Travel ideas for New Zealand - unique sights, worth Guinness records

Mysterious Moeraki Boulders occupy the leading position among the unique natural attractions of New Zealand. They’re situated near the village of the same name, at the picturesque sandy Koekohe Beach. When you see the huge rock formations of ideal spherical shape for the first time, it's difficult to assume that they are creations of entirely natural forces.
Strolling along the coast of 300 meters long you can find hundreds of perfectly round boulders. Their diameter varies and can range from 0.5 to 2.2 meters; stones also differ with their appearance. Surface of some of them is perfectly smooth, while the others are covered with very beautiful patterns strongly resembling of the turtle shell. Modern scientists have used all available technical stuff to explore these mysterious formations.
The result of research was quite expected; the stones represent a mixture of silt, sand and clay cemented by calcite. If the composition of the rock formations mayn't be called outstanding, their ideal shape is still a mystery. Fossilized dinosaur eggs, parts of alien ships and crashes of the mythical Arai-te-uru canoe are just a few versions that are used by people trying to explain this amazing natural phenomenon. A considerable part of scholars tend to think that boulders have begun to form on the ocean floor 60 million years ago and appeared on its surface after the gradual retreat of water. If you believe this version, than take into account that the formation of a single stone took about 5.5 million years. ... Complete sights collection

Sutherland Falls is, of course, one of the New Zealand Must See Waterfalls. It is located in the South Island outside the country and is among the world’s mightiest waterfalls. The rapid flow of water falls from a height of 580 meters. Sutherland Falls is the highest waterfall on the territory of Oceania which is not easily accessible. The way to it is rather complicated and goes through dense tropical forests. The waterfall is located on the territory of the unique natural Fiordland reserve. Walks through the reserve are very popular among active travellers and the adherents of ecotourism.
Sutherland Falls empties into the river Arthur, which sides are famous for the variety of vegetation and exotic inhabitants. Among the distinctive features of the beautiful waterfall the way of its formation is no less interesting. Torrents of water are the result of continuous melting of fjords. The waterfall originates from one of the mountain lakes. Like many other waterfalls, Sutherland Falls is especially beautiful and powerful in summer. Those hikers who visit the sight at this time have the opportunity to enjoy the diversity of the landscape, to see the beautiful rainbow and white clouds, which are formed next to the waterfall. ... Complete sights collection

Amazing and unique Fiordland National Park is the largest reserve in New Zealand. It has an area of 12500 square kilometres and it is here that the deepest lakes of the country, the thickest jungles and the highest mountains are located. Established in 1952, the reserve is subjected to scientific research. The inaccessibility of some of the remote areas makes the researches considerably more difficult.
Heavy rainfall can only complicate the situation, as it pours 200 days in the year. Such unique climatic conditions allow some plants to exist and develop successfully for hundreds of years. One can see rare silver notofagus, whose age is 800 years, in the reserve, ornithologists are attracted by hundreds of species of rare birds, including brown kiwi and yellow-crowned parakeet.
Fjords, which belong to protected area, are home to the world’s largest black corals of colonial type. The major tourist attractions are lake Te Anau and fjords Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound. Coastal areas provide a rare chance to see seabirds and rare species of penguines. Those who are afraid of exploring the rainforest, should know that Fiordland reserve is free of poisonous creatures and large predators. ... Complete sights collection

Ledge Urban Bangee is probably the best spa for extreme sports in New Zealand. This spa is popular with fans of skiing, rafting and alpinism, as well as among the tourists who like the jumps from the breathtaking heights. On the territory of the Kurzone is Kawarai Bridge, whose height is 47 meters. From this bridge the trailers of the Bunjee Jumping can jump.
According to one of the versions, Queenstown is home to this stunning entertainment. It is about the fact that Kawarai Bridge became the first official place for the jumps, which was opened in 1988. This is most likely that the supporters of this conversation unofficially jumped with the bungee in many other countries as well. The original entertainment was first legalized in Queenstown. Although today the height of the space accessible in New Zealand for jumps is incomparable with other platforms, Kawarai Bridge is nevertheless visited by thousands of tourists. The trip to Queenstown, on the legendary Ledge Urban Bangee spa, is an honor for real followers of Bunjee Jumping. ... Complete sights collection

The legendary radio and television tower Sky Tower is one of the landmarks of Auckland. Its visitors have an excellent opportunity to drive with the chic glass elevator and enjoy the panorama of the city from the height of 196 meters. Sky Tower is the fast-moving train and takes visitors to the last floor of the skyscraper in just 40 seconds. When you look at the transparent section of the floor and look down during the ascent, it seems that you fall into the abyss. The ride with the elevator will give a lot of the unforgettable impressions to the followers of the nerve kitzel.
The tourists, who like breathtaking entertainments, have a great selection of interesting recreation possibilities in the TeleTurm. The ride with the glass elevator is just one of them. On one of the viewing platforms there is the special jumping board for jumps with the fuse. For those who prefer quieter and romantic entertainment, the restaurants and bars in the tower can be admired, where you can enjoy not only the panorama of the city, but also the delicious specialties. ... Complete sights collection

