TRAVEL GUIDE 2017

NEWZEALAND

1 Do I need a visa? Most visitors to New Zealand do not require visas for visits of less than three months. Citizens of countries not on the visa-waiver list can find detailed information about applying for a visa at immigration.govt.nz. How long will it take me to get there? 10 hours to Auckland from Singapore. New Zealand is 12 hours ahead of GMT and 4 hours ahead of Singapore. Between April and September, the country observes daylight time (13 hours ahead). What’s the money situation? The New Zealand dollar (NZD) is the national currency of New Zealand. Foreign currency and travellers cheques can be changed at most banks or licenced money changers. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM withdrawals possible at the many machines located throughout the country. When’s the best time to visit? New Zealand has a temperate climate all year round. Regions vary from extremely wet to semi-arid to subtropical, so check your destination beforehand. Most skiers book between June and September. speak Maori; here are a few phrases to get you started: Hello Kia ora How are you? Kei te pehea koe? What’s your name? Ko wai tou ingoa? My name is ... Ko ... ahau Where are you from? No hea koe? Goodbye E noho ra (said by person leaving) E haere ra (said by person staying) 2 3 4 5 What’s the lingo? English. Around 3 to 4 percent of the population A handshake is the formal way of greeting someone in New Zealand. The traditional Maori greeting is the hongi , expressed by the rubbing or touching of noses. What’s a must-try dish? Pavlova – a sweet meringue-like crust filled with whipped cream and topped with fresh fruit. (The debate continues as to its country of origin, with Australia and New Zealand both laying claim.) 7 6 Is there anything I should know about meeting the locals?

FACT FILE

• New Zealand was the first country to have its three top positions of power held simultaneously by women: the Prime Minister (Helen Clark), the Governor General (Dame Silvia Cartwright), and the Chief Justice (Sian Elias). Zealand was the first major nation to have universal suffrage. • In 1893, New has two national anthems: God Save The Queen and God Defend New Zealand . Hillary, the first man to reach the peak of Mount Everest (with his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay), was a New Zealander (born in Auckland) and his face is on the New Zealand $5 bill. • Taumatawhaka- tangihangako- auauotamatea- turipukakapiki- maunga-horonu- kupokaiwhenu- akitanatahu is the Māori name for a hill in Hawke’s Bay. • Wellington is the southern-most capital city in the world. • Sir Edmund • New Zealand

What should I buy as a souvenir? “Cryovaced” New Zealand lamb, or an All Blacks

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rugby shirt.

Shutterstock.com | Filip Fuxa

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