KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
NEW ZEALAND
Capital: Wellington
Population: 4,401,916 million
Form of Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Official language: English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language
Monetary unit: New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Time Zone: GMT +13:00 hours
Major Rivers: Whanganui and Manawatu
Major Mountain Ranges: Southern Alps, Kaikoura Ranges
New Zealand is a small country with a big heart. The people have a unique history, a vibrant culture and there’s so much to do – much of it outdoors in the famously beautiful natural scenery. Because of its remote location, New Zealand is rich in unusual wildlife not seen anywhere else in the world.
New Zealand is a remote, mountainous group of islands in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The two main islands, North and South Islands, are separated by the Cook Strait. Australia, its nearest neighbour, is 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) away.
The islands were created just 23 million years ago when land was thrust out of the ocean by volcanic forces. New Zealand has more than 50 volcanoes, some of which are still active today. Sharp snowy peaks, rocky shores, and pastures create a majestic landscape.
The Maori people arrived by canoe from islands in Polynesia near Tahiti around 1,000 A.D. In the 1600s, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman visited the islands, but his party left after being attacked. New Zealand was named Nieuw Zeeland after a region in the Netherlands.
In 1769, Captain James Cook came to the islands. The British established settlements and signed a treaty with the Maori in 1840. The Maori protested the treaty after their lands were seized, and in the 1860s, they began a 12-year war against the British for control of North Island. Peace was restored to the islands in the 1870s.
In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote. The country became a dominion of Britain in 1907 and gained its independence from Britain in 1947.
With a patchwork history of Māori, European, Pacific Island and Asian cultures, New Zealand has become a melting-pot population – but one with some uniting features that make it unique in the world. New Zealanders, or “Kiwis” as they are called, have been shaped by their isolation. Today, most Kiwis are no longer farmers, with 86 percent of the population living in cities. More people live in the city of Auckland on North Island than the whole population of South Island.
The Maori named the country Aotearoa, “The Land of the Long White Cloud.” The Maori culture is widely respected by New Zealanders and many parcels of land under dispute were returned to the Maori in 1998. Māori are the tangata whenua, the indigenous people, of New Zealand. They came here more than 1000 years ago from their mythical Polynesian homeland of Hawaiki. Today Māori make up 14% of the population and their history, language and traditions are central to New Zealand’s identity.
Do the Haka
The haka is a type of ancient Māori war dance traditionally used on the battlefield, as well as when groups came together in peace. Haka are a fierce display of a tribe’s pride, strength and unity. Actions include violent foot-stamping, tongue protrusions and rhythmic body slapping to accompany a loud chant. The words of a haka often poetically describe ancestors and events in the tribe’s history.
Today, haka are still used during Māori ceremonies and celebrations to honour guests and show the importance of the occasion. This includes family events, like birthdays and weddings.
Haka are also used to challenge opponents on the sports field. You may have seen a haka performed by New Zealand’s All Blacks before a rugby match? You’ll probably agree that it’s a terrifying sight to behold!
To know what time it is no matter where you are, this is a great site that can help you keep track!
Fresh, diverse and delicious, Kiwis love their food. While you’re in New Zealand, seek out a couple of the following quintessential Kiwi foods:
Roast Lamb – Succulent and tender, roast lamb is a Kiwi favourite. New Zealand lamb is held in high esteem throughout the world and is one of the country’s top export meats.
Fish & chips – Best enjoyed while sitting on a New Zealand beach on a balmy summer evening, Fish & chips is a bonafide Kiwi favourite. Freshly caught snapper, terakihi and hoki are the most common types of fish used, which are then battered and deep-fried. See pronunciation notes below in the Language section.
Hokey pokey – New Zealand’s favourite ice cream flavour, vanilla with toffee bits.
Pavlova – Also known as ‘pav’, this iconic New Zealand dessert consists of baked meringue topped with cream and fruit (but Australia also lies claim to inventing it!).
Flat white – coffee with one third espresso, two thirds steamed milk and a touch of froth.
Long black – Americano coffee with no milk.
Crayfish – New Zealand rock lobster, delicious!
Green-lipped mussels – larger and meatier than those farmed in North America.
Lamingtons – a sponge cake, coated in raspberry or chocolate then sprinkled with shredded coconut (another local treat contested with Australia!).
Whitebait fritters – a tiny fish, prepared in a simple combination of eggs, flour and whitebait, fried like an omelette and then topped with lemon, salt and pepper. Whitebait season is August through September.
