New Zealand travel guide: Nine prominent Kiwis name their favourite holiday spots

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This was published 3 years ago

New Zealand travel guide: Nine prominent Kiwis name their favourite holiday spots

By Ben Groundwater
Updated
Matukituki Valley, near Wanaka.

Matukituki Valley, near Wanaka.Credit: iStock

New Zealand, we've missed you. Forget the jokes, forget the sibling rivalry. We've missed you.

We've missed your mountains and your fiords, your lakes and your streams. We've missed your bikes trails and your hiking paths, your ski runs and open roads. We've missed your food, your wine, your beer, your coffee. We've missed your laidback, easy-going ways.

And now, finally, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel. New Zealanders are already allowed into certain parts of Australia quarantine-free, and talk of a reciprocal "bubble" is being refloated.

We don't know when exactly, but it seems increasingly certain Australians will be able to return to the Land of the Long White Cloud soon. That means access to so much of what we love about travel, and everything that makes New Zealand great.

In anticipation of our return, we asked nine well-known Kiwis to tell us where to go.

THE POP STAR

STAN WALKER

TELL US WHERE TO GO "I would fully recommend Mount Maunganui," says Walker, an Australian-born musician who grew up on a marae, a traditional Maori meeting place, on the North Island. "On top of the mountain you can touch heaven, the view is breathtaking. I shot my current video, Bigger, there. It's very laid back."

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Credit: iStock

The area around the mountain also has plenty going for it. "There is a surf beach, Main Beach, and I always swim at Pilot Bay Beach," Walker says. "There's lots of brilliant fresh seafood around too. Tauranga, the town below Mount Maunganui, has the best old-style fish and chip shop, Bobby's Fresh Fish Market. It's classic."

Walker also recommends exploring the Gisborne area. "It has the largest native rainforest in New Zealand," he says. "And at Hicks Bay you can be among the first people in the world to see the sunrise."

See stanwalker.com.au

THE AUTHOR

OWEN MARSHALL

TELL US WHERE TO GO "My favourite holiday destination is Central Otago, in the heart of the lower South Island," says Marshall, a novelist and short-story writer whose new book, Landmarks, is about to be released. "Both its history and its landscapes are individual and fascinating – lakes, mountains, tussock and tor country and evidence of its goldrush past.

"There are the tourist meccas of Queenstown and Wanaka, but also small places such as Ophir, St Bathans, Cambrian and Lawrence, quiet, little changed and redolent of colonial times. Increasingly popular is the rural cycling track from Clyde to Middlemarch, and Central has also become successful as a wine-growing region. Properties such as Felton Road and Two Paddocks have international reputations.

"This is a place of big skies and empty spaces, of chill winters and hot, dry summers, of community, or isolation. A special place."

See owenmarshall.net.nz; feltonroad.com; twopaddocks.com

THE FASHION DESIGNER

SARA MUNRO

TELL US WHERE TO GO "I live in one of the most underrated places to visit: Dunedin," says Munro, the director of New Zealand fashion brand Company of Strangers. "If you love music, art and an underground scene, this is the place to visit. You can do gallery crawls, drink the best coffee in NZ, and there is some of the best boutique shopping at Company Store and Plume."

Credit: iStock

If you're into sampling Dunedin cuisine, Munro has a perfect day. "Buster Greens and Side-on are on the do-not-miss list for breakfast, lunch or snacks for the day," she says. "About 5pm is the right time to hit the best bar in Dunedin, Woof. Sample a local beer, get the best cheese ball – better than your nana used to make – and chat to the locals. The next thing you know it's dinner time. Head to either No.7 Balmac or the Esplanade and watch the ocean."

See companyofstrangers.co.nz; nomdstore.com; side-on.co.nz; no7balmac.co.nz; esplanade.co

THE CHEF

ANALIESE GREGORY

TELL US WHERE TO GO "I love Wellington," says Gregory, a New Zealand-born chef who now resides in Tasmania. "When I was 17 I moved out of home in Auckland and moved to Wellington, so I have really fond memories of it. I love how you can walk around the city, and the arts and culture and food scene there.

"Last time I was in Wellington I ate at my friend Monique Fiso's restaurant, Hiakai, which is all about Maori food. Monique uses fine-dining techniques with traditional flavours. There's lots of super-interesting ingredients like kawakawa leaves, which she used to create dishes and then matched them with things like a New Zealand gin that had manuka in it.

"We also went to this cute little pasta bar called 1154, that only does like four pastas a night, with natural wine. When I was there the guys from Flight of the Conchords walked past, and I was just like, 'Wellington's great'."

See hiakai.co.nz; 1154.co.nz

THE TOURISM BOSS

STEPHEN ENGLAND-HALL

TELL US WHERE TO GO "It's like asking a parent who their favourite child is," laughs England-Hall, the CEO of Tourism New Zealand. "For me, all of New Zealand is spectacular. I've been to a lot of destinations, from Cape Reinga to Bluff, but there continues to be more things to discover.

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. Credit: iStock

"I recently went to the Chatham Islands and Lake Ōhau for the first time, and have Stewart Island on my radar for later this year. I love our diversity of places and experiences, as well as the nuances that exist with the wonderful people who call those places home."

England-Hall does have a specific recommendation: "The West Coast has this untamed wilderness about it. It has spectacular scenery, national parks and thousand-year-old glaciers. It's also got unique heritage like Arahura River, one of the richest sources of Pounamu [greenstone], and early settler towns like Reefton."

