A Practical Guide to the Lifestyle of the New Zealanders
New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places on earth, located in the South Pacific ocean, it is blessed with diversified landscape, dramatic hills, snow-covered mountain ranges, verdant forests, exotic wildlife, and beaches. The rich culture and heritage of the country, that combines Māori traditions with modern Kiwi culture, adds to the charm, visitors are overwhelmed by the relaxed and friendly ambiance. Before traveling to New Zealand, it is important for travelers to know about the lifestyle of the New Zealanders, to travel at ease.
The country's scenic spots like Hobbiton, Milford Sound, Tongariro National Park, are a must-visit destination. For adventure lovers it is a haven, offering adventure sports like glacier hiking, paragliding, bungee jumping, trekking, hiking, etc.
For New Zealanders, their main priority is environment conservation and promotes sustainable tourism, which enhances its appeal as the most favorite global destination.
Significance of understanding the local lifestyle and culture before visiting
Before visiting New Zealand, it is important to understand the local culture and lifestyle of the New Zealanders for a respectful travel experience. It is important that you respect the country's unique blend of Māori traditions with modern Kiwi culture, know the common social etiquettes, and the importance of sustainability.
Also, prepare yourself for other requirements like tipping customs, driving rules (if planning to drive by yourself), and conservation of the environment. Following them will allow you to comfortably get along with its relaxed atmosphere and have a wonderful holiday experience.
Are New Zealanders welcoming?
If you aren't aware, you must know that New Zealanders are welcoming and friendly people, the atmosphere here is relaxed and people have an open-minded attitude, making it comfortable for the travelers to explore and be a part of this island nation.
New Zealanders are approachable, which means that you will be easily able to have a conversation with them. They are always happy to share tips about their country's unique places to visit and things to do. In fact, New Zealanders are known for their hospitality, they love to invite their friends in social gatherings. Their rich culture, including that of Maori traditions adds to the glory of the place.
For its warm and friendliness nature, and being almost a crime-free nation, New Zealand is regarded as one of the safest countries to travel.
The diverse ethnic group and its influence on the society in New Zealand
The diverse ethnic group inhabiting the island includes the indigenous Māori, Pacific Islanders, and European descendants. This multicultural blend has an influence on the traditions, languages and cuisines. The Maori tradition in fact plays a crucial role for contributing to the identity of the nation.
Māori Influence in New Zealand: Overview of the indigenous Māori culture and its influence in New Zealand
Maori were the first to reach the island, thus it has a great influence in New Zealand. The te reo Māori language (places in New Zealand are in fact in Maori language), communal values and traditions like Haka, impact the lifestyle of the nation. The Maori are known for its love and respect for nature (known as kaitiakitanga in Maori Language), which is New Zealand's guiding approach for protecting nature and work towards sustainability.
How do New Zealanders interact socially?
The New Zealanders have a relaxed and friendly nature, they will talk with you in an informal manner like you are his close friend, yet in a very polite manner. You are always welcomed to talk to them about the local festivals and events or ask them about the weather or know from them, where you can have an in-depth cultural exploration.
They are considerate and make locals and visitors feel comfortable and welcoming, and appreciate humility and respect; in return they expect the same from the Visitors.
How New Zealanders Greet?
New Zealanders greeting style includes a friendly smile and handshake, or with a hello. While the traditional Maori greetings include "kia ora," "hongi," etc. In "hongi" greeting style includes touching of the forehead and nose, which means sharing of life and breath.
How is the Work-Culture in New Zealand?
The work culture in New Zealand is informal and promotes work-life balance. It believes in teamwork, open communication and supports its team members. It strongly emphasizes work-life balance, wherein employees have personal time and holidays on the weekends. Although timely delivery of work and hard-work is appreciated, employees have a chance to work in a relaxed atmosphere.
How is the work culture for foreign workers?
There are people working in New Zealand from different cultural backgrounds, and are treated fairly in the workplace. It fosters a supportive work culture, and appreciates hard-work and timely delivery of work, equal treatment for both local and foreign employees.
Sustainability and Conservation of Nature and Wildlife: How New Zealanders protect their environment?
New Zealanders emphasize more on conservation of their habitat and sustainability, and have laid-down strict laws for keeping a check on the biosecurity and environmental laws. The country practices recycling, sustainable farming practices and sustainable tourism. For the protection of nature and wildlife, they have taken initiatives like reforestation, marine protection, predator control and eco-tourism.
Biosecurity Rules: What visitors need to know about strict customs and regulations on bringing items into the country?
If you are not aware, you should know that the biosecurity rules in the International airport's in New Zealand are the strictest in the world, rules specially laid-down to preserve and protect the agriculture and ecosystems of the land without being diluted.
Travelers coming from foreign destinations must declare items like plants, seeds, animal products, food, outdoor equipment (hiking boots, camping gear, etc), honey, fruits, etc.
If you are bringing any outdoor equipment to New Zealand it must be thoroughly cleaned, so that there is no soil and plant material on it. If you fail to declare the restricted items mentioned in the biosecurity list, your item will be confiscated and you will be fined.
In the customs counter, your bags will go through x-ray machines, to cross check if you have not declared any biosecurity risk items. The government of New Zealand strictly works towards preventing pests and any diseases from entering the nation.
Travel and Transportation Rules: What to check out?
