Australia and New Zealand Uncovered

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts center in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on Bennelong Port in Sydney Harbour, adjacent to Sydney’s Central Business District and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The facility opened on October 20th, 1973. The opera house comprises several performance venues which together make one of the busiest performing arts centers in the world hosting 1,500 performances each year attended by some 1.2 million people. More than 7 million people visit the opera house each year.

Experience one of the seven wonders of the natural world when you climb aboard a high speed catamaran and set off for the Great Barrier Reef. As the world’s largest living organism, you’ll find over 2,800 individual coral reef systems which are home to amazingly diverse marine life. Their bright colors look remarkable against the turquoise waters. Jump in the water to snorkel and really experience the Reef in an immersive way! Stroll along the walking trails with a reef expert, simply relax on the beach, or meet with a marine biologist during an informative presentation. It’s a truly good day at the Reef, mate.

Wellington is considered to be the cultural center of New Zealand. Find Maori culture around every corner, including traditional carved wakas (sleek canoes of intricate design). You may also attend an authentic traditional powhiri, an elaborate ceremony for welcoming guests. Maori heritage can also be found in the city’s cuisine – a local favorite is a Hangi dish which usually includes savory meat and vegetables cooked in a pit in the ground. You can also discover the roots of the culture at the Te Papa Museum.

Best known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, no trip would be complete without a visit to Punakaiki. Both of these natural wonders are an absolute must-see while visiting the West Coast.

Although an abundance of natural beauty is found throughout the entirety of New Zealand, nothing surpasses the mesmerizing splendor found on the country’s “wild” west coast. Where striking cliffs and sandy beaches meet the snowcapped Southern Alps, allow your senses to breathe in the serenity and spectacle around you. From the glaciers of Franz Josef to the Pancake Rocks of Punakaiki, there will be no shortage of incomparable landscapes to capture your eye. The west coast is also home to New Zealand’s famous greenstone, a stunning rock that is incorporated into Maori culture and jewelry.

Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. The city is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu and has spectacular views of nearby mountains and the Southern Alps. The town was founded in the 1860s and is now known for commerce-based tourism, especially adventure and ski tourism, boasting over 200 adventure tourism activities to take part in.

Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand’s South Island. The sound runs inland for over 490 feet from the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 3,900 feet on either side. Among the peaks are The Elephant at 4,977 feet (1,517 meters), said to resemble an elephant's head, and The Lion, at 4,272 feet (1,302 meters), in the shape of a crouching lion. Milford Sound is acclaimed as New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination.