- Where to go to sunbathe?
- Weather features of a beach holiday in New Zealand
- A scattering of white beaches
- Eleven Lakes of Rotorua
This small island state at the end of the world is called the country of antipodes, because a lazy beach vacation in New Zealand can be successfully combined with extreme entertainment of the highest class. Do you want to alternate sunbathing with jumping from a 100-meter "bungee", and swimming in the ocean with walks along the geysers in a picturesque place called the Gates of Hell? The country, in whose sky even the stars are different, will offer the desperate daredevils the pleasure of the highest category.
Where to go to sunbathe?
When choosing a beach for relaxation, you should decide exactly how you want to spend your time:
- There is plenty of room for surfers and sunbathers alike on Raglan on the North Island. In the bays of Manu Bay and Whale Bay, left-side waves so beloved by the conquerors of the ocean expanses occur, and the coast in the Cox Bay area is more suitable for a sedate family vacation.
- The South Island and the town of Dunedin offer a beach holiday in New Zealand for fans of scenic views. Photos from the beaches on the Otaga Peninsula can be adorned with the best travel guides. Surfers hang out in Saint Clare, and sedate couples hang out on the beaches of the suburb of Dunedin, located 15 km from the center and called Brighton.
- Tours to the northeast of the North Island are popular with lovers of healing procedures. The healing mud of the local thermal springs helps to get rid of many ailments.
- Lord of the Rings fans will love the opportunity to swim on the beaches of Golden Bay. The dense forests bordering this bay became the scene for filming favorite films and played the role of the Valley of Dark Streams.
- Abel Tasman National Park has Apple Tree and Bark sandy beaches and Anchorage Shell Beach. The name Kaiteriting Beach speaks for itself: the crescent-shaped bay becomes especially popular with kitesurfers during strong winds.
Due to the small size of its territory, New Zealand is very convenient for self-guided tours with a rented car. By renting a car, you can go around all the most famous beaches and appreciate the beauty of the distant islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Weather features of a beach holiday in New Zealand
The country's climate varies from classic subtropical on the North Island to temperate at the very bottom of the South Island. The mountains, called the Southern Alps, block the path of the westerly winds. This natural barrier creates two zones: wet in the west and dry in the east.
The coldest month is July, when the temperature on the South Island can drop to + 14 ° С. In January it is hottest here, and in some areas of the North Island, the thermometers rise to + 28 ° С.
In most of the islands, the level of solar radiation is high, and therefore every tourist who went on a beach vacation to New Zealand should have special protective equipment from the sun.
A scattering of white beaches
When choosing where to sunbathe, pay attention to the Abel Tasman National Park. Named after the first European to set foot on the islands of New Zealand, this reserve is located in the north of the South Island along Golden Bay.
Locals and tourists alike travel to Abel Tasman for kayaking, hiking and camping by the ocean.
Tour companies organize excursions to the nearby penguin and fur seal islands of Tonga and the scenic Apple Rock. With a hired kayak, you can sail the entire coastline of Golden Bay, stopping at Tepucati and Anchorage beaches. Self-travel reviews of a New Zealand beach holiday in the Abel Tasman National Park area testify to the ideal beauty of the local landscape.
Eleven Lakes of Rotorua
The Bay of Plenty region on the North Island is famous for its thermal springs and eleven lakes, on the banks of which there are numerous tourist centers, motels and hotels. Mud baths with hydrogen sulfide baths, Maori massage, spa complexes and hot waterfalls are just a small list of the pleasures available to tourists who choose a beach holiday on the North Island.
The city of Tauranga offers excellent opportunities to spend an educational and healthy vacation. The main entertainment of tourists is boat trips to the dolphin habitats, fishing and an excursion to the waterfalls. Local travel agencies are also ready to provide extreme sports in the form of parachute jumping and kayaking on a mountain river at the first request of travelers.
The prices for local hotels cannot be classified as humane, but the comfort and service declared in the brochures fully correspond to the hotel's star rating.
