Whakarewarewa is a unique Maori village, set amidst geysers and hot pools.  The people of Tuhourangi/Nagti Wahiao have lived here for over 200 years and have learned to adapt to their surroundings, using the geothermal features to cook and bathe. They live in harmony with their natural environment. They understand and respect their land. There is much to be learned from them.

Visitors to this one-of-a-kind village can mingle with the villagers and hear stories that have been passed down through the generations from the knowledgeable guides – most of whom either live in the village or are connected to it through whanau (family). They can also participate in many interactive activities such as weaving, music, weaponry and more.

This year, at TRENZ, the village is promoting its not-to-be-missed Cultural Hangi Pie Experience. Visitors indulging in the Cultural Hangi Pie Experience will enjoy a guided tour, a cultural performance and a plated hangi lunch. 

Beautiful land, beautiful people. And then there are those of us who are fortunate enough to visit this amazing place and who often find it very hard to leave.

With offices in Auckland and Queenstown, services offered have expanded to include travel and leisure assistance, event planning, wedding planning, property investment and management and also the well-recognized and world-renowned Touch of Spice Private Villa Collection.

For the leisure market, they promote luxury villas, lodges and private retreats – New Zealand wide – partnered with a personal concierge service, tailored specifically for in-house guests. The specialist team of staff can source the finest wines, locate guests’ favourite flowers, assist with ground arrangements, find the perfect gift and arrange a world-class private chef to prepare an intimate dinner for two.

The Touch of Spice Private Villa Collection features a portfolio of properties of unsurpassed elegance and opulence including exclusive townhouses, luxury penthouses, luxury lodges and private island retreats.

Touch of Spice Weddings provides tailor-made wedding-planning services throughout New Zealand.

Touch of Spice Events offers exclusive and unique event solutions – New Zealand wide.

I recently had the chance to learn more about Glen Aros – a classic New Zealand country estate, set in the foothills surrounding the wine-growing region of Hawke’s Bay. Everything I heard makes me want to go there.

From its beautifully secluded location, Glen Aros is only a short drive to the many world-class attractions of this diverse region – including wineries, winery restaurants, the lovely Art Deco city of Napier, fishing and golf. As a fully-serviced lodge, Glen Aros is ideal for high-end FIT travellers or small groups of friends can have exclusive use of the lodge. And the weather there is fantastic!

Luxury Accommodation
At Glen Aros, travellers enjoy a 5-star Guest & Hosted Qualmark Luxury accommodation with 24-hour concierge. Six spacious bedrooms, each with a super king-sized bed and a modern ensuite bathroom, are available for single or double occupancy. Tasteful furnishings lend individuality to every room and enhance the original character of this elegant Hawke’s Bay estate. Quiet, independent climate control assures your comfort winter or summer, throughout the house.

Dining
Enjoy creative meals prepared by their on-site chef, with an emphasis on fresh, natural foods and local produce. Menus can be arranged to suit your preferences. Choose a wine from their extensive cellar of carefully selected New Zealand and international vintages.

At TRENZ 2011, Glen Aros is promoting the incredibly talented Nigel Marriage – a top chef with Michelin star experience. He is classically trained and has worked as Head Chef in some of the finest restaurants in Europe and New Zealand, including Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, John Burton-Race’s (of French Leave fame), The New Angel in Devon and Eight Point Two in Birkenhead Auckland.

Nigel enjoys using the vegetables and herbs from the kitchen garden at Glen Aros along with the wealth of locally grown produce available at the well-known Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market and the nearby port in Napier. The Glen Aros garden also has an olive grove and a vast range of fruit trees, including greengage plums, guavas, pomegranates, persimmons, figs, feijoas, gooseberries, black currants, apricots, artichokes and walnuts.

It sounds like a fabulous place.

Below is a link to an important joint news release from Tourism Industry Association New Zealand and Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism. (Click the link TWICE.)

RELEASE Canterbury at TRENZ 2011

Image Credit: Cape Kidnappers

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is one of New Zealand’s most renowned luxury lodges. It is set atop 6,000 acres of rolling pasture land of a real working farm and the internationally acclaimed Cape Kidnappers Golf Course.

