74 . <strong>DRIFT</strong>TRAVEL.COM Visit the blue penguins in Oamaru (and yes, they really are blue!)
4Get Your Adventure On Helicopter tours, hiking, kayaking, jet-boating, and skiing, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things to do in New Zealand. The country is also a hot spot for extreme sports and adrenaline-pumping activities like skydiving, white water rafting, zip lining, and Zorbing. It was a New Zealander, A. J. Hackett, who started organizing commercial bungee jumping, in 1986, seven years after it appeared in the U.K., and it’s not difficult to find bungee operators in New Zealand now. 5The Geothermal Features of Rotorua Rotorua stinks - literally. This town in the North Island smells like sulfur (that not-so-delightful rotten egg smell) because of its intense geothermal activity. Visit and you’ll see bubbling mud pots, steam rising from the hot pools of water everywhere, and bursting geysers. These features aren’t very common in the world; only Japan, Russia, Iceland, and the U.S. have areas of similar geothermal activity. So it’s an incredible opportunity to see one of earth’s rare wonders. To really get up close and personal, consider going to a spa where you can soak in the health benefits of the mineral waters in hot baths and mineral pools. While you’re at it, get a massage, too - after all, you’re on vacation. 6Glow Worm Caves Glow worms are insects that glow with bioluminescence, like fireflies, and they’re plentiful (relatively speaking) in both Australia and New Zealand. Make the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves part of your itinerary, and you’ll see thousands of these little creatures light up the cave as you travel through by boat - a truly wondrous site. Waitomo is located in the North Island, not too far from Rotorua. 7Whales, Dolphins, Seals, and Penguins New Zealand is a great place to see an abundance of wild animals you might otherwise never see in your lifetime. Head out on a whale-spotting sea tour. Two good places to try are Auckland, a city in the North Island, and Kaikoura, in the South Island. You’ll likely also encounter some dolphins on your boat trip. You may see the common dolphin, the bottle-nosed dolphin, the dusky dolphin, or even the rare Hector’s dolphin, which lives only in the waters off New Zealand. After whales and dolphins, go check out some seals. In Kaikoura, you can walk out to see the seal colony up close and personal - but not too close - watch out that you don’t trip over a seal sunning herself. TRAVEL OFTEN . LIVE WELL . 75