Celebration of the New Year in swimsuits is gaining popularity.
Moreover, this can be done not only in traditional Egypt, but in distant and beautiful New Zealand, where the golden sand of the beaches alternates with high cliffs, blue lakes and emerald forests. We will be happy to tell you about how the New Zealand New Year differs from ours, how to organize a trip and where it is best to spend a festive night.
Travel arrangements: tickets, visas, hotel
The most expensive thing when organizing a trip is buying an air ticket. If at normal times tickets to New Zealand can be bought for 50,000 - 56,000 rubles, then on the eve of holidays, prices for a flight Moscow - Wellington - Moscow start at 68,500 rubles. However, if you think about booking in advance and sign up for the best deals, you can get discounts from major airlines.
With hotels in New Zealand, everything is much better, and the prices for accommodation here are more than affordable. So, a place in a hostel can be rented for 400 rubles, a double room in a cozy 3-star hotel - for 1500, and luxurious apartments overlooking the endless beach - from 3700 rubles.
In addition, lovers of "wild" tourism will like it here because there are dozens of campsites along the coast. Accommodation in tents here is free, and you will have to pay about 100 rubles per day for parking a car and using the benefits of civilization.
Getting a visa to New Zealand is also not as easy as it seems. The list of required documents is very extensive, in addition, your card must have at least $ 1,000, and another 4,000 rubles will have to be paid for the consular fee. However, you can save yourself from a large part of the problems with obtaining a visa by contacting us for help.
Best Places to Celebrate
There are three equally popular ways to celebrate the New Year in New Zealand.
The first is a party in a large city, a nightclub, incendiary dances until the morning and champagne to the accompaniment of fireworks. It will cost about 3000 - 5000 rubles per night, depending on the chosen institution. The beaches of Devenport and Wynyard in Auckland are best suited for such a holiday. Dozens of restaurants and cafes will be open all night, the main fireworks will be perfectly visible, and you can meet the morning of the new year swimming in the warm surf.
The second option is suitable for lovers of nature and solitude. After all, it is no less popular to celebrate the New Year only with your company, leaving away from the city. Most often, tourists choose the Bay of Islands or the valley of geysers of Rotorua for such purposes. However, you can also meet those who prefer the enchanting scenery of the South Island or the thrills of the geothermal area of the North Island.
And the last option, popular among wealthy travelers, is a cruise. The giant sea liner smoothly goes around New Zealand, making stops in the most picturesque places, and the fun is in full swing on board. Several restaurants, discos, animations and their own fireworks keep guests entertained. True, you will have to pay a lot for such a vacation. A week's cruise will cost $1,500 - $2,000, depending on the type of cabin.
New Zealand New Year Traditions
As in many countries, the main holiday here is Christmas, and preparations for it begin in November. Live potted pines are sold on the streets, holiday sweets are delivered to stores, which are simply not available at other times of the year. By the way, it is completely incomprehensible why harmless marzipans, marmalade slices and Belgian chocolate disappear from sale in January.
All holidays, and the celebration lasts for almost a week and a half, New Zealanders visit each other and have picnics. Children will also have a traditional New Year's party in schools and sports clubs, but it will not be exactly the same as that of their peers in Russia. Open-air celebrations, live music, gifts and the opportunity to invite the whole family to school make these moments the perfect vacation for all generations.
The New Year itself is considered a youth holiday and is widely celebrated only in large cities. Crowds of smartly dressed people take to the streets closer to midnight, taking with them alcohol and delicious food. They watch the fireworks and then go to a club or restaurant to continue having fun. In the morning, those who live on the coast will certainly meet the first dawn by the water, and then go home to sleep off and continue visiting and accepting gifts with renewed vigor.
If you are tired of the traditional celebration with Olivier and a Christmas tree and want this New Year to be remembered for a long time - go book tickets to New Zealand. Having danced on the beach with Santa, admiring the fireworks and inhaling the scent of Christmas flowers, you will definitely not regret that you decided on such an unusual celebration.
New Zealand is known for its picturesque nature - geysers, mountains and lakes, national parks, glaciers and beaches, as well as the best extreme and active tourism in the world. The indigenous people of New Zealand celebrate the New Year at the end of May, but the night from December 31 to January 1 is also festive, as the country is quite international.
On the hottest days, it can reach +30 ° C, but this does not happen often. This is a great season for beach holidays, diving and excursions, although the prices are the highest of the year.
