Adventure #236

adventure 

where actions speak louder than words 


ISSUE 236 

FEB/MAR 2023 

NZ $10.90 incl. GST 

NEW CALEDONIA, 

RAROTONGA, 

CANADA, 

ICELAND 

SPAIN, 

TAHITI, 

NIUE, 

USA 

TRAVEL 

ISSUE

TRAVEL 

ISSUE 

#236 

the human touch 

It's all about the people you meet - Adventure Magazine's 

"away team" in Tahiti 

I have been fortunate enough to have 

travelled my whole life, with my family 

as a child and as an adult. It has always 

been a significant part of my work, firstly 

surfing, then diving, then photography, 

then a mixture of all of that was simply an 

adventure. 

People often ask ‘what is the best, the 

most beautiful place you have ever been?’ 

There is an extensive list of amazing and 

unique places that this job has taken us 

to. Right now, as I am writing this, I am in 

Rarotonga on the foreshore under a palm 

tree; the sky is blue and clear, the trade 

winds warm around 15 knots, and here 

the reef edge is close to the beach, so we 

have crashing waves, it’s impressive. 

But there are a lot of equally beautiful 

places in the world, all very different; 

some hot, some cold, some green, some 

desolate, but what is it that makes them 

unique? The simple answer is ‘people’. 

I have stayed at some stunning resorts 

and could not wait to leave because the 

people were just not …. Well, not nice. 

And I have stayed at resorts like Friendly 

Bungalows on Tanna in Vanuatu, where 

the lady who met us had no teeth but a 

very gummy smile, the rooms were made 

entirely of natural materials, and the only 

manufactured addition was the toilet. 

As we arrived at our room, our toothless 

guide stamped on the veranda floor, and 

we heard scuttling, and she smiled and 

whispered, ‘Micky Mouse’. She asked us 

if we would like crayfish for dinner, and 

of course, we did. We sat on handmade 

chairs at a handmade table eating freshly 

caught crayfish, which had been cooked 

to perfection, but had been cut up into 

tiny little pieces, as had all the vegetables 

(remember, the lady had no teeth!) 

While we were at dinner, a family of four 

adults arrived from France, obviously 

upset and demanding to be taken to 

another resort as this was not up to 

their standard. If they had given it just 

a few moments, they would have seen 

how utterly remarkable and unique the 

place was; the people, the setting, the 

jungle, and the black sand beach, all in 

the shadow of Yasur volcano. The rooms 

were comfortable and clean, the food – 

(although cut up small) was delicious, 

and the people could not have been more 

friendly and welcoming. 

That is what makes somewhere special; 

not the five stars on the review, not the 

fluffy towels, or Sky TV, or a well-stocked 

mini-bar (but that can help.) What makes 

any destination, any resort, and any 

holiday special is the people. 

It’s less about the white sand beach and 

more about the smiling face, it is less 

about the scenery but more about those 

you meet. A memorable travel experience 

is one with that human touch, that 

interaction. 

Lastly, travel is a two-way street. As we 

branch out around the world and we meet 

people who are caring and welcoming, 

we, too, have a responsibility to be 

welcoming. As the world shares its magic 

with us as we travel, so we need to be as 

enthusiastic and welcoming to those who 

arrive on our shores. 

We live in a fantastic country, and it is no 

wonder so many people want to come 

here and experience what we have, but 

remember, it’s the people that make it 

unique, and that’s where we can all play 

our own small part! 

Steve Dickinson - Editor 

your Adventure starts with Us 

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Images by Mike Dawson 

YOUNG NEW ZEALAND AND NORWEGIAN EXPLORERS COMPLETE EPIC JOURNEY TO THE SOUTH POLE 

They've endured waves of ice, high altitudes, extreme 

winds and punishing sub-zero temperatures and late 

yesterday the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s Inspiring Explorers 

ExpeditionTM team have reached the South Pole. 

The expedition set off from Ronne Ice Shelf on 18 

November. Each member skied almost 1,000km journey 

towing their equipment on a sledge behind them.The 

Inspiring ExplorersTM team was Auckland firefighter and 

medical first responder Laura Andrews (28); two-time 

Olympian and coach of the New Zealand canoe slalom 

team, Mike Dawson (35); and Norwegian intelligence 

analyst Marthe Brendefur (31). 

A typical routine was skiing for an hour at a time for up to 12 

hours a day, camping on the ice overnight. Mike Dawson, 

both exhausted and beaming with pride could hardly put his 

feelings into words. 

“It’s overwhelming to be here. It was a surreal feeling seeing 

the South Pole marker after such a long journey. Compared 

with my white water adventures, this was a long slow burn, 

every day walking towards that goal for 50 days.” 

Guided by Norwegian polar guide Bengt Rotmo from 

Ousland Explorers and led by Antarctic Heritage Trust 

Executive Director Nigel Watson, the 50 day expedition 

followed the Messner Route from the Ronne Ice Shelf, on 

the Weddell Sea side of Antarctica, to the South Pole. 

Full story next issue... 

EDITOR & ADVERTISING MANAGER 

Steve Dickinson 

Mob: 027 577 5014 

steve@pacificmedia.co.nz 

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SAMOA 

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FRENCH POLYENSIA 

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ADVENTURE 

CLIMBING 

IN SPAIN 

THE ROAD 

LESS 

TRAVELLED 

Words and photos by Derek Cheng 

I winced in agony. I’d tumbled down a part of the 

trail that was, embarrassingly, not difficult. In my 

haste to rush towards a tantalisingly delicious 

300m-wall of orange-streaked limestone, I’d 

rolled my ankle—badly. As I waited for the pain to 

subside enough to stop clenching my eyes shut, 

I knew it was probably best to head back to camp 

and rest. 

But we were on the road, in a remote part of 

Spain, for the first time since the world was 

gripped in the Covid pandemic. We had driven a 

day to arrive at Mont-Rebei, a dramatic canyon 

with imposing 300m walls of limestone rising up 

on both sides of a river. And we were time-limited, 

having to return our rental car to Barcelona in a 

couple of days. 

In other words, it was a ‘carpe diem’ scenario. 

Having had my share of unexpected accidents, I 

was prepared for such scenarios, and was soon 

swallowing ibuprofen and tramadol pills. It was 

another half hour to the base of the cliff, and 

by the time we arrived, there were already six 

climbers ahead of us. We weren’t very prepared 

for this, having been told that Mont-Rebei was a 

‘no picnic’ climbing destination, and would likely 

be deserted. (We later learned that we’d arrived in 

the middle of a national four-day holiday weekend, 

hence the crowd.) 

Luckily, the last climber in the conga line gave us 

a map for a nearby route - called Delfos - which 

we humbly accepted. We scrambled higher to 

arrive at the base, my ankle by now having burst 

from the swell-gate. But with tramadol vibes 

humming through my veins, we started up the 

wall. 

It was soon obvious that this was ‘adventure 

climbing’, a euphemism for climbing loads and 

loads of fragile rock. Climbers tend to prefer solid 

rock, given that the last thing they want is to pull 

off a handhold and be airborne, with nothing but 

the rope to prevent them from free-falling to the 

ground. We were happy to quickly pass the only 

other party on the route, thankful they hadn’t 

accidentally thrown any rocks on us from above. 

