Utter the two words ‘New Zealand’ and ‘sport’ and what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Yep – thought so. 15 warrior like All Blacks lining up on the rugby pitch. But while rugby is a nigh on national obsession (and part of the country’s identity) New Zealand is a land where sports and the outdoors-led lifestyle naturally weave into the fabric of everyday life.
From yacht racing to skiing, surfing to glacier walking, New Zealand’s truly amazing landscape lends itself to some of the planet’s most varied and downright hair-raising adventure. Diverse, interesting, and totally unique.
sun, snow, mountains and sea
surfing in big bay
Talk about being made with surfing in mind. New Zealand’s coastline (all 15,000 kilometres) is just about as perfect it gets for grabbing a board and carving some waves. From the iconic and purest surfing community of the Waikato, to the huge stretch of beach known as the ‘surf highway’ that runs through Oakura and Opunake, New Zealand’s surfing conditions are as diverse and consistent as they come.
As well as great surf, New Zealand is also home to amazing mountain ranges for some seriously good skiing adventures (what doesn’t this place have, eh?). With great conditions scattered up and down the country on both islands you’re never far away from donning your salopettes and hitting the slopes.
canterbury mountain range
It gets better. Can’t decide between crashing waves and powder soft snow? Why not make the trip up to Big Bay, north of Queenstown, and experience the chill on your face and snow under your skis in the morning before heading back down to sea level and riding the waves with the sun on your back in the afternoon. Ski and surf in the same day? Talk about dramatic landscape. Amazing.
adrenaline action and unique adventure
Skydiving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, glacier walking, white water rafting, the list goes on. New Zealand is without a doubt the one country where adrenaline pumping action and high-octane adventures are guaranteed. And being the youngest country on Earth, it seems only natural right?
But as well as the heart-stopping short sharp thrills, New Zealand’s natural playground makes way for some totally unique experiences. Doubtful Sound (nicknamed the ‘sound of silence’) is one of the South Island’s most mysterious and untouched fjords, containing two distinct layers of water which don’t mix.
unique fjord at doubtful sound
Salt water from the sea below and fresh water tumbling in from the mountains above means an abundant of deep-sea species live in unusually shallow depths, such as black and bright red coral as well as carnivorous star fish. Where else can you find a unique diving experience like that?
from maori tradition to modern day passion
So, we’re all aware rugby and New Zealand go hand in hand. But before the great game really took hold in the ‘land of the long white cloud’ there was one traditional pre-European game that was dominant in Maori culture. And funnily enough, it wasn’t that different to rugby.
K-io-rahi, a fast paced contact sport played on a circular field by two seven a side teams named Kioma and Taniwha. The Kioma team’s aim is to score Tupu Manawa (tries) while the opposing while the opposing Taniwha team attempts to score hits (Tupu Wairua) on the large centre target (called a Tupu).
a modern day passion
It’s hard to nail down a hard set of rules for K-io-rahi as different tribes across the country played to different rule systems. After all but dying out during the European colonisation, K-io-rahi made a brief revival during the Maori cultural renaissance in the 1970’s and is still popular in Matauri Bay and Northland.
Take me back for more New Zealand culture