Manuka honey – produced from bees collecting pollen from the manuka tree, it has the reputation of producing all sorts of health
Burgers - traditional toppings for burgers in NZ include sliced beetroot and a fried egg
New Zealand is no more dangerous than other developed countries, but take normal safety precautions, especially after dark on city streets and in remote areas.
- Kiwi roads are often made hazardous by map-distracted tourists, wide-cornering campervans and traffic-ignorant sheep.
- Major fault lines run the length of NZ, causing occasional earthquakes.
- Avoid leaving valuables in vehicles: theft is a problem, even in remote areas.
- New Zealand’s climate is unpredictable: hypothermia is a risk in high-altitude areas.
- At the beach, beware of rips and undertows, which can drag swimmers out to sea.
- New Zealand’s sandflies are an itchy annoyance. Use repellent in coastal and lakeside areas.
New Zealand has a largely temperate climate. While the far north has subtropical weather during summer, and inland alpine areas of the South Island can be as cold as -10 C in winter, most of the country lies close to the coast, which means mild temperatures, moderate rainfall, and abundant sunshine.
Because New Zealand lies in the Southern Hemisphere, the average temperature decreases as you travel south. The north of New Zealand is subtropical and the south temperate. The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest June, July and August. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20 – 30ºC and in winter between 10 – 15ºC.
Check the weather in New Zealand when you will be travelling:
New Zealand poses minimal health risks to travellers. Diseases such as malaria and typhoid are unheard of, poisonous snakes and other dangerous animals are absent, and there are currently no dangerous insect-borne diseases. The biggest risks to travellers involve exploring the great outdoors: hikers must be clued-up on rapidly changing weather and diligent about sharing any plans to visit remote areas. Drivers must be very careful on NZ's notoriously winding, often-narrow roads.
Always talk with your health-care provider prior to travel. Government of Canada advice can be found here.
Yes, they do speak English in New Zealand, but when you first arrive you may not think so. One characteristic of the way Kiwis speak is the shortening of words. Their usage of language is very economical (and, in that sense, efficient) and they will abbreviate pretty much any word they can. Kiwis watch telly (television), visit their rellies (relatives), eat brekkie (breakfast), and wear their sunnies (sunglasses) if it’s sunny in the arvo (afternoon).
You are also likely to come across people that will say “cheers” to you without a glass in their hands. They’re not making an imaginary toast – “cheers” is a kiwi way of saying “thanks” or a casual goodbye.
A few years ago, the adventures of a whale that woke up on a New Zealand beach went viral on You Tube and the words “I’m beached as, bro!”, said with a thick kiwi accent, were in everyone’s mouths (and on some people’s t-shirts).The short /i/ vowel that causes kiwis to have “fush and chups” instead of “fish and chips” for dinner will also be new to your ears.
Another distinctive characteristic of the Kiwi accent is the high-rising intonation at the end of sentences, even though they’re meant as statements rather than questions. A kiwi friend describing a visit to a shop might say: “So I went there? And had a look around? And couldn’t find anything?”
Kiwis speak in a very relaxed way – if you pay attention, the lips of a person with a strong kiwi accent hardly move – which can work as a reflection of their own outlook on life: laid back, relaxed and with a genuine “she’ll be right” attitude.
And don’t get us started on Maori place names! Wanna meet up at Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu?
As of October 1, 2019, NZ requires Canadians and Americans to purchase an 'Electronic Travel Authority'.
Like Australia, it is an electronic version that takes less than 5 minutes to obtain. You will need the following:
- a valid passport that you will use to travel to New Zealand
- a credit card or debit card (Visa or Mastercard), the fee is $12NZD
- an email address.
There is also a mandatory International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD $35. The IVL was introduced as the number of visitors coming to New Zealand has grown strongly over the past few years and growth is expected to continue. The IVL is your contribution to maintaining the facilities and natural environment you will use and enjoy during your stay.
If you don’t hold a Canadian or American passport, then you can look at visa options here.
After you’ve cleared passport control, you should collect your baggage and proceed through customs and biosecurity checks. In order to protect New Zealand and its environment, certain items are not allowed to be brought into the country, have restrictions for entry or must be declared if they are deemed to present a biosecurity risk. These include food, plants, animal products and outdoor recreational equipment.
Your baggage may be sniffed by a detector dog and/or x-rayed, and it may be searched to identify any risk goods you might be carrying.