The limestone cliffs of Siurana are known for 

6//WHERE ACTIONS demanding SPEAK technical LOUDER climbing THAN on tiny WORDS/#236 holds

"There’s enough rock in Spain to 

last a lifetime. There’s actually 

enough in Catalonia alone, in 

northeast Spain, with famous sites 

Siurana and Margalef." 

The route traverses some tricky terrain 

where you don’t want to touch any 

part of the cliff that doesn’t have chalk 

on it; this at least indicates handholds 

that have been used and are yet to 

be pulled from the cliff. It culminates 

in two beautiful corners - where you 

literally have to climb through a tree or 

two - before topping out onto a glorious 

summit ridge. 

By then my ankle was well fat, with my 

limp becoming increasingly pronounced 

during the 90-minute descent. But it 

was worth it, so worth it, in fact, that 

I repeated the ankle punishment the 

following day when we climbed Diedre 

Gris, the route we'd wanted to do on day 

one. ‘Diedre’ means corner and, after 

an airy and exposed traverse, the route 

basically follows an enormous corner 

for hundreds of metres. Again, the rock 

was of ‘adventurous’ quality, but the 

movement was thrilling. At one point, we 

had to negotiate a giant flake of rock by 

following its edge, hand over hand, as 

tierra firma growled hungrily from below. 

Having successfully seized the days, we 

left Mont-Rebei the following day - but 

not without a particular kind of mishap 

that threatens any adventurous travel 

story. The first indication I was facing a 

poo-tastrophe was when I emerged from 

the tent that morning; somehow lying in 

a sleeping bag keeps the poo-situation 

under control. I’d already let my partner 

Rachel take the bog-roll that morning, 

telling her that I needed to go too but 

she could go first. 

I started packing up our things inside 

the tent - sleeping bag, sleeping mat, 

pillows. As soon as I stood up, my 

situation declared itself far more urgent 

than I’d realised. ‘I should busy myself,’ 

I thought to myself. Bowels are easily 

distracted, aren’t they? I collapsed 

the tent, collected the pegs, rolled 

everything up. She’s been at least 10 

minutes, and she knows I have to go. 

Where is she? 

8//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#236 

I thought to myself, ‘I could just go 

somewhere, dig a hole in the dirt and 

do my business, and then wait for her 

to return and hand me some bog-roll 

while I'm still squatting.’ But what an 

undignified start to the day! No. I am not 

a passive player in this. I have agency. 

I’ll take a load to the car, collect another 

bog-roll, and do my business. 

It’s amazing how much more urgent the 

poo-situation became in the few minutes 

it took to walk through the forest to our 

car, parked by a dirt road. I’d already 

pulled my long-johns to my knees, in 

case I was about to be ambushed, by 

the time I reached the road. I popped 

the trunk, found some toilet paper, 

shuffled quickly a few metres from 

the car, and unloaded. It couldn’t wait 

another second. I hated such scars on 

the roadside, though, so mid-unloading, 

I hobbled - my long-johns still hugging 

my calf muscles - to the other side of the 

road. (Please let no cars drive by at this 

moment.) I ambled clumsily up a small 

rise to find somewhere more suitable for 

my deposit. 

It was then, squatting in my new 

position, that I saw it: The Horror. 

I’d pooped on myself. The evidence 

was plainly seen between my sock 

and my flip-flop. Actually, there was 

a shitty stain on my long-johns, too. 

Something repugnant of my own making 

had dropped onto my calf and then 

somehow squished itself between my 

heel and jandal. 

At this point, I heard Rachel near the car 

and called out a warning to her. ‘There’s 

poo near the car!' When I’d cleaned 

myself up as best I could, I joined her 

and explained what had happened, 

and my gross underestimation of how 

desperate the situation was. It was 

hilarious, in hindsight, to picture her 

all this time relaxing on the hillside, 

transfixed at the reddening horizon as 

the day dawned, inhaling the splendour 

of the outdoors with no worries - or 

haste - to consider. 

Such was the frenzied urgency gripping 

me that I’d dropped my first bomb right 

by the car’s trunk without even realising. 

Before we drove off, I made sure to grab 

a stick and flick it from the roadside, lest 

anyone stand on it. 

—- 

Like everyone else, I’d put all travel 

plans on hold while the pandemic 

gripped the world and borders were shut 

down. As they opened up again, I was 

itching to resume my old dirtbag life, 

and Europe was top of the list. After a 

summer in Chamonix, France, sampling 

the magnificent granite towers of the 

alps, Rachel and I headed to Spain, a 

country famous for its sport climbing. 

There’s enough rock in Spain to last 

a lifetime. There’s actually enough in 

Catalonia alone, in northeast Spain, with 

famous sites Siurana and Margalef. The 

former is a series of orange and grey 

limestone cliffs weaving up a valley to 

the top, where the remains of an 11th 

century Arabic castle sits. The climbing 

is technical, steep, and typically with tiny 

holds to wrap your fingertips around. The 

latter is pocketed conglomerate, often on 

extremely steep terrain where sometimes 

you’re using the tip of a digit or two to 

lift most of your body weight. But these 

sites, deserving as they are of their 

reputations, were expectedly crowded. 

Thankfully, a Catalonian friend in 

Chamonix had provided us with an 

east-to-west road trip to less frequented 

spots, the first of which was Montgrony, 

at the foothills of the Pyrenees. An 

ancient site with a religious sanctuary 

literally carved into the side of the 

limestone cliff, this was a gorgeous 

setting to test our tufa-climbing prowess. 

The walls are decorated with curved 

columns that often have to be pinched, 

lobster-style, a kind of climbing of which 

New Zealand has little. We stayed in an 

old refugio nearby, a massive cottage 

with a stone floor and a fireplace - a 

perfect, and free, base. 

Some of the hardest climbs in the world are in Margalef, with its steep walls of pocketed conglomerate 

Montgrony offers tufa-blessed limestone, a nearby stone cottage to hang out in, 

and a religious sanctuary literally carved into the cliff

Above: The ruins of an ancient Arabic castle sit stop the 

limestone cliffs of the Siurana valley. 

Next on the list was Coll de Nargo, a small 

mountain hamlet to the north of its more 

famous neighbour Oliana, which is home 

to some of the world’s hardest climbs. The 

countryside around Nargo is littered with 

limestone crags. We sampled a couple, and 

then headed to a cliff-line called Perles, where 

we found some bolted multipitch lines of 

excellent quality, as well as some single pitch 

climbs under an enormous rock arch. 

Spain is not known as an international 

destination for multipitch climbing, but it has 

an abundance. Our next stop, Roca dels Arcs, 

near the small town of Villanova de Meia, is 

a cliff of limestone 250m high and several 

kilometres across. The route we climbed, El 

Senor de los Bordillos (translation: the guy 

in the kerb), turned out to be deceptively 

difficult, weaving through a roof and then up 

vertical terrain with nothing but razor-edge 

holds to cling to. At the base of the cliff, after 

descending, some French climbers directed 

us to a nearby monastery at the top of a hill, 

a perfect place to pitch a tent and wander 

through some ancient ruins. 

