There are a lot of amazing places in this world which are worth seeing. One of those mesmerizing places is New Zealand, comprised of two islands namely North Island and South Island. It is a matter of great wonder how a small country like New Zealand has so much to offer as a visual destination.
From snow-filled peaks of mountains to fish flowing rivers, from thick forests to beaches and glaciers, New Zealand is an environmentally aware country. The people with their backpacks every year aim to visit this beautiful country.
Whether it is rural fields or urban cities, the country has diverse offerings to anyone coming with a touch of zeal and zest. It also offers a lot of camping locations.
Following are considered as the top places for tourists, if you are visiting New Zealand:
Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef Glacier is located on the west coast of the South Island situated in New Zealand. It is as long as 12km.
The traditional name of this glacier is “The tears of Hine Hukatere “. This name has a story associated with it which says that the character Hine Hukatere had a passion for mountain climbing so she convinced her lover to accompany her through the journey. Her lover named Wawe was not a good climber. During the hard climb, unfortunately, he slipped to death.
The tradition says she wept for long with a lot of tears, the tears were so large in number that they formed a glacier while coming down from the mountain.
It is estimated that around 250,000 tourists visit Franz Josef glacier which is one of the main tourist attractions of the country.
Although guided and unguided walks along the glacier are available, it is suggested to take the guided route. Helicopter rides are also available as a safe path to the glacier. The tourists are also advised to take certain equipment with them which comes in handy through the walk. This specialized equipment is available with tourist companies for the people.
There is a village by the name of Franz Joseph which is situated 5km away from the glacier. It has a petrol station and a heliport as well for the convenience of tourists.
Waiotapu
Waiotapu also known as Sacred waters is located in Taupo Volcanic Zone of NewZealand. It is described as a proper geothermal location.
It is situated 27Kms south of Rotorua. The whole area of this location is about 18Km. It has been so many years that this area is serving as a tourist location. It has been protected and preserved since 1931.
This area is known for having several colored springs due to multiple dramatic changes that took place beneath the earth. The trekking paths along Waiotapu provide a perfect relaxing walk opportunity after a long day hike.
The NewZealand Highway 38, which is a road connecting central north island and east coast also begins at Waiotapu.
Tongariro National Park
Located in the Central part of North Island, Tongariro National Park is considered as the oldest park in New Zealand. It is known to be the sixth park that came into establishment in the world.
Having diverse natural as well as cultural values, the Tongariro National Park is officially considered as the world heritage site by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
Several small towns are located at the boundary of the Tongariro National Park. Tongariro Alpine Crossing inside the park is considered to be one of the best hikes as a one-day hike.
The national park is covered by Temperate Zone that is between tropics and polar regions of Earth. The average temperature is around 13°C, which can get as high as 25 °C and as low as -10 °C.
The Tongariro National Park has many locations that are famous due to the filming of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands is known for its bog fishing event not only in NewZealand but all over the world. This event was mentioned in 1930 by an author Zane grey. It is situated at the northernmost side of the North Island.
The area of Bay is like an irregular shape of around 15km to 16km which is surrounded by a harbor. The bay of islands is also famous for sailing yachts during the cruises. As per records, the famous Charles Darwin also visited the Bays back in 1935.
Recently a new boat with a fast pace has been introduced which takes tourists into the hole of rock at the end of bays. This service started in 2019
Milford Sound
Milford sound is considered as one of the most popular tourist destinations of New Zealand. Another honor associated with it is that Milford Sound is declared as the World’s top tourist destination in a survey which was filled by tourists from all over the world in 2018.
The beauty of this place is so captivating that the famous novelist named Rudyard Kipling declared this place to be the 8th wonder of the world.
It is named after Milford Haven in Wales. It is famous for its scenery with peaks in the background and space filled with dark blue waters. The place also serves as a home for marine mammals with diverse variety.
As far as climate is concerned, Milford Sound is not only considered as the wettest place of New Zealand but of the whole world. The exciting flights via small aircrafts or helicopters are also offered from and towards Milford Sound Airport.
The maximum amount of rain can be up to 250mm during a span of 24hour. Milford Sound welcomes around 1 million tourists in one year. So one should have an umbrella in order to explore this place to the fullest.
Conclusion
Exploring the world has been one of the greatest desires of human beings, which led to the development of the tourism industry. This industry has become so big and important that today economies of many countries depend on it.
There are many places in this world yet to be explored and discovered by us. New Zealand is a country known by its diverse backdrops and attractive tourist spots.
Tourism contributes a major part in the economy of New Zealand. It creates new ways to generate employment and opens up diverse business opportunities. New Zealand and its tourist spots have been going through a continuous evolution and the country is now rebranding its strengths and finding new ways of developing tourism.