The most unusual and bold design from WC in New Zealand is to be found in Queenstown, one of the city's most chic hotels - Sofitel Queenstown. On the first floor of the hotel is the original Manneroilette, designed by the famous designers Mark Perriam, Brett Tailor and Cam Marsh. According to her peculiar idea, the room above the pissoirs was adorned with the photos of women in full size. For the exclusive recording were the well-known photo-models invited.
They follow the men in front of the pissoirs using binoculars, spectacles and even measuring roulette in their hands. Since the opening of the unusual design toilets, the opinions of the visitors are quite different. Some men leave the toilet with an upbeat and good mood, while the other visitors make a dark face. ... Complete sights collection

Those who do not want to climb into the mountains in search of the cozy restaurant can walk in the surroundings of Auckland and find the romantic Café Yellow Treehouse in one of the picturesque forests. At first sight you can hardly recognize a restaurant. The café has the form of the small cocoon, which was built in height to the tree trunk. The authors of the original project were the architects from Pacific Environment Society. The cafe, which they presented, was opened as part of the environmental protection campaign.
The cozy café will definitely please those visitors who are looking for an original place for romantic dinners or who like to build tree houses in childhood. The cocoon restaurant built around the Sequoiestamm offers visitors the exquisite dishes, so the gourmets will not be disappointed.
Located at a height of 12 meters, the restaurant has a fairly small area and can only receive 18 visitors once. For the small table, guests can climb up the comfortable wooden staircase. When constructing the unusual café, only the environmentally friendly materials were used. Guests wishing to organize a romantic dinner or a celebration in Yellow Treehouse should take into account that the table in the restaurant can only be ordered in advance. There are always very many visitors in the restaurant, so you have to book the table in advance. ... Complete sights collection

In New Zealand is an amazing cave of Waitomo, also known under the unofficial name of the Cave of Fireflies. It is tiny fireflies that cover the vault and walls of the cave and make the atmosphere in it special. The flickering of a thousand tiny dots resembles the flickering of stars in the night sky. Travellers from all over the world come to admire this amazing natural phenomenon. A popular cave in New Zealand is inhabited by a special kind of mosquito Arachnocampa luminosa, which live exclusively in caves and grottoes.
The extraordinary flickering of thousands of insects is just one of the wonders that can be seen in the walls of the Waitomo cave. The larvae of mosquitoes attach the finest threads to the walls of the cave, which are covered with drops of sticky liquid. Mosquitoes highlight these elegant "beads" and, thus, attract other insects that feed on them. Thus, in the cave there is an amazing form of life, which almost does not border life on the surface of the earth.
The Witomo Glowworm Caves is the only cave in the world in which natural light is taking place. The discoverer of the unusual cave is an English explorer Fred Mays, who discovered it in 1887. He explored the area, accompanied by the leader of the Maori Tana Tinorau. About the amazing phenomenon of nature Aborigines learned much earlier than Europeans. There is a cave on the North Island, in the territory of the Waikato region. According to scientists, it is one of the oldest on the planet, the age of the cave is several million years. ... Complete sights collection

The famous caves of Waitomo are located in New Zealand. Their features can’t be explained by anything except a miracle. The fact is that these caves are inhabited by rare species of fireflies that can be found only in New Zealand. These tiny creatures light up the arch and dark caves, making them look like a starry sky. Travelers come from all over the world to New Zealand to admire this amazing natural phenomenon. Afterwards, another unique surprise is waiting for tourists.
There are lakes in the caves, so you can move only by boat. That makes the tour even more unique. Amazing caves are one of the main attractions of the country. The nature has been working on them for millions of years. Once, the place was occupied by the ocean. Its waters washed the land for years and created a complex system of underground tunnels. Waitomo Caves have other amazing features except fireflies. Some grottoes are notable for a great variety of different formations of limestone.
Looking around the walls of caves, you can see skeletons of fish and shells in the limestone. That’s a reminder of the once dominant marine element. In some caves, nature has created an ideal environment for the life and reproduction of Arachnocampa Luminosa fireflies. As scientists believe, fireflies glow for a very simple reason - when they are hungry. Thus, they lure other insects that tend to fly to their silky nets. During the tour along caves, it’s forbidden to talk loudly, as sounds can scare the fireflies and then they will cease to glow. ... Complete sights collection

New Zealand can boast with Waiotapu Valley of Geysers known to the whole world. It is able to surprise with its unique formations, and a variety of unearthly landscape. The area of ​​the valley is about 18 square km. The name literally translates from the Maori language as a holy water. The territory is under the protection of the state from 1931. Now, travelers can visit the only part of the valley called Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland.
The most famous formation of the valley is Lady Knox Geyser. Guests of the reserve can observe its eruption every day; it starts promptly at 10-15 am. An eruption is caused artificially. Soapy water is poured into the muzzle, then the geyser begins to throw water jets up to 20 meters high. An eruption lasts about an hour.
The most famous and impressive among hot springs located in the valley is the Champagne Pool. This spring is characterized by abundant carbon dioxide emissions that make the water in it bubble like a champagne. All hot springs of the valley differ with a unique chemical composition that gives spectacular color tints. Limestone rocks along the banks of some of the geysers are painted in deep orange color, and other springs may have bright yellow hue. All these landscapes may seem incredible to ordinary tourists, who are far from the in-depth study of chemistry and geology. ... Complete sights collection