To avoid penalties it is best to familiarise yourself with these guidelines prior to travel. For a detailed list of prohibited, restricted or declarable items, please visit Ministry for Primary Industries (biosecurity agency).
For golfers, it is critical that your clubs and shoes are clean and free from dirt or turf. If not, your equipment could be confiscated.
For New Zealand the main plug type used is I. Plug type I has two flat, oblique blades that form an inverted V, and a grounding blade. New Zealand uses a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Finding an adapter that works best isn’t always easy since there is a lot of choice. Here is a great article on the Top 5 Travel Adapters that suit different needs.
New Zealanders are a laid-back, modest bunch as a whole – exercising the usual good manners will help endear you to the locals.
- Greetings Shake hands when meeting someone for the first time, and look people in the eye. Always say hello and shout a 'thanks' when getting on and off a bus.
- Māori Customs Adhere to strict Māori protocols if visiting marae (meeting-house complexes). Otherwise respectful behaviour goes a long way, as always.
- Invitations If you're invited to dinner or a barbecue at someone's house, bring some wine, beer, food or a bunch of flowers.
Country code for New Zealand: +64
City codes: Auckland (0)9, Taupo (0)7, Other cities (0)3
Tipping
New Zealand has been described as having a “true” merit-based tipping culture.
Tipping is entirely discretionary and offered in appreciation of good service. Employees do not depend on gratuities for their income, nor are service charges routinely added to bills. You should not feel obliged to tip tour guides, waiters or concierge, it is however appropriate and always appreciated where the service has been exceptional.
The amount is at the discretion of the tipper and would generally be in the range of 10% according to the value of the meal/services. Round up taxi fares to the nearest couple of dollars. $1 or $2 per case delivered to your room by porters.
Hospitality and service staff in New Zealand are often students or part-time workers and even professionals are not paid well comparative to other countries. Wait staff in cafes/restaurants do get paid a higher hourly rate than their North American counterparts. All incomes in NZ are subject to minimum wage requirements set by the Government.
Bach – Pronounced “batch”. A small holiday home, classically found at the beach or by a lake; also called a crib in the south island.
Bugger all – Very little, e.g. I bought this book for bugger all.
Capsicum – Bell pepper
Chilly bin – Polystyrene box to keep food and beer cold
Chippies – Potato chips or crisps
Chippy – Builder
Chocka – Full
Crook – Sick
Dairy – Convenience store, sometimes called ‘the corner dairy’
Heaps – A lot, e.g. They say “sweet as” heaps of times.
Jandals – Flip-flops. A ubiquitous Kiwi fashion choice.
Kia ora – Maori for hello.
Kiwi – A flightless bird, or a native New Zealander
Kiwifruit – Small, brown skinned green fleshed fruit, high in vitamin C!
Knackered – Very tired.
Good on ya, mate! – Congratulations, well done or good for you.
Gumboots – Waterproof rubber boots, also known as ‘gummies’
Haere mai – Welcome
Hangi – Traditional Maori cooking method using an underground earth oven
Hokey Pokey – New Zealand’s favourite ice cream flavour, vanilla with honeycomb toffee bits
Motu – Island
Pakeha – New Zealander of European descent
Pavlova – Iconic New Zealand dessert: a baked meringue topped with cream and fruit
Pinky Bar – Chocolate bar with marshmallow centre
Puke – Hill
Ta – Thanks
Togs – Bathing suit
Tomato sauce – Ketchup
She’ll be right – It will be ok. The “she” here refers to no female in particular – just things in general.
Sweet as, bro! – That’s great. You’re likely to hear this one many times because, as far as my experience can tell, everything is always “sweet as” for kiwis.
Tiki tour – Scenic route
Togs – Swimsuit
Whanga – Harbour, bay
Wop-wops – In the middle of nowhere, equivalent to the boondocks.
Yonks – Forever, a long time
You never know what's going to happen, and as a result, we always highly recommend Trip Cancellation Insurance, particularly during these uncertain times.
In large part, we view trip cancellation insurance as covering you if you have to cancel due to health reasons, for you or your immediate family - for example, if you break an ankle or have an elderly parent - or catch covid and cannot travel. Coverage will also kick-in should you need to quarantine in location due to catching covid on your trip.
We would be happy to arrange trip cancellation insurance for you - please get in touch with us if you have any questions about insurance, or to get a quote.