The next valley over contains the Terradets 

canyon - again, a lifetime of climbing here - 

and from there we headed to Mont-Rebei, a 

place so alluring that we returned once we’d 

driven to Barcelona and grabbed another 

rental car. (For some reason, it’s cheaper to 

rent for 30 days than for 60, so we drove back 

and swapped cars after 30.) In the spirit of our 

Spanish travels so far, we slept in an old stone 

cottage under Cap de Ras, the eastern part of 

the same cliff line, and finished our multipitch 

adventures on a climb called El Tercer Hombre 

(translation: the third man). The climb has the 

luxury of being fully bolted, and finishes on a 

difficult, vertical face with long moves between 

tiny holds. 

At the summit, we surveyed the arid, orangespeckled 

beauty in all directions. A few ancient 

towers could be seen in distant hilltops, where 

tiny mountain hamlets survive on goat farming 

and tourist visitors. The pace of Spanish life 

had been far less frenzied - poo-trastophe 

aside - than the mountains around Chamonix. 

But, as we discovered, that doesn’t mean 

there isn’t much multipitching adventures to be 

had: several lifetimes’ worth, in fact, if we only 

had several lifetimes at our disposal. 


Main image: Chris Baker stretches while climbing ‘The 

death of the sponsor’ (7b+, 26) in Siurana

DISCOVERING 

SUN PEAKS 

A LEGENDARY 

BIKE PARK 

Words by Jenny Hodder 

Big Risk Equals Big Reward, Right? 

I was not raised to embody the “big risk equals big 

reward” mindset, but it’s a way of living I’ve adopted 

as I’ve aged– for better or for worse (depends on 

who you ask). Over the course of my early 20’s, I 

embarked on a turbulent journey of trial and error, 

testing the reliability of this philosophy, however 

frivolous the “testing” might’ve been. It’s worked both 

in my favour and against me. Each time it’s worked 

in my favour, I’ve experienced richness I wouldn’t 

have without the risk and stacked another brick on the 

stature of my self-trust. Each time it’s worked against 

me, I uncovered lessons that were crucial to the 

journey and laughed at my misguided mistakes. 

This philosophy goes alongside my foremost agenda 

of “figure out what makes me happy and just do it.” 

One risk led me across Canada, 7 000 kilometers 

away from my network of friends, my family, and my 

home near the ocean. I left the people, life, and culture 

that was familiar to me for a community I had no idea 

how to be a part of and a life among mountains I had 

no idea how to live. The reward: the life I wanted to 

live (in Sun Peaks, British Columbia). 

Mahalo My Dude rider getting air on Sundance Mountain, summer 2022 

ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//13

“Once the fear 

dissolves, the stoke 

of feeling weightless 

takes over and you 

question why you 

didn’t start biking 

sooner,” 

Mahalo My Dude rider getting air on Sundance Mountain, summer 2022. 

This summer, I translated “big risk 

equals big reward” to mountain biking in 

the Sun Peaks Bike Park. Here’s what 

I learned: 

• Always evaluate the risk and 

determine the impact of the 

reward. 

• The reward does not always 

balance the risk. 

• If the risk is riding a trail you’re not 

ready for and the reward is your 

own satisfaction or a fist bump, 

you’ll probably discover what it 

feels like to go OTB (over the 

handlebars). 

• “I’m just going to send it,” isn’t 

viable reasoning for a risk on your 

bike. 

• Lastly, the voice of your risk will 

often be your ego telling you you’re 

better than you are, don’t listen to it. 

Sweat, Callouses, and Fatigue. 

Late July sun melts over the soft, inviting 

mountains that encircle Sun Peaks. It 

trickles through thick greenery lining the 

trail beneath my bike and dyes the air 

gold. Laughing and eccentric chaos fill 

the plumes of golden air. I narrow my 

field of vision so the only thing within it 

is the soil laden surface of my favourite 

flow trail, Stella Blue. Mindfully inhaling 

and exhaling, I breathe with the smooth 

transition of each jump and berm. 

Clouds of earthy dust gather in my wake, 

a layer of buttery sunshine spreads over 

my goggles, and I gulp down traces of 

wildflowers in the air. The world feels 

suspended in a moment – the kind I’ve 

been chasing for my whole life, but 

never knew how to create. Turns out I 

needed to buy a bike and ride the Sun 

Peaks Bike Park. 

Pools of sweat soak the inner padding 

of my helmet, my calloused hands are 

cramping with fatigue. If you’ve never 

biked before, I’m sure it all sounds 

exhausting and intimidating, and 

honestly it is; but I’ve never felt so close 

to flying. Once the fear dissolves, the 

stoke of feeling weightless takes over 

and you question why you didn’t start 

biking sooner. 

“In Sun Peaks, 

we’re passionate 

about mountain 

biking.” 

North of 20 years ago, Sun Peaks OGs 

and core mountain bikers initiated the 

beginnings of a legendary bike park. 

Scraping trails into Tod Mountain by 

hand, they didn’t realize they were 

foraging the path to a world-class 

downhill biking experience. 

Rider Jenny Hodder on Canada Line, 

summer 2022. 

14//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#236

“No matter where I 

go, a fraction of my 

heart will always 

lay among the soil 

on Stella Blue in 

the Sun Peaks Bike 

Park.” 

Lacee Smith whizzing through wildflowers on 

Tod Mountain, summer 2022. 

Photo: Dylan Sherrard. 


Rider Jenny Hodder on Canada Line, summer 2022. 

In its beginning era, the bike park 

reflected the heart and soul of what 

mountain biking was at the time – 

gnarly and rowdy. Legendary trails 

like Steam Shovel, Gnar-Boom, and 

Insanity One are notoriously known in 

Sun Peaks for their calibre of difficulty 

and are trails that attract riders who 

push their limits. Years unfolded and 

with each one, the Sun Peaks Bike 

Park evolved. In the time leading up to 

this summer, the bike park experienced 

significant growth and the approach 

became “come one, come all.” 

The staff and riders behind each 

chapter of the bike park’s development 

were fueled by their insatiable passion 

for riding. They laid blueprints and dug 

trails with a vision to elevate riding 

and make Sun Peaks the best place 

to do it. Fast forward to June, 2022. 

The Sun Peaks Bike Park is now “built 

for progression” and the diversity of 

terrain is dialed for both beginners 

and pros. After a $1.5M investment, 

the bike park expanded onto an 

entirely separate mountain, opened a 

second summer chairlift, and added 19 

kilometers of new downhill terrain. 

Riders now have the freedom to 

explore all three mountains in Sun 

Peaks on their bikes. As I rode the 

new trails on Sundance Mountain this 

summer, it was common to overhear 

remarks like, “That was the best blue 

flow trail I’ve ever ridden” (referencing 

the oh so magnificent Stella Blue). 

The Risk That Wasn’t a Risk at All. 

