New Zealand is unlike any other country in the world. This secluded country in the Southern Hemisphere is known for its rich culture, interesting attractions, and abundance of exciting outdoor adventures. As expected from such an isolated country, New Zealand features so many interesting things that can only be found within its territory and travelers should take note of these things when visiting the country next.
9 Haka
The traditional war dance known as Haka is unique to Maori culture. This dance is usually performed before a challenge to intimidate and instill fear into the minds of the enemy. The All Blacks - New Zealand’s national rugby team and many other Pacific nation's rugby teams perform it before a game. Even though Haka may now be performed by other countries around the world, it originated in New Zealand and the best haka performances can be seen in the country.
8 Live Locations From The Lord of the Rings Movie
New Zealand is the eternal home of the Lord of the Rings as the entire movie was shot in this country. For starters, the shire is a good place to begin. This unique location that played a huge role in the epic Lord of the Rings movie is a place in Matamata, New Zealand that one can still visit today. The exact Hobbit houses, the fenced gardens, and the vast green landscape remain as they were when the world first saw them in the first scenes of the movie. Besides the shire, other fictional locations from the story such as - Mordor, Gondor, Erebor, and Rivendell are in New Zealand. Nowhere else can one have such intimate exploration of a fictional world that has stuck to the memory of the world.
7 The Steepest Street In The World
Located in Dunedin, the 350 m long Baldwin street features a huge elevation gain than any other street in the world and this has earned it the Guinness World Record title of the steepest street in the world. Cars have no business parking on this street and people walking the street will have to expend a lot of energy heading uphill or apply a lot of control while heading downhill.
6 Unique Wildlife
Just like many other things in New Zealand, the wildlife is unique and many of the animals that can be found in the country cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Some wildlife endemic to New Zealand include - Kiwi, Bellird, Hector's Dolphin, Little Penguin, and kea bird. The Powelliphanta - a large type of snail that can live up to 20 years and Turtara - a type of reptile from the Rhynchocephalia order are more interesting creatures that can only be found in New Zealand.
5 Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Glow Worms are unique creatures to behold but even more so when they light up dark caves. The best place to witness this unique phenomenon is New Zealand’s Waitomo Glowworm Caves where one can witness the sights of these insects lighting up the caves like stars light up the sky. Visitors to this attraction are usually taken on a canoe through the caves to witness the scenery in more detail.
4 The Southernmost Capital In The World
Ushuaia may be the southernmost city in the world but Wellington - the capital of New Zealand is the southernmost capital city in the world. This city is located on the country’s Northern island and is one of the most exciting parts of the country as it is endowed with rich culture and lots of interesting attractions.
3 A Tree Church
There’s a church in New Zealand made up of living trees and grasses. This tree church is located in Ohaupo New Zealand, and it blends perfectly with the rich greenery surrounding the area. The unique natural architecture of the Tree church and the serenity of the area makes it the perfect venue to organize a fairy tale wedding or host an event. With space large enough to host up to 120 guests, the church is capable of hosting an event such as the ones mentioned above.
2 The World’s Longest Place Name
New Zealand’s north island is a place with a name that’s impossible to pronounce for many. With a total of 85 characters, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is the world’s longest place name according to the Guinness World Records. The name is a statement in the Maori language that describes an incident that occurred in the area.
1 A Tree In The Middle Of A Lake
New Zealand is known for its unique scenery and one place in the country to witness this mesmerizing scenery is Lake Wanaka. While the entire lake is beautiful, the scenery that can be found on its southern end is unique to only this part of the world. The unique sight is characterized by a lone Wanaka Tree that sits in the cold water with the surrounding mountains as its backdrop. This tree is one of the most photographed in the country and the fact that such a sight cannot be found anywhere else in the world makes it even more popular.