Built on the banks of the mighty Waikato River, Hamilton is a busy city with a strong rural heartbeat that can be felt most strongly at the annual National Agricultural Fieldays at nearby Mystery Creek. Held in June, Fieldays gives you a real insight into New Zealand's innovative and world-beating agricultural economy. The Hamilton Gardens and Hamilton Zoo are also definitely worth a visit while you're in town, or for something a little different visit Zealong Tea Estate, just north of Hamilton, for a traditional tea-tasting ceremony.
Forty-five minutes west of Hamilton are the beautiful beaches and sought-after surf of Raglan. This Bohemian town moves at its own pace and is perfect for a laid-back holiday. Further down the coast, past Pirongia Forest Park, is the tiny township of Kawhia known for its unspoilt harbour, 1960s buildings and fish and chips.
The rolling hills in East Waikato made a perfect backdrop for the film trilogies of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, earning the Matamata township the alternative name of Hobbiton. This green and leafy part of the country is so representative of Middle-earth that the film's creators allowed the set to remain here. Book a tour, soak up the atmosphere then check out the great local cafés and hot pools.
Waitomo Caves is an amazing underground network of caverns, limestone formations and waterways. The delicate stalactites and sparkling glowworms have attracted tourists since early times and tours range from family-friendly walking and boating tours to thrilling black-water and abseiling adventures.
As you travel through this region you'll come across some of the icons that help to define us as Kiwis - from Ohakune's giant carrot to the forest of Kiwiana displays (no fewer than 24) in Otorohanga. These endearing monuments are sure to make you smile, so take a picture or turn it into a game.
Book your accommodation, bring your bike and fill up your water bottle, then hit the Waikato River Trails that follow the path of the Waikato River. Other nearby options include the Hauraki Rail Trail, which showcases beautiful scenery, or the Timber Trail that journeys through ancient forests.
Rowers on Waikato River © www.hamiltonwaikato.com
Hamilton, or Kirikiriroa in Maori, is young, passionate and ambitious. Its energy is reflected in its people and iconic events, including the National Agricultural Fieldays, Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival and Balloons over Waikato. New Zealand's fastest growing and largest inland city, Hamilton sits on the banks of the country's longest river, the Waikato River.
The city has a vibrant atmosphere where something exciting is always going on. Visitors are spoilt for choice here - whether they're after an adrenalin rush, a cultural experience or a fun day out, there's something for everyone, including kids, who will love Waterworld, the Waikato Museum, the Classics Museum and Hamilton Zoo.
Candyland, 30 minutes drive north of Hamilton, is a popular destination with the kids. While 20 minutes north of Hamilton
Zealong Tea Estate, New Zealand's only tea plantation holds wide appeal. The finest tea plants are grown and processed here according to the best Chinese traditions.
Navigating your way around Hamilton's city centre is easy and several attractions are right at its heart, including the Waikato Museum. Set on the banks of the Waikato River, the exhibitions and interactive experiences here tell the stories of the region and include displays of visual arts, social history, tangata whenua and science. The fun hands-on science galleries are a popular choice with families.
Some of Hamilton's central parks will prove tempting if you wish to while away an afternoon. Lake Rotoroa features a beautiful walkway and is only a 5-minute drive from the CBD, while the Hamilton Gardens are alive with colour. This collection of gardens is beautifully landscaped to specific themes and is deservedly one of the most popular attractions in the Waikato.
Attractions
- Held in June at Mystery Creek, just south of the city, the National Agricultural Fieldays attract more than 115,000 visitors every year.
- See the wonders of the living world at Hamilton Zoo, a wildlife sanctuary renowned for its generous habitats - and just 7 minutes drive from central Hamilton.
- The colourful Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival, held in February, includes music, theatre, dance and fun that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
- The surreal sight of vast colourful balloons rising into the clear autumn skies above Hamilton can be experienced at the five-day long Balloons Over Waikato.
- Relax poolside at Waterworld, while the kids have fun shooting down hydroslides and playing on the inflatables.
Aranui - Couple with camera and stalactites © Discover Waitomo
The Waitomo region is famous worldwide for what lies beneath the earth's surface, there's much more to this beautiful region than glowworms. Above ground, the Waitomo/King Country region is just as exciting; an ancient landscape of arches, tunnels, fluted outcrops, native bush, rolling farmland and enclosed forests.
The coastal settlement of Kawhia is steeped in Maori history and its hills and valleys hold many ancient secrets. Set on a beautiful harbour with glistening water, Kawhia has a definite laid-back lifestyle. With rolling green hills as a backdrop, go swimming, surfing, fishing or sailing. At Ocean Beach, hot springs bubble beneath the sand, and for a few hours either side of low tide visitors can dig their own hot spa pool.
Being the official Kiwiana town of New Zealand, Otorohanga has a big job. But this pretty town certainly delivers on its title, with proud displays celebrating everything Kiwi. Don't miss the Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park for a close-up look-at our national icon - and what better place to see New Zealand native species such as tuatara and native birds.
Te Kuiti is the main farming service town in the King Country, and the Shearing Capital of New Zealand. The annual New Zealand Shearing Championships and Running of the Sheep are held here.
Waitomo Caves have been entertaining guests for decades. The caves you see today have been millions of years in the making, formed by underground streams carving out apertures through the limestone rock. The caves include deep caverns, luminescent glowworms and dark waterways, as well as amazing limestone formations.
This fabulous "lost world" is both eerie and captivating, but you'll need to go underground to see it. Leaving daylight behind, you will climb down into an underground network of caverns and passages dripping with pristine crystal formations. For a little more adventure, there's the option of blackwater rafting on a tube beneath ceilings of sparkling glowworm larvae or abseiling massive tomo (holes and caves).
Attractions
- Take a tour through the limestone Waitomo Caves, aglitter with glowworms, and experience activities from black-water rafting on an inner tube to abseiling massive tomo and waterfalls.
- No fewer than 24 Kiwiana displays grace Otorohanga's town centre, ranging from buzzy bees and pavlovas to jandals and the All Blacks.
- Visit Te Kuiti on Saturday 29 March 2014 to join the celebrations for the popular Great New Zealand Muster and the Running of the Sheep.
- Do the Ruakuri Bushwalk at night; take a torch and turn it off at certain points to see glowworms - for free!
- Head to Kawhia's Te Puia Springs at Ocean Beach and enjoy a swim, then at low tide dig your own natural hot pool on the beach.
- The coastal drive between Kawhia and Raglan covers 45km of unsealed roads, with scenic views of wild coast, Aotea Harbour and Mt Kariori.
© Tourism Waikato