The ambiguity of the unknown is 

unsettling; it is for me at least. As much 

as I seek spontaneity, I struggle with 

lack of structure and the element of 

not knowing. Prior to moving to Sun 

Peaks, there was little about my life 

that was unpredictable. I worked, 

went to the same local pubs, and 

consistently saw the same people. 

Leaving that predictability behind 

for something so foreign felt like a 

significant risk. Now, I watch the sun 

sink behind the mountains after a day 

in the bike park. I ride the chairlift to 

embark on an alpine hike after work. 

I’ve discovered skills and passions 

etched into mountain culture that 

have become integral to my quality of 

life. I’ve experienced the support of 

community. 

The “big risk” of moving to Sun Peaks, 

wasn’t really a risk at all – it brought to 

light a piece of my identity that I didn’t 

know I was missing. No matter where 

I go, a fraction of my heart will always 

lay among the soil on Stella Blue in the 

Sun Peaks Bike Park. 

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Summit all all three peaks with daylight to to spare. 

Sun Peaks. Where you belong. 

sunpeaksresort.com/bike

First hike in the Dolomites, Italy, to Refugio re Alberto 

On world-class winning wave at Nias, Indonesia 

Image by WSL 

PAIGE 

HAREB 

HAVE BLOG... 

WILL TRAVEL 

Words by Paige Hareb, Images by Lauren Murray 

I’ve been a pro-surfer, and a 

self-proclaimed pro-traveller for 

over 14 years now. Sitting here 

reflecting on the last six months 

of my travel, I’m feeling a lot of 

gratitude. After semi-deciding and 

semi-being forced to stay in NZ 

for two whole years because of 

the pandemic, I felt it was time to 

make the most of travelling again. 

Ironically, the week before 

I started my first adventure 

overseas, I got Covid for my 

birthday, June 6. My week of 

isolation just finished in time for 

me to fly out to Indonesia for two 

surf competitions. 

I had contests at Krui and Nias, 

which were amazing! The finals 

day at Nias has been a real 

standout moment for me this 

year, the waves were absolutely 

pumping, the best I’ve ever had 

for a contest! The win there 

made it that much sweeter too. 

My travel agent was telling me 

not to do it before South Africa 

because she didn’t think I would 

get my boards in time. I’d always 

wanted to go there so I just 

ignored her and risked it. I’m so 

happy I went, it paid off. It was 

the very first time I’d travelled 

alone to an event and stayed by 

myself, maybe I should try doing 

that more. All I wanted to do was 

keep getting through more heats 

just to surf perfect waves with no 

one out. Two weeks in Indo and 

I was already head over heels 

in love with travelling again. 

Next stop the United States of 

America baby! 

"I didn't 

realise how 

much I missed 

travelling" 

I didn’t realise how much I 

missed travelling. I was in 

California for the US Open at 

Huntington Beach, but I stayed 

on for a few months with my 

girlfriend and pro-photographer, 

Lauren Murray, exploring 

the area, and hiking through 

Big Pine Creek, the Grand 

Canyon, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, 

Colorado and Big Sur. America is 

such a big country with so much 

to do, I think it will always be in 

the top 10-holiday list for me. 

Next we headed to Italy, I had 

never been there before so 

wanted to do the classic tourist 

thing and visit Venice before 

we headed to the Dolomites in 

Northern Italy. We did several 

hikes here as well as one just 

across the border in Austria. The 

hiking ‘Huttes’ in Italy and Austria 

were very impressive, positioned 

in some crazy, amazing spots in 

the mountains. 

After a quick competition Near 

Lisboa, Portugal and an even 

quicker road/surf trip South to 

Algarve, a place that seemed a 

bit like a Bali destination for the 

UK and other Europeans. 

With a quick overnight in 

Denmark (another new fav city 

of mine), we then headed to the 

Faroe Islands. A self-governing 

archipelago, part of the Kingdom 

of Denmark, that I had only just 

heard of and had no idea where 

it was or what to expect. I felt 

lucky to be there because not 

many people get to go there. 

The landscape was amazing, 

waterfalls everywhere and huge, 

steep cliffs dropping straight into 

the wild sea. I managed to fit a 

surf in there too, it was small but 

Right: A grand view in the Grand Canyon. 

20//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#236 ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ//21

Iceland, cool and cool. 

"It felt a little scary 

being the out in such a 

huge bay." 

it’s definitely got a lot of potential, and I left there 

already wanting to go back and explore more. It 

reminded me a lot of New Zealand. 

As if I didn’t think our trip could get any cooler (pun 

intended), we headed to Iceland. It’s always been a 

country on my bucket list so I could barely contain 

my excitement about going there. We were lucky 

enough for Happy Campers to give us their latest 

4WD camper van for 10 days. It wasn’t their winter 

yet, but it sure felt and looked a lot like winter still. 

We pretty much drove around the whole country, 

exploring waterfalls, hikes, the f-roads, thermal 

pools and of course the beaches. I had always 

wanted to surf the famous right-hander there, 

surrounded by the snow-covered mountains. 

I was warm in the water with all the right gear. The 

wave was small but so perfect and fun. It felt so 

surreal and a little bit scary being the only one out 

in a huge bay, the snow all around was amazing. It 

was such a unique experience I will never forget. 

We were lucky enough to see some of the Northern 

lights too. I would definitely recommend a trip to 

Iceland, I promise you I will be going back there. 

I then spent a week in Anglet, France visiting my 

French brother and sister, who stayed with my 

family throughout the first lockdown in NZ. France 

is always a good place to visit, one of my alltime 

favourite countries. Possibly one of the only 

countries I would consider living in. I love their food 

and way of life in the South of France. 

Right: Lago di Sorapis, another hike in Northern Italy. 


Clockwise from top left: A quick but beautiful hike up from a family 

cabin in Colorado, USA. / Chasing waterfalls in Iceland. / Stayed the 

night up by this swing bridge in Austria, first day was all rocky, next 

day was covered in snow. 

I then headed back to Brazil for another competition. I 

always moan about flying all the way to Brazil, but once 

I’m there, I do enjoy it, it’s one of those countries that have 

seemed to slowly grow on me over the years. 

A new contest then came up in Taiwan. I had never been 

before, this year felt like it was my year to go to as many 

new countries as possible, so the decision to fly straight 

there from Brazil was pretty easy, even though it took 50+ 

hours. I didn’t really know what to expect there, but I was 

very impressed. The water and weather were very tropical, 

the waves were very consistent and fun, oh and how good 

was the food! I think it could be my new destination instead 

of Bali. A lot of similarities but a lot fewer people in the water 

when surfing. 

Last but not least, to finish the six months of travel, Hawaii. 

I was meant to have my last competition there but with 

the horrible exchange rate USD to NZD and the high 

accommodation rates there, it just wasn’t feasible to stay for 

so long. However, we did still manage to fit in a few days on 

Kauai island, an island I hadn’t been to before. It was small 

to drive around with huge Jurassic park-like scenery but I 

think I still prefer either Maui or Oahu. It was nice to finish 

the six months of travel in somewhere that was tropical and 

actually felt like a holiday and slightly closer to home, which 

we were nearly ready for. 