What are the tours
New Year's tours to New Zealand, as a rule, last at least 10-12 days and include sightseeing holidays and a few lazy days on the beach. The most popular tour program for 10 days is a sightseeing tour of Auckland, in Rotorua - look at the geysers, meet the Maori aborigines and dine with traditional local food cooked on hot coals, as well as to the Tongariro National Park near the extinct volcano of the same name and, of course, on the filming locations of The Lord of the Rings in the vicinity of the Tongariro and Ruapehu volcanoes, the Wikato River and the town of Queenstown. Of the 10 days, about 7 are devoted to excursions, and the rest of the time - relaxing on the ocean coast or going to the islands of French Polynesia (Bora Bora, Tahiti, etc.)
Longer tours also include trips to the Waitomo Caves with their stalactites, stalagmites and moths, which with their light create the effect of a starry sky inside. Another option is a sea cruise to the active island-volcano, which with its red-orange landscapes resembles Mars (because of the seething craters, you can only get close in a helmet and an oxygen mask), a trip to the glaciers or a tour of the North Canterbury wineries.
New Year is a holiday with many pleasant traditions associated with it.
Each country has its own unique flavor, thanks to which this night becomes truly magical.
It is especially pleasant to get acquainted with New Year's customs, because they are associated with a kind fairy tale, to be in which is not only interesting, but also informative.
I propose to talk in detail about the original traditions of some English-speaking countries, gifts that are customary to give, dishes decorating the table and other attributes of one of their favorite winter holidays.
New Year in the United States of America: Times Square Ball, Baby New Year and a new life
The symbol of the New Year in America is Baby (Baby New Year), a baby in a diaper.
It is believed that the baby actively grows during the year and at the end of it grows old, transferring its powers to the next newborn, this happens from year to year.
The New Year's table consists mainly of light snacks, various casseroles, sweet puddings and pies.
A knitted sweater is considered a traditional New Year's gift.
One of the most popular places to celebrate the New Year is Time Square in New York.
It is on the square on December 31 at 23.59 that you can witness one of the most spectacular events: the descent of the ball of time from a 23-meter height along the flagpole.
At midnight, the ball reaches its lowest point, which marks the beginning of the New Year.
New Year's Eve is a new stage in life, so many sum up, make a list of goals and desires, make important decisions, expecting changes and believing in the best.
New Year in the UK: "New Year Arrival", "first footing" and apple pie
In the UK, favorite treats are prepared for the New Year: apple pie, pudding, round oatmeal with a hole in the middle, and, of course, a baked turkey.
In Scotland, they bake a shortbread cake with almonds, nuts, marzipan figurines and national sugar symbols.
On New Year's Eve, people exchange souvenirs, sweets and postcards.
Parents give their children caramel canes: sweets made from caramel with cinnamon and mint.
A truly festive atmosphere reigns on the streets: toys, fluffy Christmas trees decorated with garlands.
New Year is celebrated under the battle of Big Ben.
When the clock begins to strike midnight, it is customary to open the back door of the house to see off the Old Year, and with the last blow to open the front door to let in the New, such a custom in the UK symbolizes the beginning of a new round in life.
Another New Year's tradition is called "first footing", it says: the year will be especially successful if a young man, preferably with dark hair, becomes the first guest in the house.
The first guest should bring bread, coal and a pinch of salt with him: symbols of food, warmth and prosperity.
After he burns the coal in the fireplace, everyone congratulates each other, and the guest who brought good luck is surely fed.
In a word, the best expectations and hopes are connected with the coming of the New Year.
New Year in Australia: Sydney Harbour, metrosideras and Santa Claus in shorts
The onset of the New Year in Australia falls on the real summer, so Santa Claus walks in beach shorts, a beard, a red cap and a bag in his hands.
An Australian New Year tree, it is a metrosideros: a tropical plant studded with needle-shaped purple flowers during flowering.
Often, this tree is installed at home and New Year's gifts are placed under it.
But, of course, Christmas trees are also an integral attribute of this holiday.
At midnight, Sydney Harbor is lit up by one of the most grandiose colorful fireworks, which both tourists and Australians come to see.
New Zealand New Year's Eve: Pohutukawa, fireworks and beach parties
December and January are the height of summer in New Zealand.
On the days before the holidays, residents decorate their homes with New Year's garlands and snowflakes.
For a festive New Year's dinner, a baked turkey with various sauces and vegetables is served.
Dessert is fruit pudding.
A traditional Christmas tree that remains for the New Year holidays is the pohutukawa: a tree with red needle-like flowers.