See newzealand.com

THE MUSICIAN

ANDY LYNCH

TELL US WHERE TO GO "My parents bought a tiny section of the Coromandel in the 1980s, in Pauanui, and it's a beautiful part of the country," says Lynch, lead guitarist in the Auckland-based band The Feelers. "My soul is there because I grew up there, every summer. Couple of girls broke my heart. You know, there's a whole decade of stories."

Credit: iStock

Lynch still holidays in the Coromandel. "Down that coastline you've got Pauanui, Whangamata, and Mount Maunganui," he says. "It's just fantastic. Whangamata has got that Bali vibe. Everyone's in slow motion, and lots of surf breaks too. It's magical stuff."

Lynch also recommends heading as far north from Auckland as you can go. "You've got Paihia, Kerikeri – great food and wine," he says. "But as you go further north it's like the wild west. It hasn't been mucked with yet, it hasn't been ruined."

See thefeelers.co.nz

THE FILM STAR

JULIAN DENNISON

Credit: AP

TELL US WHERE TO GO Dennison, who made his name starring as Ricky Baker in the film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, recommends visiting his favourite marae near Hamilton. "I love going to Rukumoana Marae, because my family marae is near Morrinsville, in Waikato," he says. "The hangi [traditional feast] there is pretty incredible."

For those interested in tapping into New Zealand's Maori heritage, Dennison advises stopping in Rotorua. "It's mostly known for its hot springs, but it's also rich in Māori history and folklore. There are places you can visit like Te Puia, Mitai Village and Tamaki Village that offer experiences for anyone who is interested in the culture and heritage of Māori people."

See tepuia.com; mitai.co.nz; tamakimaorivillage.co.nz

THE RADIO HOST

PJ HARDING

TELL US WHERE TO GO "I have a real sentimental connection to Le Bons Bay, near Christchurch," says Harding, who co-hosts KIIS 101.1's Jase & PJ in the Morning from New Zealand. "We used to go there on holiday as a family so it will always hold a special place. We would go fishing, camping and swimming at the isolated beach, and Crowded House would always be on repeat in the car. The beach is absolutely pristine and surrounded by rolling green hills, and seals can often be seen in the bay. It is such a natural beauty."

Harding has more tips for those with time. "The Marlborough Sounds have stunning views and excellent hiking; go to Kaiteriteri for the golden-sand beach; Cathedral Cove is an incredible place to kayak; and Martinborough has really cute towns and wineries."

See kiis1011.com.au

THE ACTIVEWEAR MAGNATE

PIP EDWARDS

TELL US WHERE TO GO "Definitely Wanaka!" says Pip Edwards, the co-founder of activewear company P.E Nation, who makes annual trips to her father's homeland. "Book into [luxury lodge] Mahu Whenua if you get the chance to stay overnight.

"For your wellness fix, head to the Dripping Bowl, a health-food café, and The Body Garage, a local yoga studio. On your down days, the retail scene in Wanaka is really worth checking out, there's a bunch of local designers like Wilson and Dorset, Common People, Revology, and Alice Herald for bespoke jewellery. And head to Maude or Rippon to taste some of the best wine in the world."

For those driving to Wanaka from Queenstown, Edwards also recommends a stop in Cardrona. "Be sure to take a walk up to the 'pou', these five beautiful hand-carved Maori pou [wooden posts] representing the mountain's values."

See pe-nation.com; mahuwhenua.co.nz; drippingbowl.co.nz; thebodygarage.co.nz; wilsondorset.com; commonpeople.co.nz; revology.com; aliceherald.com; maudewines.com; rippon.co.nz

TEN KIWI SLANG TERMS TO REACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH

DAIRY

The local corner store. Milk and eggs used to be delivered to people's homes by the local dairy farm – when shops began providing that service, the name was transferred.

SWEET AS

Essentially: it's all good. You'll find this epithet applied to anything and everything. In New Zealand, it really is sweet as.

JANDALS

Thongs or flip-flops, a contraction of "Japanese sandal". You'll hear it applied to footwear, and also to a situation that someone isn't coping with: "You can't handle the jandal."

CHILLY BIN

An Esky. A cooler box. A place to store your Lemon & Paeroa and your Hokey Pokeys on your way back from the dairy.

WOP WOPS

The Kiwi version of "Woop Woop". As in, "He took us out to the Wop Wops". You might think a country as small as New Zealand wouldn't have Wop Wops, but you'd be wrong.

BACH

A modest holiday home or beach house, thought to be a shortening of "bachelor pad". These small houses can be found running along pretty much any shoreline in New Zealand.

SKUX

Memorably coined by Julian Dennison's character in Hunt for the Wilderpeople – "I didn't choose the skux life, the skux life chose me" – a skux is something of a ladies man.

TIKI TOUR

A comprehensive tour of a venue or place. It can be a good thing: "The chef gave me a full tiki tour of the kitchen." Or a bad thing: "That cab driver took me on a bit of a tiki tour…"

SCARFIES

Students, specifically those from the University of Otago, where it's cold enough to need a scarf year-round. "Lot of scarfies at the pub tonight eh?"

TRAMPING

Kiwis are so keen on hiking, often on multi-day or even multi-week treks, that they've coined their own term for it: tramping.

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