In New Zealand, there are certain road rules that are mandatory to be followed, for instance, cars are driven on the left-side of the road and wearing seatbelts. There are certain road-rules that everyone has to follow like sticking to the speed limits, watching for animal crossing signs, watching for danger signs and curves, and one-lane bridges in the countryside. The locals prefer to go for campervan rides to visit the natural attraction sites and rural wonders. Like locals, visitors can choose to take the public transport or else can hire a car or campervan from a car rental company to explore the countryside.
Driving on the Road: Road rules, driving conditions, and the significance of road trips.
- When driving in New Zealand, you will have to drive on the left side of the road, be wary to stick to this rule.
- Follow the rules of the road like wear seatbelts, stick to speed limits, watch for sign boards for animal crossings, danger signs, curve signs, avoid using mobile phones while driving, and avoid driving at night.
- Watch out for the conditions of the road, like in rural areas the roads might be narrow and winding and mostly have one-lane bridges.
- If you are planning for a trip to the hilly areas, check out the weather conditions first.
One of the significant factors why most locals and tourists opt for road trips is due to its scenic landscape. The popular routes include the Southern Alps, Pacific Coast Highway, etc, they will surely let you have a breathtaking escape
Public Transportation: Availability of buses, trains, and domestic flights
- Public buses run along all the important places in New Zealand, some of the popular intercity buses include Kiwi Experience and InterCity.
- In urban areas like Auckland and Wellington, the lives of the locals are made convenient by providing public buses and trains.
- For scenic train rides, locals mostly recommend the Northern Explorer and TranzAlpine.
- To move around distant cities in New Zealand, locals prefer to take the flights; some popular domestic airlines include Air New Zealand and Jetstar. For better price booking in advance is recommended.
Understanding main regions of New Zealand
The main regions of New Zealand include the North Islands and the South Islands, each island is rich for its diversified beauty and landscape. The North Islands comprises the cities like Auckland and Wellington and is popular for its geothermal activity locations and spectacular beaches. The South Island is popular for its breathtaking untouched beauty like the Fiordland and Southern Alps and is home to fascinating towns like Nelson and Queenstown (referred to as the land of outdoor adventures).
Differences between urban hubs and rural areas in New Zealand
The life in the popular cities and towns of New Zealand like Auckland, Wellington, and Queenstown, is filled with commercial activities, with diverse entertainment options, food and dining and enjoying nightlife, it offers a vibrant atmosphere.
Unlike in the urban areas, the rural region lets you experience a quiet and slow-paced lifestyle. The locals living in the rural region have access to stunning landscape, picture-perfect views, can engage in outdoor activities and stay connected to nature.
Māori Culture and Traditions: The importance of respecting their culture and traditions
The Māori culture and tradition is deeply rooted in New Zealand and respecting their tradition is necessary to know about the mainland. The cultural practices of the ancestors of the Maori are still being practiced, understanding and respecting their tradition is important to know about New Zealand. Visitors are encouraged to attend cultural performances like kapa haka, accompanied by traditional dances and songs.
The language of the Maori is te reo, their age-old traditions include the cultural ceremonies, such as pōwhiri (which means welcoming), haka (which is a war dance), storytelling, carving and weaving. The locals always love to share their culture and tradition and encourage visitors to take part in ceremonies like pōwhiri, welcoming ceremonies conducted at maraes which are the sacred meeting grounds. The gatherings are organized for the community members to stay connected with each other and for preserving their cultural heritage.
Basic Māori greetings and words, some of the common daily used phrases
The basic Māori greetings and words include:
- Kia ora (hello)
- Kei te pēhea koe? (How are you?)
- Mōrena (good morning)
- Haere mai (welcome)
- Kia ora tātou/kia ora koutou (Hello everyone)
- A kite (see you later)
These are some of the commonly used phrases you should get acquainted with. Using Māori greetings is a way of respecting their language and culture.
Food and Dining experience in New Zealand: Local food and its influences
The food of the New Zealaners is a merger of Māori, European and Pacific influences, that makes it authentic. One of the popular traditional foods of the region is Hangi, which is a traditional dish of the Maori, prepared by cooking in an earth oven and covered with stones. This dish is usually prepared by the locals in their sacred grounds, during community gatherings.
New Zealanders mostly eat food prepared freshly, bought from the farm to the table, like lamb, fruits and vegetables, and even freshly caught fishes. This food combination creates a fascinating dining experience, showcasing New Zealand's food habits in freshly produced ingredients and their commitment to sustainable agriculture practices.
Best outdoor adventure places in New Zealand: What's locals favorite, and would love you to engage in
- Kaituna River for White Water Rafting
- Wanaka for Skydiving
- Queenstown for Paragliding
- Rotorua for Mountain Biking
- Queenstown for Bungee Jumping
- Mount Ruapehu for Skiing
- Waitomo Caves for Caving
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing for Hiking
- Abel Tasman National Park for Kayaking
- Rotorua for Ziplining
Famous sightseeing places in New Zealand: What's locals favorite, and would love you to visit
- Mount Cook (Aoraki)
- Rotorua
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves
- Milford Sound
- Tongariro National Park
- Queenstown
- Franz Josef Glacier
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Bay of Islands
- Hobbiton Movie Set
- Lake Tekapo
- Coromandel Peninsula
- Wellington's Te Papa Museum
- Dunedin's Larnach Castle
- Auckland Sky Tower
If you are ready to explore New Zealand, why not apply for the NZeTA ,if you belong to one of the eTA eligible countries.
Ensure that you have checked the eligibility for your Online New Zealand Visa. Uruguayan citizens, Latvian citizens, Emirati citizens, Swedish citizens, Seychellois citizens and US citizens can apply online for New Zealand eTA.