What do you know about New Zealand? If you are anything like me, you probably think of New Zealand and Australia the way I think of the United States and Canada New Zealand is close to Australia, similar to it in many ways, but just not quite the same. I spent five months of last year in New Zealand and have now come to regard it differently. For one thing, I finally realize why it was chosen as the ideal location of Tolkins Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

New Zealand lies east of Australia and is situated in the South Pacific region. It is composed of two large islands, north and south. Its climate is mild and its scenery is simply breathtaking. New Zealand is also steeped deep in the tradition of the Maori people. Its major cities include Auckland (the capital), Wellington and Dunedin. Queenstown is acclaimed as one of its best destinations, an ideal place to ski that is peppered with magnificent slopes.

It is no secret that the Lord of the Rings trilogy gave the New Zealand tourism industry a major boost, what with the amazing scenery and sense of mystery and romanticism depicted in the films. The trilogy also gave movie-goers a glimpse of New Zealands many beautiful destinations. Today, the local businesses that helped transport the movie makers from one location to another have their hands full doing the very same thing to an ever-growing number of tourists, for a fee of course. And although curiosity about Lord of the Rings may have spurred many to visit New Zealand, once there most tourists are eager to see the rest of this beautiful country and take side-trips to visit the more exotic locales.

New Zealand is also an ideal destination if adventure is your cup of tea, especially for the younger travelers. For instance, Rotorua is acclaimed for its zorbing, which amounts to sliding into a giant hamster ball and rolling yourself down a hill. There are several whitewater rivers which tourists can challenge via jet-boat rides as well as tight canyons which make your boat hurtle at breakneck speed. If you have the guts, you might want to try jumping off the highest bungee jump in the world. Other locations like Waitomo offer huge caving opportunities, ranging from board-walked tourist caves to rappelling and sliding through mud and water to explore extensive underground labyrinths. Certainly, the New Zealand tourism scene has lots of opportunities for adventure, if you are so inclined.