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Overview
New Zealand is a stunning fantasy land of dramatic
mountains and lush valleys, majestic flows of ice and stunningly
beautiful glacial lakes and bubbling hot springs. This is the place
where the
Lord of the Rings trilogy and the magical world beyond the wardrobe in
the Chronicles of Narnia were short. Yes, that's right. The beautiful
landscapes in these movies are not created by Hollywood, the really
exist: down under in New Zealand.
A bit of History
The Polynesian Maori
were the first to reach New Zealand. Many centuries later, they entered
into a pact with the United Kingdom, in which they ceded
autonomy to Queen Victoria of Britain while just retaining territorial rights. In
that same year, the British started the first organized colonial
settlements. A series of bloody land wars between 1843 and 1872 resulted
in the
defeat of the native peoples. As a British colony, New Zealand supported
the British militarily in World War I and II. In recent years, the New
Zealand government has
sought to reconcile the longstanding Maori grievances.
How to Get There
Air New Zealand is not
flying to Bangkok but
Thai Airways offers nonstop flights
between Bangkok and Auckland. Connecting flights via
Singapore Airlines
via Singapore or
Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur also also a good option.
The Highlights
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Cross the Southern
Island on the TranzAlpine train |
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Take a relating
cruise along the majestic coastline |
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Relax in the Bay of
Islands just outside Auckland |
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Go white river
rafting or bungee jumping |
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Try the tasty New
Zealand lamb as well as the local wines |
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Country Profile
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Country Name |
New Zealand |
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Capital City |
Wellington |
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Major Gateways |
Auckland (AKL) |
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Christchurch (CHC) |
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Population |
4.1 million |
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Languages |
English, Maori |
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Main Religions |
Christian |
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Currency
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New Zealand Dollar (NZD) |
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Time Difference with Thailand |
+6h |
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Calling Code |
+64 |
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Best Time to Visit |
All year round |
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Visa Requirement for Thai Citizens |
Visa required |
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Travel Time from
Bangkok |
10h (nonstop) |
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More info |
www.newzealand.com
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Map |
Click here
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National Flag |
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