It blooms just in time for Christmas and blooms profusely for about a month.
The hot climate makes it possible to have picnics, beach and theme parties, which are accompanied by colorful fireworks.
In general, despite certain differences in the celebration of the New Year, all people are still united by the belief that each next year will be better than the previous one, and most of the centuries-old traditions and customs are aimed at the most important thing: attracting good luck and happiness.
May this New Year begin on a prosperous note!
It has long been my favorite time of the year. Firstly, long vacations allow you to meet with family and friends and celebrate the New Year at the same time. In New Zealand, it is not as popular as Christmas, but no one will ignore an extra reason to have fun. Secondly, holidays beloved by the whole world fall in New Zealand in the summer, and therefore most of the inhabitants of the islands take vacations during this time. In a word, when planning a tour for the New Year holidays to New Zealand, keep in mind that tickets will be expensive, hotels will be crowded, and there will be more people on the streets and in national parks than usual.
sky, plane, new year
To ensure that airfare does not swallow up the entire budget planned for a trip to New Zealand, plan your trip well in advance. Early booking will help to avoid the traditional markups that carriers and intermediaries use to sell tickets to earn money for a New Year's caviar sandwich.
If you start monitoring the cost of flights from to 8-9 months before the New Year, the picture will look like this:
- Cheapest of all from the capital to the capital of New Zealand will be delivered by Chinese airlines. China Southern Airlines, whose boards take to the skies from Sheremetyevo, charges from $1,100 for their services. There are two transfers on the route - in and. In total, excluding connections, the flight takes from 21 to 23 hours.
- Native Aeroflot also flies to New Zealand, and you can go on board for the New Year holidays to the ends of the world. Ticket prices start at $1250, and the aircraft makes a transfer at Incheon Airport, located in South Korea. You will have to spend about 20 hours in the sky.
All other carriers offer either too inconvenient long transfers or expensive tickets.
If you have the opportunity to plan your trip to New Zealand in advance, you will be able to save a lot of money on early ticket purchases. Subscribe to the email newsletter on the websites of the airlines you are interested in. So you can receive all the latest news about discounts, promotions and special offers on ticket prices.
- www.airchina.com. China Airlines website with an English page.
- www.aeroflot.ru On the Aeroflot website, you can not only book tickets, but also become a member of the Aeroflot Bonus program, which allows you to accumulate flight miles and spend them on tickets and paying for hotels around the world.
Hotels and guest houses in New Zealand for the Christmas and New Year holidays are best booked in advance. Going on holidays and vacations, local residents do not sit at home and prefer to travel.
If you plan to visit restaurants, museums, national parks and attractions, check their opening hours for the holidays. It happens that some establishments shorten their opening hours, or even close for a few days.
For the same reason, check the websites of car rental companies at least a month before your expected arrival. It is most convenient to get acquainted with New Zealand by car, and there may not be free wheels in rental offices during the "high" tourist season.
Preparation for the holiday
Preparations for the New Year's week begin in the country long before Christmas Eve. Already in early November, the first decorations appear in cafes and shops, and sellers, waiters and attendants put on Santa hats and costumes of his assistants. At fairs, toys for Christmas trees and delicious things that traditionally appear on the tables of New Zealanders these days are starting to be sold - chocolate from, Danish butter cookies in tins, German marzipan figurines. The squares of cities and villages are decorated with decorated Christmas trees, which are local pines, reminiscent of Siberian cedar with fluffy needles.
In early December, parties and celebrations of Christmas and New Year begin to rumble in all clubs of interest. Outdoor BBQs are hosted by dog clubs and senior citizen communities, horseback riders and golfers. Schools hold their own events for parents and children, and in churches, activists compete not only in singing hymns, but also in baking pies.
How New Zealand celebrates New Zealand
The main festive events in the country are timed to coincide with Christmas, after which most New Zealanders go on vacation. The most heat-loving ones fly to the beaches and, the rest go to national parks, where campsites are equipped for those who like to spend their holidays in nature.
In Auckland, the main festive events are concentrated near the SkyCity casino, where New Year's fireworks are arranged. It is usually broadcast by many media, because New Zealanders celebrate the New Year among the first on the planet, and the Auckland fireworks thunder before Sydney, Tokyo and Seoul.
Of all the cultural, entertainment and mass events dedicated to the Christmas holidays, tourists are usually interested in a variety of festivals. It will be interesting for you to take part in wine and musical holidays:
- The most inexpensive and massive is the Rhythm-n-Vines festival. The festival of rhythm and wine is attended mainly by young people from 21 to 30 years old.
