There's Romance in the Air

When Jason Mesnick’s time as ‘The Bachelor’ came to a finale in New Zealand with his proposal to Melissa Rycroft, it seemed like a nice, tidy ending. So when he dumped Melissa live on air and asked for runner-up Molly Malaney back, the USA gave an audible gasp. Recently, Jason and Molly returned to New Zealand to enjoy the land they fell in love with - off camera.

Jason and Molly return to Queenstown

Air New Zealand hosted Jason and Molly back to New Zealand on a special matchmaking flight. The couple visited Queenstown, the magical alpine town that captivated Jason and Molly during the television series. Here, without the whole world watching, Jason proposed to Molly and received the reply he was hoping for. "One day we're going to buy a place here", said Jason. "New Zealand is awesome and Queenstown is the best of the awesome."

Likely to last a while in their memories was a helicopter visit to Lake Quill, Fiordland for a champagne picnic. Jason and Molly were having lunch when they were visited by a group of kea - native mountain parrots known for their intelligence and curiosity. "They were nibbling on the champagne cork and they were biting into my shoe. It was hilarious!", said Jason.

While in Queenstown the couple also went jet boating and skydiving, just two of the many exhilarating adventures that travellers can enjoy in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Other popular activities in this region include lake cruising on a vintage steamer or classic yacht, kayak safaris on the Dart River and canyon swinging. In winter it’s all go on the local ski slopes - Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona and Treble Cone.

Island escape

Along with Milford Sound and Queenstown, Jason and Molly visited Waiheke Island, which is just 30 minutes from Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city.

Always a hit with travellers, Waiheke is an irresistible blend of farmland, forest, beaches, vineyards and olive groves - everything you need for the perfect day trip. Many of the wineries offer tastings and some have award-winning restaurants. Visitors to the island also enjoy browsing the local art. Waiheke is home to a thriving creative population - potters, painters, writers and sculptors. A particularly unique Waiheke adventure is Stony Batter - a massive underground tunnel network (built during WWII) that can be explored with a torch.

Phenomenal sights above and below ground

The Bachelor and his bride-to-be also visited the famous geothermal city of Rotorua and the nearby Waitomo Caves area. An excellent way to discover this part of New Zealand’s North Island is to follow the Thermal Explorer Highway touring route.

Beginning in Auckland, the route leads through the Waikato region to Waitomo, where the ground is riddled with ancient limestone caverns that are dripping with stalactites and stalagmites. Cave experiences here include everything from a quiet stroll along an underground walkway to a full-on spelunking adventure with abseils and squeezes.

Further on the Thermal Explorer Highway becomes geothermal and volcanic. Rotorua and Lake Taupo are seething with hot pools, fumaroles, simmering craters and boiling mud pools. One of the most relaxing ways to appreciate the abundant underground energy is at a day spa, where you can be enveloped in thermal mud, massaged with kiwi fruit and soaked senseless in a hot mineral pool.

At the southern end of the Thermal Explorer Highway - Napier and Hastings - there’s a world of wineries to explore. You can hire a bike and cycle from vineyard to vineyard, or get a driver and save all your energy for the exhaustive task of wine tasting. These cities are also a treasure trove of Art Deco, Stripped Classical and Spanish Mission architecture.

Want to follow Jason & Molly’s itinerary?

Here’s a quick look at what they got up to:

Day 1 - Arrive Auckland

Jason and Molly kicked off their vacation with a day trip to Waiheke Island with Ananda Tours to visit the wonderful boutique wineries and olive oil mills. They laid their heads to rest on their first night in New Zealand at the Sky City Grand in downtown Auckland.

Day 2 - Auckland to Waitomo

Next stop was Waitomo, just 2 hours south of Auckland. Jason and Molly spent the morning on the tour of Waitomo Glowworm Caves, lunched at Huhu Café, and spent their afternoon on The Black Labyrinth tour with The Legendary Black Water Rafting Company.

In the evening the couple drove to Rotorua and stayed at the gorgeous Peppers on the Point, a spectacular exclusive lakeside property surrounded by the sparkling waters of Lake Rotorua.

After an action packed day, the couple pampered themselves at the Polynesian Spa, voted by Conde Nast magazine as one of the the top 10 health spas of the world in 2009.

Day 3 - Rotorua to Queenstown

The next morning Jason and Molly visited the Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland on the way to Queenstown, one of New Zealand’s most colorful volcanic environments.

Then things got wild and cozy when they went Zorbing down a massive hill at high speeds with Zorb Rotorua, the home of this incredibly unique "globe riding" adventure activity.

On arrival in Queenstown, the couple checked in to Eichardt’s Private Hotel. The historic building is in the premium lakefront position at the heart of Queenstown’s café and restaurant precinct.

Day 4 - Queenstown/Milford Sound

Their romantic day began with a helicopter ride with The Helicopter Line to Milford Sound for a cruise, followed by another helicopter flight and picnic at Hidden Lakes in Fiordland. Finally, Jason and Molly’s big engagement took place at the beautiful grounds of the Kohara Lodge, an environmentally friendly house on the banks of the Shotover River - and also the same lodge they stayed at for their fantasy date on their first trip to New Zealand while shooting The Bachelor.

Day 5 - Queenstown

Sometimes coffee in the morning just isn’t enough. Jason and Molly woke up with skydives with Nzone. They both did exhilarating tandem jumps from 15,000ft above the most breathtaking scenery.

The couple kept the adrenaline rush going by jumping on the Shotover Jet, a thrilling jet boat experience that races through narrow canyons.

They ended the night with a well-deserved gourmet dinner at the popular Botswana Butchery.

Day 6 - Depart Queenstown

Very sad to leave the country they fell in love with, Jason and Molly departed for the US after an unforgettable trip to New Zealand.

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