Battle Royale: The North Island Vs The South Island

The folks over at the Hostelbookers blog have pitted New Zealand’s North Island against the South Island in a tourism battle Royale.

Here’s an excerpt:

Because New Zealand is divided into North Island and South Island, many feel they need to choose between the two. But how to decide? Our handy North Island v South Island guide will help you pick what you want to get out of your New Zealand trip. There’s plenty of one-upmanship going on. South Island skiing wins hands down, but with major cities like Wellington and Auckland North Island will appeal to the culture vultures.

There’s also a lot of crossover. Marlborough on the South Island might be the largest wine region in New Zealand but Hawkes Bay and Gisbourne on the North Island come in at a very respectful second place. The North Island is generally more popular because Auckland is the primary international airport for New Zealand.

Read the rest here.

Kiwi Teens Survives 50 Days Lost at Sea

This story almost reads like the plot to The Life of Pi – minus the lion. A group of boys from New Zealand have survived a record 50 days adrift at sea.

From Gadling:

Three New Zealand teenagers believed to have been lost at sea more than a month and a half ago, were found alive aboard their small boat on Wednesday. The boys were described as being physically depleted, having lost a lot of weight and suffering from dehydration, but mentally strong and upbeat.

Samuel Pelesa and Filo Filo, both age 15, along with Edward Nasau, age 14, were lost at sea in early October while attempting to row between two islands in the New Zealand region of Tokelau. When the three boys failed to arrive at their destination, a massive search was conducted, but no sign of the missing teens was ever discovered. 50 days later they were spotted by a tuna boat in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean to the northeast of Fiji, more than 800 miles from where they had started.

The lost boys survived by catching fish from the ocean and eating a seagull that landed on their boat. They also caught rainwater to drink, although when they were discovered, they hadn’t had rain for several days, and had resorted to drinking water from the sea, something that contributed to their dehydration.

Source.

Travel Guide – Auckland, New Zealand

http://www.WatchMojo.com presents: A helpful travel guide for anyone planning on visiting the city of Auckland, New Zealand.

Things to See and Do in Wellington New Zealand

This is a great post from the folks over at BrilliantTips on some of the coolest things to see and do in Wellington, New Zealand.

Here’s an excerpt:

One of my favorite spots in the world is Wellington, New Zealand. Surrounded by rolling hills, the city sits on the edge of a stunning harbor. It is renowned for its compact size making it an ideal walking city. When I visited Wellington, I walked and walked and walked, thoroughly enjoying a city that has much to offer. Here is a list of some of my favorite things to do in Wellington, New Zealand:

Cable Cars – One of Wellington’s most famous attractions are the cable cars. The cars run from Lambton Quay in the commercial heart of the city to the top of Upland Road where the Lookout, Carter Observatory, Planetarium and Cable Car Museum are located. The view from the lookout and the walk back down through the gardens and historic Bolton Street cemetery are the highlights.

Read the Rest Here.

New Zealand Expecting Record Year for Cruises

According to MercoPress, New Zealand is expecting record numbers of Tourists for the 2010-2011 season. Projections are putting nearly 140,000 passengers this season.

From the article:

New Zealand’s 2010-2011 cruise season is expected to bring in close to 140,000 passengers and over 56,000 crew with an estimated contribution to New Zealand’s GDP of NZD 223 million. At this rate, the cruise sector will overtake China as New Zealand’s fourth largest inbound tourism market which is forecast at 124,000 visitors for 2011, according to New Zealand’s Ministry of Economic Development.

Princess Cruises is the most active player in New Zealand’s cruise sector and will ply the waters with its affiliated brands of Holland America, Carnival Australia, Carnival UK, Cunard Line and Yachts of Seabourn; amongst other cruise lines.

Read the rest here.

 

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