With nearly 16,000 km (10,000 miles) of coastline,
it’s almost impossible to escape the sea in New Zealand. But with stunning bays
and islands, sheltered harbours, mountain fiords and lakes, who would want to
avoid it?
Auckland is known the world over as the 'city of sails' and white sailcloth is always on show in its unique dual harbour situation - the city is sandwiched on a narrow isthmus between the Manukau and the Waitemata harbours. Visitors can even sail on two former America’s Cup yachts, NZL40 and NZL41.
Wellington Harbour
Wellington holds the distinction of being one of the
windiest cities in the world, giving it a special attraction for sailors. New
Zealand's capital city sits in a ‘river of wind’, with the Cook Strait between
the North and South islands creating a wind corridor that sweeps into its
harbour. The capital city’s wide and deep harbour enfolds many bays that are
perfect for dinghy and board sailing, and it is home to 13 yacht clubs.
Wellington has also been a stopover in the Volvo Ocean Race as the fleet sailed
through Cook Strait on the way to the Southern Ocean.
Marlborough Sounds
It’s been called one of the world’s best-kept
maritime secrets. The Marlborough Sounds, at the top of the South Island, is a
labyrinth of islands, bays, coves and waterways fringed by native forest. A
collection of drowned river valleys, the Marlborough Sounds is a sanctuary for
some of New Zealand’s endangered wildlife - South Island robins, fur seals and
the Hector’s, dusky and bottlenose dolphins.
-------HoHo Tips---------
Visa procedure: One may forward their application to
the TT office in Mumbai or Delhi, which will then be directed to Immigration
New Zealand. A visitor visa for New Zealand is processed within 15 working
days. www.immigration.govt.nz
More such amazing experiences on our facebook group Hop On and Hop Off
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Roberton Island is home to the luxury Cook's Cove retreat, one of only five houses on the island and a stunning eco-friendly, self-sustaining getaway. Credit: www.northlandnz.com |
Sailing around New Zealand's endless coast and
looking back to the land from the water, puts an entirely new perspective on
the landscape. The maritime reserves in the Bay of Islands, the Hauraki Gulf
and Marlborough Sounds are among the most beautiful cruising spots in the
world. Fiordland, on the southern west coast, with its deep fiords and glacial
lakes is one of the most unique sailing venues on the planet.
Bay of Islands, Northland
An idyllic group of 144 islands in the semi-tropical
northern North Island, the Bay of Islands is rated as one of the world’s best
cruising spots. It’s usually the first port of call for hundreds of yachts
dropping down from the tropics in the cyclone season. Secluded white-sand
beaches are everywhere, and seafood — snapper, John Dory, mussels and kina (sea
eggs) — is plentiful. It’s also famed for its big game fishing - American
novelist Zane Grey dubbed these waters ‘the angler’s El Dorado’.
Every year, competitive yachters sail from Auckland
to Russell, the ‘capital’ of the Bay of Islands, in the country’s most popular
inshore race, the 120-mile Coastal Classic.
Hauraki Gulf, Auckland
Visitors are awestruck to find a maritime paradise
such as the Hauraki Gulf (on Auckland’s eastern border) so close to a major
city. To the other side, the rugged west coast is the ideal spot for surfing,
kite-boarding and land yachting. There are 47 islands dotted around the Hauraki
Gulf Maritime Park — some like Waiheke and the volcanic peak of Rangitoto —
less than an hour away under sail. Other islands, like Tiritiri Matangi and
Little Barrier, are refuges for rare and endangered wildlife. Dolphins, whales,
orca and blue penguins can be seen playing in the sparkling waters of the Gulf.
Great Barrier Island, with its peaceful sandy beaches, is a dark sky sanctuary
by night.Auckland is known the world over as the 'city of sails' and white sailcloth is always on show in its unique dual harbour situation - the city is sandwiched on a narrow isthmus between the Manukau and the Waitemata harbours. Visitors can even sail on two former America’s Cup yachts, NZL40 and NZL41.
The Volvo Ocean Race — the world's premier offshore
sailing event — has also made Auckland a vital port-of-call during its global
circumnavigation. The Volvo last stopped over in Auckland in 2015, and will do
so again in 2018. In 2014, it was the halfway stopover port for the grueling,
round-the-world Global Ocean Race.
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Famed Hole in the Rock in the Bay of Islands Credit: Northland Inc Tourism |
Wellington Harbour
Nelson Tasman — Golden Bays
With its sunny climate and tendency for warm
afternoon sea breezes, the Nelson Tasman coastal region is a Kiwi sailing
mecca. Tasman Bay is famed as the place where Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in
1642 first sighted the land of New Zealand. Tasman was chased away by the
formidable local Maori population but these days there's a friendly welcome for
sailors exploring the gentle coastline of temperate beaches with a snow-capped
alpine backdrop.
Abel Tasman National Park is a beautiful coastal
destination for relaxed holiday sailing: charter a yacht - with or without crew
- and explore golden beaches, secluded island coves and azure blue waters, home
to seals, dolphins, seabirds and occasional orca.
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Waiheke Island, New Zealand, is a tranquil island destination within sight but far from the buzz of New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland. Credit: Kieran Scott |
Marlborough Sounds
The wreckage of the Russian cruise ship Mikhail
Lermontov has become an artificial reef perfect for divers.
Fiordland — The Southern Fiords
Fiordland, in the south-west corner of the South
Island, is like nowhere else in New Zealand, a World Heritage Site with inlets
from the Tasman Sea running into unspoilt, primeval forest and lakes gouged out
by huge glaciers. In Milford Sound,
described by Rudyard Kipling as the ‘Eighth wonder of the world’, mountains
rise out of the water, and boats can sail under huge rock overhangs and
cascading waterfalls. Doubtful Sound is the deepest of the fiords (421m) and a
haven for bottlenose dolphins, fur seals and crested penguins. Just over the
mountain pass on the way to Milford Sound, Lake Te Anau is the country’s second
largest lake.-------HoHo Tips---------
Airline connections: Connecting
flights to New Zealand are available on Singapore Airlines/Air New Zealand,
Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines with stop-overs in their
respective hubs. New Zealand’s
international gateways are Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
Domestic services: You can fly between all New
Zealand cities and most major towns using domestic air services. Air New
Zealand and Jetstar are the main providers. Their services are complemented by
regional airlines, charter companies and scenic flight operators.
For more information, visit
www.newzealand.com
More such amazing experiences on our facebook group Hop On and Hop Off
Follow us on instagram: @hoponandhopoff
Twitter: @hoponandhopoff
Aller avec la famille est toujours aventureux. Notre blog est rempli d'expériences aventureuses de ce type. Si vous aimez lire un blog de voyage, vous pouvez visiter notre site Web. tour du monde en famille
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