A holiday in Wellington is a getaway in New Zealand’s vibrant cultural core. A small city of only a couple of hundred thousand, Wellington is New Zealand’s heartland; a bijou capital of arts, gourmet culture and award-winning wineries on its doorstep.
You know you’re somewhere special when the population takes equal pride in its coffee and its earthquakes. That’s Wellington; a confident, outgoing city with attitude. Where else could you enjoy breakfast in a Communist inspired cafe before indulging in virtual bungee jumping in a museum? Where else would Parliament House be perched on layers of high-density rubber to soak up vibrations from the earthquake fault line just half a kilometre away? Check it out when you’re there.
The best way to discover Wellington is on foot. You can walk from one end of town to the other in half an hour and you’ll be captivated by the variety of attractions in this compact space. Restaurants and bars present an unrivalled dining experience; from fine-dining flash to cheap and cheerful cafe snacks, the fare is a mish-mash reflecting Wellington's cultural diversity.
If you’re into the arts scene, Wellington’s all the go, with great galleries and arts spaces, and home to the national ballet, opera and symphony orchestra. Every two years, Wellington hosts the energetic and popular NZ International Arts festival, alternating with the crazy Street Carnival in bohemian Cuba Street.
A rich streak of film production, theatre and performance art runs through Wellington, with galleries to suit every taste. Here was the central location for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and you should experience Middle Earth in all its diversity while in town. Head out to Scorching Bay for an arty cafe scene positively dripping with Middle Earth and Narnia memorabilia.
Your visit might also include the Karori Sanctuary, home to some of New Zealand’s rarest and most endangered wildlife, and the Wellington Zoo which offers personal encounters with red pandas, tigers, lions, giraffes and cheetahs.
Wellington fun facts
Wellington is known as “The windy city”
Wellington is the most southerly capital city on the planet
There are more than 300 cafes, bars and restaurants in Wellington
Fun Filled Fiji
Sunday 8th August 2010
Travel Counsellor: Romanie Thomas
With only a 4-5 hour flight to Fiji we thought it was worthwhile for us as a family to travel overseas rather than within Australia - I mean the airfares were just about the same.
I have heard of the Fijians being very friendly and helpful people and you would soon discover this as soon as you arrive. At the airport they have the local Fijians with their traditional costumes and them singing there "Welcome Song" to everyone arrives. The most common (and you would hear this pretty much everyday) saying is "BULA" which means Welcome/Hello. By the end of this holiday my 3 year old daughter was even saying this.
On arrival, we were welcomed and whisked to our room in a Golf Car, staying at the Fiji Hilton on Denarau Island. We had booked ourselves into a 2 bedroom Villa (beachviews). With so many choices of accommodation in Fiji and all looking amazing we decided on this one and we were not disappointed. Staff were helpful, food was amazing and with 5 pools we couldn’t go wrong. The only... view full story
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