A Warm Northland Welcome

As the chilly weather approaches our thoughts turn to winter escapes and clear skies. We have our own little subtropical secret discretely tucked away at the top of the North Island – Northland. As a winter destination Northland has more to offer more than most would think with a feast of Hot Deals, events and activities across the winter months.

Winter is a great time to discover some of the best wine and food venues as you travel the Twin Coast Discovery Highway – check out the Northland Wine and Food Trail on www.northlandnz.com. Fresh local produce, a wide variety of seafood and award-winning local wines are combined in Pacific Rim cuisine. Tempt your taste buds with exquisite wines, macadamia liqueur, handmade chocolates, avocado and olive oils, award-winning cheeses, jams, chutneys, pickles, not to mention Northland’s answer to Tabasco - ‘Kaitaia Fire’, sure to warm the cockles of your heart!

For the art lover, the Northland Art Trail will inspire and delight with its unique works from local jewellers, carvers, potters and painters. And for more physical pursuits, the Twin Coast Golf Trail provides plenty of fabulous golfing action the region’s many picturesque 18-hole golf courses from Mangawhai to Carrington on the Karikari Peninsula

Across the winter months, the region offers some great weekend specials and exciting Hot Deals which can be found online right here. Accommodation and activity providers across Northland have come up with specials and packages to suit every taste and budget, enticing kiwis to make the most of their weekends and chase away those winter blues.

• Relax and unwind with that special someone at a romantic hideaway with a secluded bush spa pool.

• Spoil yourself with an indulgent interlude in a luxury lodge with gourmet organic breakfast, champagne or a therapeutic massage.

• Take the kids on an aquacykle for an exciting paddle along the river, or on a west coast family adventure with shipwrecks and stargazing.

• Round up your mates for a weekend of fishing or a blast on a fast boat.

• Take an eco-wilderness adventure to see dolphins at play, or take a night walk in the kauri forest to listen to bats flutter and kiwis call.

There’s also a prize draw each month over the winter period with great prizes like a fabulous cruise onboard A Perfect Day to the Poor Knight’s Islands, swimming with wild dolphins, cruising through the Hole in the Rock, sumptuous accommodation, delicious food and more. See here for this month’s prize.

Far from retreating into winter hibernation, the Northland comes alive with events and festivals throughout the region from Mangawhai to Whangarei through the beautiful Bay of Islands across to Kaitaia and down to the Hokianga and Dargaville. There are arts and craft exhibitions, hunting and fishing competitions, live theatre performances like Cats and Shirley Valentine, fun/run/walks in Paihia, Waipoua Forest and Kamo, the International Rally of New Zealand from June 6-8th in Whangarei and the hilarious Russell Bird Man Festival in July. For a full list of events visit www.northlandnz.com/events.

A warm welcome awaits at the Winter@Waipu community festival from June 1 to August 31. Events include street markets, pipe band parades, plays, poetry and Scottish country dancing at the Tartan Week celebrations, even a wheelbarrow race and a mid-winter swim!

A month long celebration of the Maori New Year, Matariki, kicks off with the Paihia Matariki Art Exhibition Gala Opening on Friday 30th May at the Copthorne Hotel & Resort, Waitangi. Matariki events include kete weaving and traditional kite making workshops, a Celestial Navigation Tour through the Waitangi Treaty Grounds at night to hear the magical story of Matariki, a weekend marae stay at Motuti, Matariki fundraising Balls and plenty of celebratory food and traditional kai at restaurants and eateries all over Northland. For a full list of Matariki events see www.matarikinorthland.co.nz.

Published 26th May 2008

print