New Zealand is a country of islands located in southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is on my top ten list of most beautiful countries in the world. It comprises mainly of two islands, North and South, along with 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is governed by a Prime Minister with a unitary parliament while recognising Queen Elizabeth II as constitutional monarch. The Queen is represented by the Governor General whose appointment is advised by the Prime Minister. Located 1,000km southeast of Australia, the remoteness of its location made it one of the last land to be inhabited. Today, it has a population of over 4.7 million people. The capital is Wellington in North Island and currency is New Zealand Dollars.

It is in Queenstown where my children first learned how to ski when they turned four years old. When we were living in Bali from 2003 to 2008, going there was easy and not so far away. We travelled there almost every summer (winter in New Zealand) for skiing holidays.

It is the perfect place to learn how to ski- resorts are children-friendly and the people are very nice. The country is also beautiful and a great place to visit during their summertime.

It is believed that New Zealand was first settled by Eastern Polynesians around 1250 to 1300 who came from the southern Pacific islands and eventually developed culture known today as Maori. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European known to arrive in the country in 1642. In 1769, British explorer James Cook arrived in New Zealand and mapped out roughly the entire coastline. Other European and North American trading, whaling and sealing ships followed eventually. In early 19th century, Christian missionaries began to settle in New Zealand and converted most of the Maori population.  It was also during this time that the Maori population declined by 40% partly because of illnesses.

In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip became Governor of the new British colony of New South Wales, which at that time included New Zealand. The number of immigrants from the UK began to increase after signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between the British and the Maori, preventing the French from taking over. The New Zealand Wars took place in 1860s and 1870s due to conflicts over land as the number of British immigrants began to rise, resulting to loss and confiscation of much of Maori land. In 1907, King Edward VII proclaimed the country “Dominion of New Zealand” at the request of the New Zealand people and in 1947 a Statute of Westminster was adopted stipulating that the British Parliament could no longer legislate for New Zealand without their approval. Today, the country has a high-income economy with agriculture, timber and mining as its major sources of income.

Queenstown

Queenstown is a resort town located on the South Island, in the Otago region. It has an urban population of 14,300 people and an area of 25.5 km2. It is built around the Queenstown Bay inlet on Lake Wakatipu. The lake itself is long, thin and Z-shaped, which was formed by glacial processes. The views of the nearby mountains are spectacular.

Among the popular outdoor activities available in Queenstown besides skiing and snowboarding include: white water rafting, jet boating, bungy jumping, skateboarding, mountain biking, paragliding, sky diving, tramping and fly fishing. In the centre of town, you will find international restaurants everywhere, as well as cafes and shops.

The easiest way to get to Queenstown is to go via Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch or Sydney, Australia. Christchurch is the closest large city, about 484 km northeast from Queenstown. The view from the plane when you are above Queenstown is breath taking.

Airports

Queenstown Airport.

Recommended Airlines

To nearest international airports (for transit) as mentioned above: Air New Zealand, Qantas, Singapore, Garuda, Emirates and British.

To Queenstown

Air New Zealand and Qantas.

Public Transportation

Shuttle Buses to the ski resorts and public buses in town.

Recommended Hotels

Queenstown Park Boutique, Azur Lodge, Dairy Private Luxury, Spire, Browns Boutique, Matakauri Lodge, Sofitel and Glebe Apartments.

*Note: Our favourite hotel would be the beautiful Millbrook Resort, located just outside Arrowtown and about 19 km from Queenstown. The hotel has a spa, as well as horse-riding facilities and a 27-hole golf course for those who want to take a break from skiing every day.

Recommended Restaurants

Rata, Ivy & Lola’s Kitchen & Bar, Jervois Steak Kouse, Fergburger, Finz Downunder, Wakatipu Grill, Roaring Megs, Vknow Restaurant & Wine Bar, Lone Star Café & Bar and Botswana Butchery.