- BW Camping Festival is held by car enthusiasts who prefer motorhomes and campsites in national parks.
- Beach festivals on the North Island invariably end with fireworks and nightly dancing right on the sand.
Aboriginal traditions
Indigenous people of New Zealand have their own view on the change of years. For them, the new year comes at the moment when the Pleiades star cluster appears in the constellation of Taurus. This usually happens in late May or early June, and therefore the Maori New Year does not have a fixed date.
In the language of the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand, this group of stars is called Matariki, which means "small". Also called the celebrations on the occasion of the new year.
By tradition, the Maori fly hundreds of kites on the days of Matariki and the celebration of the new year turns into a colorful festival. At fairs opening all over the country these days, you can buy traditional Maori souvenirs, jewelry, clothes and sweets.
All prices in the material are approximate and are indicated as of April 2017. For up-to-date information, follow the official websites of carriers and service providers.
Most recently, the whole world celebrated the New Year 2014. And if we are used to associate this holiday with winter, with frost, snow and a decorated Christmas tree, then in New Zealand this time is real summer. How is New Year's Eve celebrated in New Zealand? Read about this translation from English.
New Zealand is considered to be a beautiful island nation. Without a doubt, it can be said that the festivals and celebrations that take place there throughout the year are no less beautiful and royally magnificent. Eve New Year, which is celebrated all over the world on December 31 of the old year, on the same day in New Zealand.
Located in the most remote place on the planet, New Zealand is one of the few countries who can be the first to witness the coming of the New Year and the rising sun of the New Year. Among the natives of New Zealand, it is considered an important festival of the year, and this is well reflected in their sincere efforts to make New Year's Eve an unforgettable celebration.
eve celebration New Years in New Zealand
Of all the days leading up to the New Year, New Year's Eve is by far the most important. Although, this is not the only day of the holiday. Usually, in most of the country, three-day celebrations continue in the form of festivals and outdoor celebrations. Many events that take place during these three days, including New Year's Eve, are filled with vitality and dynamism. People party all day and all night. The peculiarity of these holidays and festivals is that they offer a respite to all those who want to go beyond the usual parties.
However, most of these familiar entertainment venues, such as discos or nightclubs, change around New Year's Eve. Many come out of the four walls to a large festive stage, located in the open air.
New Zealand's most popular New Year's Eve parties typically feature top national and international performers and perform in front of live audiences of thousands. The wonderful cool weather, the energy of lively people and active joint actions create an atmosphere of a great festive moment for all those present. In addition to great music, many are attracted to the holiday with delicious food and good booze.
In addition, the New Year holidays offer an adequate alternative for those who wish to take a walk and have fun with their family in an alcohol-free environment. One such event for five decades has been New Year's Eve Mardi Gras (analogue of Maslenitsa). People come in groups with their friends to be a part of this celebration, where creative performers come not only from the local region, but from all over the country to perform at the New Year's Eve celebration.
Major New Year's Eve Celebrations
Auckland, the largest and most populous part of the country, offers an amazing fireworks show on New Year's Eve. Possibly the best in the country. It is simply a magical spectacle when a planned and technically executed fireworks show takes place over the Auckland Tower. skyTauer and over the harbor of Waitemata.
Queenstown is another popular place where people from all over the country and from other remote corners of the planet flock during New Year's Eve celebrations. At this time, you may find that hotels are booked months in advance.
The biggest attraction in Queensland is fireworks-show, which starts after midnight and marks the beginning of the New Year. It's something spectacular that no one can afford to miss, and that's why everyone tries to find the best point to watch it. You won't find drunk people on the streets in Queensland as the sale of liquor is limited between the week before New Year and the week after.
Many people also like to be in nature during the New Year holidays. With their families and friends, they go along the routes popular at this time: Mount Mongenui, Gisborne and Wongamat. Mount Monganui is a city on the Bay of Plenty (Bay of Plenty) in New Zealand and a favorite party spot for young people. Gisborne - city in the northeast New Zealand, one of the first on the planet where you can watch the sunrise in the sky on New Year's Eve.
Fangamata is a coastal city on the Coromandel Peninsula, where a large number of people come for the New Year holidays. Other popular routes where people like to celebrate New Zealand New Year's Eve are Nelson, Takaka and Wanaka.
Read about my unforgettable impressions of the study trip to the Ergaki Natural Park.
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