Follow Paige on: 

instagram.com/paigehareb 

facebook.com/paige.hareb 

twitter.com/paigehareb 


BOBO.CO.NZ/SALEWA

M 

MASTERCLASS 

WITH CHRIS MCLENNAN 

This image of an Eagle Hunter in action was taken in 

the remote Altai mountains of Mongolia whilst running 

one of my photography expedition workshops. For 

this image I lay flat on the ground to get the lowest 

possible angle. This gives the feel of extra power to 

the horse galloping directly towards the camera as it 

dominates from above. The low angle also allowed me 

to show less of the ground directly in front of and behind 

the horse which in turn gives the perception of even 

shallower depth of field helping to isolate the horse, rider 

and eagle from the backdrop. 

Careful choice of camera settings were in play here. I 

needed high enough ISO to ensure a fast shutter speed. 

I shot relatively wide f stop which gave shallow depth 

of field but also allowed a bit of a buffer for focus and 

the different elements in the image to be sharp. I use 

continuous focus and locked onto the eye of the rider. It 

was a real bonus to have a catchlight in the eagle's eye 

and the horses hooves off the ground throwing dust and 

stones around for a bit of added drama. 

Nikon Z9, Nikkor 180-400mm lens at 390mm 

ISO 800. f 6.3 for 1/2500 second 

Chris can help you to perfect your photographic skills 

whilst seeing some of the most spectacular subjects on 

the planet. Chris McLennan leads photo expeditions in 

Mongolia as well as Africa, Alaska, Svalbard and Papua 

New Guinea. 

www.chrismclennanphotography.com/photo-expeditions 

FB: facebook.com/Chris.McLennan.Photography 

IG: chris_mclennan1 


GUTSING IT OUT ON 

THE MOTATAPU TRAIL 

AVOIDING NOVEMBER SNOW IN 

CENTRAL OTAGO 

Words and images by Eric Skilling 

“Who would choose to walk this 

trail?”, I found myself asking out loud 

even though there was nobody within 

earshot. Perhaps if you were a multiday 

adventure-racer, training for one of 

those endurance events. Perhaps if you 

really liked walking alongside exposed 

tussock - lots and lots of tussock. Or 

perhaps you had just had a knee or hip 

reconstruction and felt a need to test 

the success of the operation. 

Okay, maybe I was still grumpy after 

the disappointment of cancelling a third 

attempt to tackle Gillespie Pass and 

get my first look at Lake Crucible. In 

the face of a rapidly worsening weather 

forecast we had sought the advice of 

the charming and informative folk at 

the DOC centre in Wanaka the day 

before we were to set out to Makarora. 

“I wouldn’t go there! You need to 

stay east of the divide” was the very 

disheartening but very prudent advice. 

Motatapu is not an easy tramp. It 

doesn’t promise close-up views of 

alpine peaks or glacial lakes, or mile 

after mile of tranquil beech forest. 

Walking alongside fence lines and the 

odour of fresh livestock dung has a way 

of taking away that wilderness feel but 

nevertheless this trail is a challenge 

worth accepting. Where else can you 

climb well over 3,000 metres in 3 days, 

only lose it all again without the reward 

of reaching a single peak. 

By the time we reached around 1,100 

metres on the first day, almost 200 

metres short of Jack’s saddle at 1,275 

metres, my enthusiasm had reached 

a low ebb. It was uncomfortably hot, 

which made me doubt the accuracy of 

the weather forecast that had got us 

here in the first place. Our group of 5 

was stretched out along the exposed 

track as it meandered around steep 

ridges and dived into damp gullies, but 

always it went up again - a long way up. 

To make matters worse, we knew we 

would lose 500 metres before reaching 

that day’s destination. This was a slog. 

But it got better, a lot better. Later that 

day five sweaty trampers would round 

the final ridge and the longed-for sight 

of the Highland hut. The effort involved 

in reaching that point would have 

made the most dilapidated shelter look 

magnificent, but this hut must rate as 

one of the most amazing settings for a 

night’s stop. 

Andrew searching his way through the tussock on the lightly formed track 

Sited on a sloping basin, with its 

back to an amphitheatre of towering 

mountains, it faces northwards, giving 

views down the rugged V-shaped river 

valley of the Highland creek to snowtopped 

peaks of the Harris Mountain 

range. Providing shelter for many 

adventurers since 2008, including a 

steady stream of Te Araroa trekkers, 

the cabin was in great condition. It 

has been well designed with plenty of 

space to accommodate the 12 people it 

was intended to lodge. 

It wasn’t long before all those things 

that makes tramping so enjoyable 

had begun clicking into place. After a 

quick unpack and wash, a few of us 

had gathered on the deck replete with 

hot coffee and chocolate to watch the 

valley darken and the snow on the 

faraway peaks turn pink. That was one 

of those priceless moments that makes 

you forget the efforts of the day. 

"Motatapu is not 

an easy tramp. It 

doesn’t promise 

close-up views of 

alpine peaks or 

glacial lakes, or 

mile after mile 

of tranquil beech 

forest." 


Shane on the steep and narrow descent to Highland Hut 

Banter with a few mates over dinner, 

making friends with travellers from 

around the world, and then venturing 

outside to enjoy a sparkling night sky 

framed by the soaring peaks around us, 

before heading back inside for the night. 

Once out on the track again the next 

day, I had begun to look at the terrain as 

a challenge and not some masochistic 

trail-blazers idea of a wake-up call for 

the unfit, unprepared, or over-packed. I 

began to appreciate the determination 

involved in designing, developing, 

and maintaining the track. Those 

atmosphere-killing fences became 

symbols of the resolve and endurance of 

high-country farmers. Respect. 

This is big country, big like Texas. In 

the words of Geoff Chapple, founder 

of the Te Araroa track “within the trail’s 

wider landscapes, [you] may see it’s 

human figures diminished by scale 

and distance, yet in that reduction, 

enhanced.” Each of the next 4 saddles 

we crested became a stunning view into 

a vast countryside with a thousand folds 

and creases. Huge weather-beaten 

boulders stuck out on the skyline 

like ancient, ruined temples, or hung 

precariously from the sides of the steep 

ridges. Faraway peaks seemed to be 

laid in a deceptively smooth looking 

carpet of tussock. Streams snaked 

across the gently sloping valley floor. 

Energy sapping drops into gullies 

became welcome sources of cool, clear 

refreshing water. 

Over the course of the 3-days we 

kept reminding ourselves this route 

is graded “advanced”, and there was 

plenty of debate about what defined 

that term. It made sense that the track 

would require a decent amount of 

sweat. Expect plenty of scrambling on 

the steep sections. The track ranges 

from narrow to very narrow (or, as the 

guide states – is “lightly formed”) and 

occasionally disappears into foliage or 

eroded away in many small slips. Some 

hair-raising drop-offs will reawaken 

the lapsing concentration, especially 

on some downward ridges. There are 

plenty of streams to cross and rivercrossings 

to evaluate. 

All three huts - Fern Burn, Highland 

and Roses were clean, well-insulated, 

spacious, and well placed. Successful 

predator management in the forested 

sections must be congratulated, but 

don’t expect many bird calls near the 

huts or the open parts of the trail. 

