If you dig the
beach, you can create your own spa!” smiles Nambiar.

Auckland, on the other hand, is the commercial capital with restaurants and city life.

The south island is full of mountains. In Kaikoura, there are mountains on the left and the Pacific on your right, with whales the size of Calcutta buses. Vineyards and the capital city Queenstown are a must-see.

How to get there…
“India is still two to three years away from direct non-stop flights,” says Nambiar. The best way to get to New Zealand is via Singapore Airlines: Calcutta-Singapore-Auckland and Calcutta-Singapore-Christchurch.