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08-26-2015, 08:26 PM
If you travel mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, then you may have always imagined New Zealand as one singular island. Yet savvy travelers know the country actually consists of two main islands (http://www.britannica.com/place/New-Zealand): the North and the South.
New Zealand's North Island (http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/north-island-vs-south-island-new-zealand/) is a hub for Maori culture, a hotspot for scuba divers and home to the cosmopolitan cities of Auckland and Wellington. But as it turns out, New Zealand's sensationally beautiful and significantly less populous South Island is a sprawling, rugged paradise many tourists have shockingly failed to appreciate (http://www.newzealand.com/int/south-island/).
Polynesian tribes were the first to inhabit South Island (http://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/regions/--south-island/history.html), long before Dutch explorer Abel Tasman rediscovered the land in 1642 and they were subsequently called Maori. Currently, South Island's population is about one-third of the North's, (http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/north-island-vs-south-island-new-zealand/) but what it lacks in human capital, it more than makes up in natural beauty: South Island is home to nine national parks (http://www.newzealand.com/us/national-parks/) (one named for Tasman (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/abel-tasman-national-park/)), and offers encounters with dolphins, penguins, whales and birds (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/new-zealand/south-island). Small fishing villages dot the coast, and all around you'll find stunning peaks, oceans, volcanoes, glaciers, fjords and snow-dusted Southern Alps (http://www.newzealand.com/us/southern-alps/).
"This is the real New Zealand," photographer Antony Harrison (https://500px.com/Tony9510), whose images are shown here, told The Huffington Post of East Cape (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/new-zealand/the-east-coast/east-cape), a rural corner of the island's coast. "There is more to discover [on South Island] than probably any place on Earth."
Adventuring is huge on South Island: Glacier climbing, bungee jumping, hot air ballooning and skiing (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g255116-South_Island-Vacations.html) are popular with daring travelers. You'll find some of New Zealand's best "walks (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/walking-and-tramping/great-walks/)," or scenic hiking trails, in the forests, mountains and riverbanks.
Oh, and much of "The Lord of the Rings" series was shot here, too (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=viator/the-hobbits-ultimate-guid_b_4455584.html).
It takes about three and a half hours to get to South island via ferries from North Island (http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/ferry-from-the-north-island-to-the-south-island/)that operate year-round. Alternatively, you can take a flight from North Island (https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=WLG;t=r-South+Island,+New+Zealand-0x6d2ba47ef098e1ed%253A0x100ef8684795420;d=2015-09-09;r=2015-09-13;mc=e) or Australia proper. Happy travels!
Related on HuffPost:
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=terms.html/) It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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New Zealand's North Island (http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/north-island-vs-south-island-new-zealand/) is a hub for Maori culture, a hotspot for scuba divers and home to the cosmopolitan cities of Auckland and Wellington. But as it turns out, New Zealand's sensationally beautiful and significantly less populous South Island is a sprawling, rugged paradise many tourists have shockingly failed to appreciate (http://www.newzealand.com/int/south-island/).
Polynesian tribes were the first to inhabit South Island (http://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/regions/--south-island/history.html), long before Dutch explorer Abel Tasman rediscovered the land in 1642 and they were subsequently called Maori. Currently, South Island's population is about one-third of the North's, (http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/north-island-vs-south-island-new-zealand/) but what it lacks in human capital, it more than makes up in natural beauty: South Island is home to nine national parks (http://www.newzealand.com/us/national-parks/) (one named for Tasman (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/abel-tasman-national-park/)), and offers encounters with dolphins, penguins, whales and birds (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/new-zealand/south-island). Small fishing villages dot the coast, and all around you'll find stunning peaks, oceans, volcanoes, glaciers, fjords and snow-dusted Southern Alps (http://www.newzealand.com/us/southern-alps/).
"This is the real New Zealand," photographer Antony Harrison (https://500px.com/Tony9510), whose images are shown here, told The Huffington Post of East Cape (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/new-zealand/the-east-coast/east-cape), a rural corner of the island's coast. "There is more to discover [on South Island] than probably any place on Earth."
Adventuring is huge on South Island: Glacier climbing, bungee jumping, hot air ballooning and skiing (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g255116-South_Island-Vacations.html) are popular with daring travelers. You'll find some of New Zealand's best "walks (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/walking-and-tramping/great-walks/)," or scenic hiking trails, in the forests, mountains and riverbanks.
Oh, and much of "The Lord of the Rings" series was shot here, too (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=viator/the-hobbits-ultimate-guid_b_4455584.html).
It takes about three and a half hours to get to South island via ferries from North Island (http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/ferry-from-the-north-island-to-the-south-island/)that operate year-round. Alternatively, you can take a flight from North Island (https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=WLG;t=r-South+Island,+New+Zealand-0x6d2ba47ef098e1ed%253A0x100ef8684795420;d=2015-09-09;r=2015-09-13;mc=e) or Australia proper. Happy travels!
Related on HuffPost:
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. (http://start.westnet.ca/newstempch.php?article=terms.html/) It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567895552/u/0/f/677045/c/35496/s/49522be1/sc/10/rc/1/rc.img (http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567895552/u/0/f/677045/c/35496/s/49522be1/sc/10/rc/1/rc.htm)
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