New Zealand’s North Island
Welcome to New Zealand!
Continuing with my theme of highlighting places I’d like to visit en route to McMurdo Station, I’d like to welcome you to the exciting country of New Zealand. This island nation is made up of two main land masses, the North and South Islands, plus more than a dozen small islands. Both lay claim to numerous places to visit and explore. Join me as I take a closer look at the North Island.
Picture of New Zealand’s North and South Islands. Photo credit: CIA World Factbook
Tamaki Maori Village
Is anyone up for a journey into the heart of the Maori culture? Maori are the native people of New Zealand, and they are quite an interesting bunch! If you are up for such a journey, then a visit to the Tamaki Maori Village in Rotorua, New Zealand, might be just the thing. Apparently this is a very interactive experience. As you enter the ‘living village,’ it comes to life with the sights and sounds of the Maori people. Guests are invited to participate in games, learn waiata (songs), perform the fearsome haka (war dance) and of course, facial tattooing. The Maori continue to wear their traditional clothes and perform their own rituals and dances, and still wear facial tattoos. Food is an important part of every culture, and it’s no different with the Maori culture. A visit to the village typically ends with a traditional feast and dessert. Sure hope I have time to stop here!
In Maori society, both men and women receive permanent body markings called *moko* as they enter adulthood! Photo credit: Tamaki Maori Village
A Maori adult and child. Photo credit: Tamaki Maori Village
Whakarewarewa Forest
Welcome to the redwoods! No we’re not back in California, at Redwood National Park. We’re at Whakarewarewa Forest, in Rotorua, New Zealand. This beautiful park covers over 13,000 acres of lands shrouded by gigantic trees! Just like their famous cousins in California’s Redwood National Park, many of these trees are redwoods.
Did you know that redwood trees can grow to over 300 feet tall, and over 20 feet in diameter? That’s quite an armful! It would takes a ring of about six people (arms extended) to ‘hug’ these large trees! The grounds of Whakarewarewa offer hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. Riding a horse through a forest with trees that can be over 1,000 years old? Sign me up!
Look at the large forest of redwoods, and how tall they appear! Photo credit: Compass Whistle
Huka Falls and the Waikato River
Did you know New Zealand had its own version of Niagara Falls? Well, sort of. Huka Falls are the largest falls on the North Island’s Waikato River. The river is normally about 325 ft. wide but as it nears Huka Falls, it narrows to an area of only about 50 ft. across. This narrowing causes a massive amount of water to get squeezed through a very small area. The result is the incredibly powerful and strikingly beautiful fall that can move almost 60,000 gallons of water a second! You might be able to tell from the picture below why people say Huka Falls looks ‘foamy.’ That may not be surprising with all of that water being squeezed together, but I bet you didn’t know that Huka is the Maori word for foam. While some people may be brave enough to kayak down, I think I’ll pass! But if I’m able to see the falls, I’m sure to enjoy the view.
A beautiful bird’s eye view of the steps of Huka Falls. Photo credit: Active Planet
A frontal view up-river. See how the distant falls are higher than the closer ones? The falls are spread out like a watery staircase! Photo credit: Backpacker Guide New Zealand
Cathedral Cove
Te Whanganui-A-Hei, or Cathedral Cove, is next on my wish list. It is a beautiful marine reserve where visitors can do any number of water activities, such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking and snorkeling. This reserve is a ‘must see’ if you are on New Zealand’s North Island and is visited by thousands of people each year, all interested in exploring the many different species of marine life or simple walking Hahei.
Are you a fan of The Chronicles of Narnia? If so, this picture might look familiar to you. Apparently this cove and surrounding beach served as the tunnel through which the Pevensie children first re-enter Narnia in the movie version of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
What a view! Cathedral Cove looks like paradise! Photo credit: Amazing Places on Earth
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Who wouldn’t want to take a boat ride under thousands of luminescent glowworms? Does this sound gross or neat to you? If it sounds appealing, like it does to me, be sure to head to Waitomo, on New Zealand’s North Island. Here you’ll find a large system of caves populated by thousands of glowing insects called arachnocampa luminosa found nowhere else in the world.
What is a glowworm?
When you hear the word glowworm do you picture a glowing worm? Well surprise! These incredible creatures are not worms at all, but are insects that produce their own light through a process called bioluminescence. So these glowworm caves actually have no worms in them at all, but they are full of insects! The presence of these glowing insects isn’t terrifying, it’s actually very beautiful and maybe even a little magical!
This looks like a mystical cave out of a mythological tale! Photo credit: World For Travel
I’d love to be one of these people taking a boat tour though such a magical place! Wow! Photo credit: Covered2Go Travel Insurance