New Zealand Winter Holidays

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by: creative666
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Word Count: 397
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2010 Time: 3:35 AM
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When the summer holidays arrive in the UK, don't feel obliged to go looking for sun, sea and sand. One of the best places to spend your summer holiday is New Zealand, despite it being winter in the Southern Hemisphere. But unlike summer in the UK, it's not a season of constant rain and dull grey skies - it's clear, crisp days with stunning light. The extended summer break makes it an ideal place to travel with your family and make the most of New Zealand's perennial charms.

If the thought of being too cold has put you off the idea of visiting New Zealand in the past, then think again. With far fewer visitors, more affordable holidays, extra season activities and a surprisingly mild climate, winter in the "Land of the Long White Cloud" has far more to offer than you might think.

On the North Island, there is ample opportunity for skiing throughout the British summer and for the more reflective traveller you can enjoy a lovely New Zealand Pinot Noir as you watch the sun settle behind a snow dusted mountain before retiring to the spa for an evening massage.

The South Island is a photographer's dream in winter, with soft light on the Southern Alps making for stunning images. With winter sports in abundance and clear blue skies, the glaciers and lakes that dot the Southern Alps are all the more spectacular.

Winter too offers some of the most memorable activities in New Zealand, whether it's strolling along West Auckland's deserted beaches as the surf rolls in or taking in a Tri Nations rugby match in this passionate, sport-mad country. The famous Abel Tasman Track is always spectacular, but even more so in the winter. Don't forget too the often overlooked West Coast, an area of stunning glaciers, rainforests and wild coastal beaches.

Whilst New Zealand is rightly renowned for outdoor pursuits, it's got more than its fair share of indoor activities too. In Wellington, Te Papa (the country's National Museum) has a range of extraordinary exhibits and the Auckland Museum is famous for its exhibitions on Maori Culture. And with the Auckland Film Festival in July, there's plenty to do when the weather looks a touch less favourable.

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