The architecture of the lodge and the surrounding cottages is magnificent. Showcasing a marriage of river stone and weathered wood, the buildings combine rustic and textured materials with comfortable modern furniture. Each lodge
suite offers 5-star luxury accommodation and exceptional guest facilities. It is elegant, stylish, comfortable and casual all at once.

Image Credit: Cape Kidnappers

We had an incredible dinner in the dining room here. Our server, Karel, took such good care of us. It felt like we were the only ones in the dining room (which, of course, we weren’t).  It is a small menu – a few choices for each course – but Karel told us that if you stayed here for a week, you wouldn’t see the same menu twice. The food, the wine, the service, the atmosphere… it is all close to perfect here.

This is one of those places where words just don’t do it justice – check out the photos and see for yourself!

See Flickr for additional images.

Image Credit: Tourism New Zealand

Well, Paul and I are here in New Zealand. We just landed in Auckland after an easy 12-hour flight out of Los Angeles on Air New Zealand. While Air New Zealand flies out of Vancouver (our home city), we took the opportunity to fly out of LAX so we could meet with the Tourism New Zealand team based there.

We had a great flight. I am always surprised when people think travelling to New Zealand from North America takes a really, really long time. We were fortunate enough to fly Premium Economy, which is so comfortable and easy. We were on Air New Zealand’s new 777-300ER series plane, in the new Spaceseat. There was lots of room, an interactive screen where you can check out the menu and order snacks and drinks to your seat, play video games or watch any one of dozens of movies or TV shows.

We had a glass of lovely (and award winning) New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, watched a movie, and had a delicious dinner. The starter was cured and seared tuna with salad ratatouille and lobster dressing. For the main course, Paul had a tasty plate selection of balik smoked salmon, glazed confit of pork belly and sumac chicken and I had New Zealand lamb loin with lyonnaise potatoes, brocolini and tomato salsa. For dessert there was a double chocolate, cherry and pecan brownie, raspberry almond cake, meringue with citrus curd, blackberry and toasted rice. That was followed by (I know, I know – the food on our flight was amazing and plentiful) a selection of fine New Zealand cheese, grapes and apricots.

We then tucked ourselves in for a good night’s sleep. Air New Zealand provided us with a nice little travel kit with Pacifica skin cream, socks, eyeshades, and a toothbrush with the cutest little tub of toothpaste ever. I have to admit – I love little goodies like that. And, of course, the Air New Zealand flight attendants are the best ever. Friendly, helpful and, like a lot of Kiwis, full of fun! I don’t really like to admit it, but every time I fly to New Zealand, I have to be dragged off the plane… I just want to live there and be treated like a queen EVERY day of my life. Not just for a flight!

All kidding aside, Auckland is one of my favourite cities. It is New Zealand’s biggest city, with a population of 1,354,900. I have often heard Canadians say that Auckland reminds them of Vancouver. I can see that; it is like Vancouver, but different. Last year and the year before, TRENZ (New Zealand’s biggest travel trade show) was held in Auckland, so I have had the chance to spend some time in and around this great city. Wherever you stay in Auckland, you’re never far from breathtaking scenery, beautiful beaches, invigorating walks, idyllic holiday islands, excellent shopping, exciting nightlife and outstanding food and wine.

Auckland has a range of activities for tourists – from urban life to time in nature; there is something for everyone. Here is a great list of Auckland Must Dos.

We’re on our way to fabulous Waiheke Island, which is just a short 35-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland. More on Waiheke shortly… Our day begins with a wine tasting, then a beer tasting/lunch and a visit to an olive grove. Tough job we have!

Photo by Ian Trafford

Even though TRENZ doesn’t begin for about two months, we wanted to participate in the #Blog4NZ initiative. Below is a travel piece I recently wrote and thought readers of this blog would enjoy.

It has been said that if you know a country’s wine, you know the country. Spending time in one of New Zealand’s ten major wine growing regions allows visitors to learn a great deal about the country, the people and, of course, the wine!

