New Zealand is a small island country in the South Pacific, just southeast of Australia. It comprises only 103,735 square miles, and is close in size to Japan, California, and Great Britain. There are only 4 million residents which gives New Zealand one of the lowest population densities in the world.

New Zealand, or “Aoetearoa,” was one of the last landmasses to be discovered by man. The Maori people made their way to this small island country only a thousand years ago in small canoes called “waka hourua” from their ancestral home of Hawaiki. New Zealand’s culture composes aspects of both the Maori people and Europeans, particularly the British. This is most easily seen when visitors observe the contrast between Maori historic sites and British colonial buildings.

While British culture is fairly prevalent, Maori culture is most prominent in New Zealand. Not only is this because Maori are the indigenous peoples, but also because they have such a rich and vibrant culture steeped in tradition and ritual. Arts include carving, weaving, group dance, storytelling, and tattoo. They are a predominantly oral culture and communicate and teach through legend. Their creation myth details Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatuanuku (Earth Mother) being separated violently by their children, this is reflected in Maori art.

New Zealand is a multi-cultural society with residents from all over the globe so a plethora of different languages are spoken. The two official languages are English and Maori. Local fare is a “Pacific Rim” fusion that incorporates cuisine elements from several different regions such as Europe, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Polynesia, Japan, and Vietnam. Some commonly used ingredients include lamb, pork, venison, salmon, crayfish, bluff oysters, abalone, mussels, scallops, sweet potato, kiwifruit, tamarillo, and pavlova. There are only a few fine dining restraints, the trend leans more towards café and bar dining. There is a very wide variety of food available such as Japanese, Indian, Halal, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Malaysian, and Thai.

New Zealand also has a very favorable climate with very little variation from season to season. The northern island is subtropical and the southern island is temperate. The summer months are December through February when the temperature ranges between 20-30º C, and the winter months are June- August when the temperature ranges between 10-15º C. This is the normal temperature range, however, New Zealand is prone to cold fronts and tropical cyclones that can blow in and change the weather suddenly and unexpectedly. Therefore, it is always good to plan ahead when engaging in outdoor activities.

For such a small country, New Zealand is extremely biodiverse. It is estimated that New Zealand separated from other land masses about 100 million years ago. This time of isolation has allowed the flora and fauna to evolve and become incredibly unique. Not only is this island unique in regards to its wildlife, but it also contains a staggering array of different landmasses. Its geographical features include mountain ranges and active volcanoes, lush rainforests, fiords and glaciers, and miles of coastline with sandy beaches and an active marine industry.

New Zealand’s endless coastline and spectacular marine environment make an ideal getaway for any sailing or yachting enthusiast. The larger islands are surrounded by many smaller chains which make for amazing scenery while cruising. There are hundreds of charter companies waiting to match you up with the right vessel and activity itinerary, and there is certainly no shortage of vessels in this region.

Auckland, known as the City of Sails, has the world's largest number of boats per head of population. Sailing vessels are much more common here than motor yachts and typically range from classic square riggers to modern America’s Cup winners. Popular charter styles and activities include; afternoon sightseeing on the harbor of your choice, term charters to deeper water, fishing, diving, snorkeling, ecotours, or even sailing instruction. Crew types available include; bareboat, captain, captain and cook, or fully crewed.