A Little Taste Of History About The Great Places In New Zealand

New Zealand has a colorful history. Almost each region of this country has its own interesting past which is probably one of the many reasons why tourists love to visit NZ.

Surrounded by rolling hills and a sparkling harbor is New Zealand’s capital city – Wellington. It is situated in the North Island and is one of the prime tourist destinations in NZ. Wellington’s native beauty never failed to captivate its visitors as it was tagged as one of the best cities to visit according to the Lonely Planet in 2011. Wellington city had gone through different names throughout the history from Te Whnganui A Tara, to Port Nicholson to Lambton Harbour.

Northland, another region in New Zealand, is thought to be the first place discovered by early Maori (Maori* first inhabitants in New Zealand). One of the most important historical events to happen in Northland is when the Maoris and the European people signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Northland’s fascinating yesteryears are portrayed by grand old homesteads, quaint white churches and tiny wooden cottages found around the region. Today, as you visit the Northland region, you’ll get to enjoy many activities such as golfing, swimming, sailing and diving on pristine white beaches.

When you’re in New Zealand, you should not miss Higwic, one of NZ’s finest timber Gothic houses located in Epsom. Higwic was built back in 1862 and the house is also used for filming music acts such as the Goldenhorse and Rhys Darby.

Gisborne, the first city to see the sun rises each day, is located in the north end of Poverty Bay. Gisborne is a city with fascinating tales to tell and the preserved Maori culture is the evidence to that. Those artistically painted Maori churches, carved meeting houses and the Tairawhiti Museum and Arts Center are the proofs. The architectural styles found in most sides of Gisborne were based in America and Britain. If you happened to visit Gisborne in New Zealand, you may also want to have some leisure walks on the Taiwhiti Heritage Trail, the ancestral land of the Maori. Gisborne is also where you can find the good old Hicks Bay motel which already served both locals and foreign travelers for more than five decades.