Wine tours in the land of the long white cloud are highly popular and with boutique wineries found on both the North and South Islands, you’re never far from a good glass of wine. Wine growing regions in New Zealand include Northland, Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury/Waipara Valley and Central Otago.

New Zealand is a country that takes its enjoyment of wine seriously. So seriously, in fact, that wine enthusiasts can follow the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail – a 380-kilometre long self-driving touring route that covers both the North and South Islands. You don’t have to worry about getting lost, because along the way, there are road signs with images of grapes. No words, just a bunch of grapes. It’s like a little secret code for wine lovers.

On the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, visitors experience the real New Zealand complete with five regions that provide excellent boutique wines, gourmet food, charming small town life, sparkling coastal waterways and a thriving, busy and beautiful capital city.

While Tararua and Wellington aren’t wine regions themselves, they are part of the trail and connect Hawke’s Bay with its Syrah, the Wairarapa, known for Pinot Noir, and Marlborough with its iconic Sauvignon Blanc. Each of the wine regions is famous and offers fans of the grape the opportunity to experience several distinctive wine styles.

More than 230 wineries are found along the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail and an estimated 100 of them have a cellar door open to wine lovers. Visitors are always welcomed with world famous Kiwi warmth and friendliness. The wine trail works for both wine novices and those with more experience and knowledge. Know nothing about wine, they’re happy to share their wisdom; know plenty and an engaging discussion will ensue.

On the trail, you come across both large estates and smaller vineyards that make batches by hand. In most of New Zealand’s wineries, the emphasis is placed on quality rather than quantity.

The trail is a year-round experience with each season bringing a new and different adventure for the visitor. Many of the wineries can be found in close proximity to each other, making it ideal for visitors to stroll or cycle between them. No matter what time of year, there is always the opportunity to find treasure in a bottle on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail.

Here are some interesting stats from the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail:

• 6 farmers’ markets are along the trail and offer fresh seasonal produce for sample and sale. They also offer a great opportunity to meet the growers and locals.
• 25 female winemakers are along the trail. Jane Hunter is the most awarded female winemaker in New Zealand (Marlborough).
• 74 percent of New Zealand’s total annual wine production comes from the regions on the trail.
• 100 road signs on the main highways guide visitors through the regions of Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington and Marlborough.

This is always a sad post to write. It means that it’s really all over for another year. It is always a privilege to be the TRENZblog writer. The two weeks that I get to be in New Zealand are always busy. And I do mean BUSY! We’re talking 18-hour days, multiple interviews, activities and then getting the blog posts up in a timely fashion for you to read. And now that Twitter has become more popular, we’re tweeting on a regular basis too. It is definitely challenging. I come home in desperate need of sleep and don’t want to talk to anyone for at least two days. But I wouldn’t change a thing about it!

Each time we produce TRENZblog, I learn a few more things about the right way to travel. First off, that old adage about “packing half of what you think you need” is right. I had a very heavy suitcase (ok, that’s plural – suitcases!) and I didn’t need to bring that much clothing. Next time, I will travel with one small bag and that’s it! (Everyone at AHA is rolling on the floor laughing hysterically at the idea that I could ever not have too much luggage.)

I also had the opportunity to do some different things on this trip – including a coach tour through APT. I have to tell you it’s a stress-free and interesting way to travel! I am a pretty independent traveller and I wondered if I would like this approach. Well, let me tell you – I am sold. The only thing you need to worry about when you take this kind of freedom of choice coach tour is what activity you want to do (there are lots of choice) and what kind of wine to have with lunch!

Another tidbit that I learned is that if you really want to learn about a country or a city, go to the local farmers’ market or take a food tour. I took the Zest Food Tour in Wellington and checked out three local markets. They gave me a real sense of the place and the people – and everyone was so friendly.

And following on the food theme – especially in NZ where excellent food is the standard – finding a place that allows you to connect with the earth and have great food can be an amazing experience. The Wild Food Cooking School at Treetop Lodge (what a place!!) was a highlight for me.