Be wary of the Spaniards – 

appropriately named aciphylla horrida, 

hiding in the huge tussock stacks along 

"This is big country, 

big like Texas. In 

the words of Geoff 

Chapple, founder of 

the Te Araroa track 

“within the trail’s 

wider landscapes, 

[you] may see it’s 

human figures 

diminished by scale 

and distance, yet 

in that reduction, 

enhanced.”" 

Highland Hut with the snow-topped Harris Mountains in the distance 


John making his way off the last ridge on the way to Arrow River Valley and Macetown 

Fresh faced Steve and John in the forest on day 1 

"Motatapu is 

to quote, “an 

extraordinary gift 

to the nation”. 

Unashamedly and 

unapologetically 

demanding," 

Shane feeling the heat on the way to Jacks Saddle 

the traverse between Highland and 

Roses hut. We must have endured 

more stabbings from these unwelcome 

native shrubs on that stretch than 

the English in 1588. Matagouri are 

flourishing alongside and in some 

cases, on, the challenging segment 

between Roses saddle and Macetown, 

ready to snag any uncovered skin, 

coats and packs. 

All this was anticipated. The trail could 

do with some TLC in places. There were 

plenty of fallen trees to negotiate in the 

few forested areas and a fair bit of bushbashing 

around some eroded sections. 

We all felt sympathy for the Te Araroa 

folk who get to face these obstacles 

with their heavier packs, often in poor 

weather conditions, making for several 

successive days of tough tramping. 

Don’t plan to wimp out of the last 

day from Roses hut or overcome 

the logistical issues by crossing the 

private station back to the Glendu Bay 

car park. There is very clear signage 

explaining that if you dare to cross into 

the Station, you will be retracing your 

steps back to the trail. 

Weather forecasts for mountainous 

regions are understandably unreliable, 

but the general gist of the forecast 

during our stay was for snow to 1600 

metres, the height of Gillespie Pass 

on our second day (in late-November), 

which turned out to be accurate. 

The long-range forecast was for 

deteriorating conditions and the snow 

level lowering to 1100 metres, which 

also turned out to be accurate. The 

blessing of heading east of the divide 

was most of the foul weather only 

reached us after nightfall, except for 

the last day when we spent many hours 

trudging in cold rain. 

the final 10km stretch from Roses hut 

with its 500 metres of climb over the 

saddle and down again to Macetown, 

followed by 15km of four-wheel track 

across and alongside the river. 

This turned out to be a very wise 

decision. The stormy weather that had 

dumped snow on Gillespie pass had 

finally made its way off the mountain 

range to unleash on us by the time we 

reached Macetown. I believe a few 

friendships would have been written 

off had we pitched tents in the misty 

rain, and then endured a night camping 

out on sodden ground exposed to the 

wind as it raged down the narrow Arrow 

River valley. The historic significance 

of this settlement will have to wait until 

another visit. 

Our feet were numb with cold before 

we had even managed less than 10 

of the 23 river crossings between 

Macetown and Arrowtown, with the river 

rising each time we stepped into the 

fast-flowing waters. Luckily for us we 

reached the mountain bike track and its 

bridges at that stage which saved us a 

night camping out. 

Arrowtown - what a wonderful place 

to finish a trail. With the benefit 

of hindsight this is a great spot to 

celebrate and spend the night. The 

logistical arrangements were already 

difficult enough, so the option of an 

overnight stop in Arrowtown never got 

to be discussed anyway. 

Motatapu is to quote, “an extraordinary 

gift to the nation”. Unashamedly and 

unapologetically demanding, it provided 

us with a very different experience 

to the nearby sub-alpine and higher 

journeys, and one we will all reminisce 

about for some time to come. 

All-inclusive 

package from 

$440 per person 

(twin share) 

Package includes: 

• Track transfers 

• Coffee and cake on arrival at 

On the Track Lodge 

• 2 nights in comfortable chalet 

accommodation* 

• All meals (Day 1 dinner & dessert, 

Day 2 breakfast, packed lunch & dinner 

& dessert, Day 3 breakfast & packed 

lunch). Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free 

meals available) 

• Use of On the Track Lodge kayaks 

and all other amenities, including a 

hot-tub. 

*Upgrade to stay in the newly 

renovated vintage train carriages 

(with private bathroom). 

Discover the hidden wonders of the Nydia Track, it is not as well known or 

busy as the Queen Charlotte Track but just as beautiful. 

The track takes you through coastal forest (rimu, nikau and beech) with 

superb views and is suitable for people with a reasonable level of fitness, 

boots are recommended and some of the streams are not bridged. 

• Start from Havelock and take a shuttle to historic Kaiuma Bay, (4-5 hours). 

• Dine then stay at On the Track Lodge in a comfortable chalet 

or train carriage accommodation. 

• Spend the next day relaxing at the lodge, kayaking or taking some shorter walks. 

• The next day complete the rest of the tramp (carrying your freshly 

prepared packed lunch) to Duncan Bay in time for another shuttle ride back to Havelock. 

On The Track Lodge 

Nydia Track, Marlborough Sounds 

+643 579 8411 | stay@onthetracklodge.nz 

www.onthetracklodge.nz 

The steep and narrow descent 

Fortuitously we had planned to avoid 

spending a third night camping at 

Macetown. We had chosen to complete 

I choose to use Jetboil, Macpac, 

Backcountry Cuisine and Keen.

SLACKLINING 

IN KAZAKSTAN 

Words and images compliments of Red Bull 

500m at 200m high in windy 50°C weather. 

With the backdrop of the picturesque landscapes of Kazakstan, 

Estonian Jaan Roose became the first person to cross the iconic 

“fangs” on a slackline, limestone pillars that make up the Bozzhyra 

tract, also known as the 'Sugar Castles' and were crafted by the 

ancient Tethys Ocean, millions of years ago. 


we ARE climbing 

Jaan Roose - Red Bull Content Pool 

Roose took up slacklining 12 years ago and is well known for being the 

first and only athlete to do a double backflip (legs) while, in 2019, he 

won the World Slackline Masters in Munich, Germany. 

The three-time world champion, who has also worked as a stuntman 

in Hollywood movies like Assassin's Creed and taken part in a concert 

tour with Madonna, is a world-record holder in many unusual locations. 

After navigating a 28m line between Sarajevo skyscrapers last year, 

Roose headed next to Kazakhstan where he made a difficult 500m 

crossing at a height of 200 metres in 50°C with a strong wind. 

The 30-year-old revealed: "Bozzhyra is a challenge and is one of 

the most difficult, but at the same time, beautiful projects I have 

ever undertaken. When I saw photos of Bozzhyra I was impressed, 

but when I got here, I was blown away by the unearthly beauty of 

the place. The fact there used to be an ocean here really fuels the 

imagination." 

Many years ago, the Great Silk Road used to cross the Mangistau 

desert region and one of the ledges, which resembles a fortress, is 

even depicted on Kazakhstan's 1,000 tenge banknote. 

