Christchurch - Canterbury

No visit to New Zealand is complete without laying eyes on a kiwi – the flightless, feathered icon that leads a list of rare native species found nowhere else on the planet.

Set-jetting movie buffs on the trail of favourite characters will find plenty to do in the iconic New Zealand landscapes that have supported many Hollywood blockbusters and international hits.

While Sir Edmund Hillary became one of the world’s most famous explorers, his mountaineering days began close to home on the slopes of Aoraki Mount Cook in New Zealand.

New Zealand’s southern hemisphere ski fields – renowned for spectacular mountain terrain, postcard scenery, varied snow trails, and popular resorts – are gearing up for the winter 2011 season.

New Zealand is the homeland of star Hollywood actors, including Russell Crowe, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin, Temuera Morrison, Cliff Curtis and Keisha Castle-Hughes.

New Zealand writers often invoke the familiar landscapes and culture of their homeland, and their words have inspired many armchair travellers to take off on a real holiday of discovery.

Sweet as ... girls can do just about anything they desire or imagine in New Zealand.

New Zealand might be best known for its award-winning wines, but Kiwis are also beer drinkers and have developed a discerning palate that has prompted a boutique brewery boom.

Wetlands are not only crucial to the environment, they also offer an attractive landscape for conservationists and tourists to explore – especially in New Zealand.

Keen on whale watching and seal spotting? There’s no better time than winter and New Zealand’s extensive coast offers endless opportunities.