Get out of your comfort zone!! One of my more extreme experiences included going to ZORB and rolling down the hill in a giant ball. It was something I will never forget. Now I can check that off my list and find another whacky thing to do since I have already bungy jumped twice. I am thinking that next year, maybe I should try the Ziptrek in Queenstown.

Get off the ground. While I didn’t have the opportunity this year, I did spend some time with the amazing women from Volcanic Air Safaris in Rotorua. Their tours sound incredible and I am keeping my fingers crossed that next year I get to check out the White Island Active Volcano Tour. Everyone I have spoken with that takes this tour raves about it!

And last but not least, expect to have life changing experiences. I had several while in New Zealand and while most of them started with a special moment in nature, what made them extraordinary could be directly traced back to the person I was with at that time.

I mentioned Tom Bryant of Abel Tasman AquaTaxi – you might remember him, he’s the one that made me eat bug pee! He also shared an important life lesson with me about living in the moment – all while bossing me around in a kayak! I spent time on a horse on a beach with Fiona of Pakiri Beach Horse Rides and that gave me a valuable connection to the world as well. Maori Chef Eru Tutaki at Treetops also opened my mind and my heart about the importance of connecting our food to Mother Nature and being appreciative and grateful for the bounty of the earth. Our volunteer guide Allison at Zealandia was so passionate about the work being done there, you couldn’t help but feel engaged.

Everywhere I turned in New Zealand, a stranger was reaching out and sharing something with me that made me see the world differently – better. They weren’t trying to impart some big picture wisdom of the ages; they were just being who they are and shared their special part of New Zealand with me.

Even at TRENZ, where they could only show me video or images and tell me about their tourism product, the passion and pride that tour operators – like the incredibly charming Kate of Dive Tutukaka – shared with me was inspiring. The people that share their piece of New Zealand with tourists do it because they have a passion for it. They know that it can create a lasting impact, something more than just a pretty picture and a checkmark on a bucket list. They do it because they want to find that special moment with people like you and me, where we share laughter or a quiet moment in awe of the beauty of the world we live in. Or perhaps we get the chance to watch a sea creature, land animal or bird in its natural environment and we feel that connection to other living things. They do it because we carry those memories with us as we go home and we call them up again and again to remind us of how very fortunate we are to be able to visit places like New Zealand.

As I say goodbye for another year, I want to say thank you to all of the people that went out of their way to help with this blog. Thank you to the teams at TIA and Tourism New Zealand – who have never once tried to edit me and who always go out of their way to provide leadership, guidance and support. And a big thank you goes out to the Kiwis who invited me to experience their world, took the time to tell me their stories, and shared extraordinary moments with me in a very special part of the world that I have grown to love.

I hope that this blog helped bring New Zealand and the incredible people I met there to life for you.

If you get a chance, go! I promise you – it will be the trip of a lifetime.

Until next year…Kia ora!

Ruth Atherley

Franklin Country is the ultimate lifestyle destination, combining relaxed country living with savvy city style – all just a short drive from Auckland.

Franklin Country is identified by its lush green boundaries and it features olive groves, vineyards and citrus orchards – which means visitors have a lot to taste!!!

There is horse trekking and jet sprinting. There are also a variety of markets, you can picnic in a secluded bay, paraglide over a black sand beach and shop in boutique style stores. I have to say, this sounds like it’s for me!

Franklin Country offers a diversity of experiences and clearly has something for everyone – from kids to parents to favourite aunties (like me!). Considered to be the adventure playground for Auckland, Franklin provides the opportunity to explore breathtaking scenery. And – a little known fact – this is an area that grows onions and potatoes that are exported worldwide.

Launched about a year ago, the Tourism Exchange has brought over 800 operators. They range from boutique accommodations to holiday parks, hotels, tour operators and attractions.

There is no cost to participate or to book operators via the Tourism Exchange. Resellers (buyers) you can set your distribution fee and your terms of payment.

The Tourism Exchange has a simple, secure online booking centre for traditional agents and a suite of white label options (and web services) for online distribution.