Roose added: "It's just a fantastic place. I'm glad I visited it and saw 

this unique location with my own eyes and was also able to combine 

physical ability with the beauty of nature." 

One of the group's main goals was to treat the unique nature of the 

area with care, making sure they observed all ecological requirements 

in the real historical location as the camera team spent five days in 

Mangistau Region at the site to film their piece and open this unique 

location. 

John Palmer at Sunnyside, Wanaka 

Photo: Tom Hoyle 

For over thirty years Bivouac Outdoor has been proudly 100% New Zealand owned and committed to providing 

you with the best outdoor clothing and equipment available in the world. It is the same gear we literally stake our 

lives on, because we are committed to adventure and we ARE climbing. 

Talgat Amanbayev, Board Chairman of NC Kazakh Tourism JSC, said: 

"Today, Mangistau Region is a priority tourist destination in Kazakhstan 

and one of the top five in terms of overseas visitors for the year. 

Mangistau is capable of becoming a real film-tourism centre, and as 

such, we are always ready to support initiatives that give exposure to 

its phenomenal beauty. At the same time, we will make sure it is treated 

with the care and attention it deserves to help preserve it." 

Supporting Aotearoa's Backcountry Heritage 

STORES NATIONWIDE 

www.bivouac.co.nz 


Above Left: Camping out at Joshua Tree National Park 

YOSEMITE 

* 

* 

JOSHUA 

TREE 

ZION 

** 

BRYCE 

CANYON 

*PAGE 

PARK 

*ESTES 

*OKEFENOKEE 

#VANLIFE 

THE BEST OF 

THE USOFA 

Before the world was in a semi-permanent state of 

lockdown, we used to satisfy our #vanlife each year 

exploring the States in our Roadbear RV. Over the 

years we have covered some fairly extensive miles and 

here’s our pick of the top places to go for an adventure. 

Above: No hiding the joy of that first glimps of Yosemite 

JOSHUA TREE 

YOSEMITE 

Joshua Tree National Park is in southern California (not far 

from Coachella Valley) and named for the twisted, bristled 

Joshua trees that litter the park. 

Climate: Joshua Tree is located in a sub-tropical desert so 

the winters are mild and the summers scorching hot with 

temperatures reaching mid-late 30’s throughout the summer 

months. 

Must do: Some of the best short hikes (around 1.5km) are 

Hidden Valley, Barker Dam, Arch Rock, and the Discovery 

Trail, all are very scenic. 

Best time to visit: As this is desert country, the best time to 

visit is during spring or autumn, when the temperatures are 

more tolerable (they still range between 21-29 degrees C). 

Why we loved it: The park was beautifully maintained and 

the campsites truly unique. Parked beneath rugged rock 

formations and Joshua trees, listening to wolves (might 

have been coyotes) while watching the dark night sky was a 

truly special experience. 

“There can be nothing in 

the world more beautiful 

than the Yosemite, and 

our people should see 

to it that they are 

preserved for their 

children and their 

children’s children 

forever, with their 

majestic beauty all 

unmarred.” 

~ Theodore Roosevelt 

Taken straight from their website, Yosemite is descirbed 

as “Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human 

foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, 

the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High 

Sierra.” Couldn’t have put it better myself… 

The park is best known for it’s waterfalls and climbing 

walls but with nearly 1,200 square miles there is so 

much more to see from deep valleys, vast meadows, 

giant sequoias and a vast wilderness area. 

Climate: Yosemite experiences highs in summer up to 

30 degrees celsius and in winter of 8 with temperature 

dropping to 14 degrees in summer and into the minus 

during winter. Most of Yosemite is covered in snow 

between November and May. 

Best time to visit: Anytime between May and 

September means you will avoid 95% of the areas rain. 

However, as with all USA’s national parks, the peak of 

summer is always super busy so spring and autumn 

make for an ideal time. 

Above: Waking up to snowfall in Tioga Pass, Yosemite 

Must do: Visiting Yosemite Valley goes without saying, but 

if you have time, drive over Tioga pass (not open during 

winter). You get another perspective of the area and the 

scenery is just as impressive. We drove the pass during 

September and woke up the following morning to snow 

covered surrounds. 

Why we loved it: The grandeur. It’s hard to describe but 

driving into Yosemite Valley was awe inspiring. The granite 

walls have to be stood beside for you to really appreciate 

their size. 


Above: Cliff-nicking in Estes Park, Colorado 

ESTES PARK, COLORADO 

Estes Park in northern Colorado, is considered “basecamp” for 

the Rocky Mountain National Park and the adventure capital of 

the region. There is every outdoor activity available from hiking, 

mountain climbing, mountain biking, rafting, fishing and skiing. 

Climate: During the summer temperatures range from highs 

around 23 degrees C and lows of 10 degrees. In the winter 

temperatures range from 2 degrees to as low as -10. 

PAGE & SURROUNDING AREA 

Page is a city in Arizona close to some 

spectacular scenic attractions: Lake 

Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, Horseshoe 

Bend, Antelope Canyon. 

Lake Powell straddles both Utah and 

Arizona and is a major vacation spot for 

boaties and fishermen. Although Lake 

Powell is officially an artificial reservoir 

do not let that put you off. Lake Powell is 

one of the most picturesque and intriguing 

places we have visited. 

Lake Powell’s main body stretches up 

the Glen Canyon but has also filled over 

90 side canyons. It also weaves its way 

up the Escalante River and San Juan 

River and merges with the Colorado 

River providing access to many natural 

geographic features, including Glen 

Canyon Dam and Rainbow Bridge, (one of 

the world’s largest natural bridges). Hire a 

houseboat for a few days, it’s a great way 

immerse yourself in the environment. 

Climate: Lake Powell area has extremes 

in temperature, dropping to a high of 8 o C 

in January to a scorching 37 o C in July. 

Must see: 

Horseshoe Bend: Just a short drive from 

Antelope Canyon is Horseshoe Bend. It 

is a part of the Colorado River that has 

naturally created a horseshoe bend, 

creating one of the most spectacular 

landscapes in Arizona. Horseshoe Bend 

is visible from high above the river bed, 

just pay for parking and walk to the most 

incredible viewing area. When we last 

visited in 2016 there were no railings 

and although it made for some incredible 

photos they have since installed a barrier 

at the main viewpoint. As of 2023, at least 

17 confirmed deaths have happened 

on the Angels Landing hike, and some 

sources put that figure closer to 20. Most 

of these were falls from steep cliffs. 

The best time to photograph Horseshoe 

Bend is either early morning or late 

afternoon due to the angle of the sun. 

Antelope Canyon: Known for its narrow 

rock walls, smoothed by water and wind, 

can be visited not far from Lake Powell but 

you have to take a guided tour. Well worth 

the money. 

Above: Horseshoe Bend, Arizona 

Above: Cliff jumping in Lake Powell 

Why we loved it: Lake Powell and the surrounding area 

is unique and incredibly different from anything we have in 

New Zealand. The canyon walls are a vibrant salmon colour 

and contrast against the green of the water. We spent a day 

on the lake fishing for bass and exploring the canyon walls, 

which also make for great jumping platforms. 

Must do: This area is a climbers paradise but if you want to 

experience the thrill of climbing without having the technical 

knowledge, then via ferrata is an excellent option. Set up and 

guided by Kent Mountain Adventure Center, the Estes Park Via 

Ferrata climbs roughly 600 vertical feet and includes a traverse 

with incredible views. 

Cliff camping: If you want to take your experience a step further, 

cliff camping is an option (but not for the faint hearted). Strapped 

to a harness your rappel down to a small portaledge secured 

to the cliff face where you will spend the night. An incredible 

experience! 

Best time to visit: The park is a year round destination, however 

to experience the most the area has to offer, June to September is 

your best option. 

Why we loved it: Although busy during the summer months, this 

town still holds a quaint feeling. It was also a great place to base 

ourselves while exploring the Rocky Mountain National Park. 


The hoodoos of Bryce Canyon 

Image by Ellis Dieperink 

BRYCE CANYON 

Not far from Zion is Bryce Canyon National 

Park. The limestone rock formations, created 

by erosion and rain, create an otherworldly 

landscape, completely different to it’s 

neighbouring Zion National Park. The tall 

skinny spires of limestone are called hoodos 

and Bryce Canyon boast more hoodoos than 

any other place in the world. 

Climate: Due of its high elevation, the 

weather at Bryce Canyon through autumn, 

winter, and spring can be highly variable, 

snowstorms in October are not unusual. 

From October to May, temperatures fall below 

zero at night with the coldest period being 

between December and February. Summer 

temperatures reach the early to mid 20’s. 

Must do: There are numerous hiking trails 

in the canyon, and you can find something 

to suit any level. We chose to explore the 

canyon on horseback. Not only did that give 

us a different perspective, it also allowed us 

to cover a larger area of the canyon that we 

could have achieved on foot alone. 

Stargaze - Due to the limited light pollution 

in Bryce Canyon, it is the perfect place for 

stargazing. In 2019, the International Dark- 

Sky Association designated Bryce Canyon 

and International Dark Sky Park. Although 

you can stargaze on your own, the park also 

offers several ranger programs offering 20 

minute constellation tours. 

Best time to visit: Although the summer 

months offer the warmest weather, Bryce 

Canyon is pretty spectacular to see during 

the winter months too. But if you want to 

participate in the ranger activities then you’ll 

need to visit between May and September. 

Why we loved it: It was like nothing we 

had seen before and as we explored on 

horseback all the was missing was John 

Wayne and a few Indians and we could have 

been on the set of any cowboy movie. 

On horseback is a great way to explore Bryce Canyon 

Image by Danika Perkinson 

ZION NATIONAL PARK 

Zion National Park is located in the 

South East corner of Utah, a state 

known for its rich reddish and tancoloured 

Navajo Sandstone that have 

been eroded by the Virgin River. 

Horse Ranch Mountain is the highest 

point in the park at 2,660m, and Coal 

Pits Wash is the lowest at 1,117m. 

Climate: In the summer months (July- 

September) temperatures average 

around 30 0 C. Due to the nature of the 

park, evening temperatures do drop 

considerable even in summer (down 

to 12 0 C). Winter months have higher 

levels of rainfall (and snow). Spring 

and autumn temps average around 

20 0 C. 

Must do: There are numerous hikes 

in the area, the most famous are 

the Narrows which is accessible to 

everyone but as a result can get very 

crowded, and Angels Landing. 

The Narrows is an 8-15km round 

trip, depending on how far you want 

to walk, and you will be walking in the 

water for most of the day. Good hiking 

shoes are recommended 

Right: The Narrows, 

Zion National Park 

Image by Karan Chawla 

Angels Landing is a 8.6km roundtrip, 

not for the faint of heart. It’s a 

spectacular return hike and scramble 

to the summit of Angels Landing, do 

not go if you have a fear of heights. 

It is considered one of the most 

spectacular day hikes in the world. 

The hike climbs up roughly 1,500 

vertical feet along the narrow fin of 

stone that reaches a top elevation 

of 5,790 feet. There have been 13 

known deaths from falls at Angels 

Landing since 2000, so yes, this is a 

hike to take seriously. 

Best time to visit: To avoid 

the crowds and the scorching 

temperatures, visit in March, April, 

October, or November. The busiest 

time in the park is June and July with 

over 500,000 monthly visitors. 

Why we loved it: Walking in the 

valleys of the rich red canyons of Zion 

is a feeling I will never forget. It was 

the first time that I really felt the power 

and wonder of nature. 

Both Zion and Bryce canyon offer great outdoor activities for all ages. For 

canyoneering and rappelling, Zion beats Bryce. You'll find world-class hiking 

in either Park, but in Zion you can find yourself hiking through streams or on 

sandstone ledges, like Angels Landing – one of the scariest hikes in the world! 


Okefenokee is a haven for alligators and they seem to be everywhere! Above, the view from our punt... 

"It’s a world 

wonder — this wild 

botanical garden 

serves as a haven 

for alligators 

and black bears, 

woodpeckers and 

ibises, bitterns and 

cranes." 

~ Janisse Ray 

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP 

The swamp straddles the Georgia- 

Florida line, however access to 

the swamp is from Georgia. The 

Okefenokee Swamp is a shallow 

wetland and is considered one of the 

seven natural wonders of Georgia. 

There are a few access points to the 

swamp, we visited from Stephen Foster 

State Park entrance where we hired a 

small 

Climate: This is a semi-tropical climate 

zone with hot and humid summer 

temperatures and winter temperature 

drops to around 11 degrees C. 

Must do: Hire one of the punts from 

the visitor centre and explore the 

swamp. You get given a map and then 

self drive around the swamp. There are 

so many alligators to see but also keep 

an eye out for the other wild life in the 

area; racoons, boars, otters and more. 

Best time to visit: Between late spring 

and early summer the weather is at its 

best and plants are in bloom making 

it a colourful and beautiful place. Also 

the animals are more active this time of 

year. To see the wildlife, early mornings 

and late evenings are the best time. 

Why we loved it: I have never seen so 

many alligators in my life. They were 

everywhere, they were massive, and 

they were just swimming in the water 

beside our small punt. 


Part of the thl global travel system

TROUT 

FISHING 

FUELLED BY 

NATURE 

Words and images by Dion James 

Phrases that are used to describe trout fishing in 

Aotearoa are; adventure, peace, and tranquillity, 

but not always in that order. 

Walking along the quiet riverbank, you can 

hear the subtle sounds of a trout feeding on the 

surface. Your eyes now peer across the crystalclear 

water for any sign of that wild, unsuspecting 

trout. Yet it is easy to be distracted by the calm 

whispers of the wind, bird songs and the subtle 

noises found only in New Zealand's untouched 

environment miles from nowhere. Even the snowcapped 

mountains add to the distraction and make 

up a stunning backdrop, yet you are focused on 

the trout. 

After finally ensuring where the trout lies, you 

make that cast and hold your breath. As you watch 

a big trout rise to your floating fly, breaking the 

surface water, mouth wide, all that serenity, in an 

instant, turns to action! 

Just as easily, you could find yourself on a calm 

still-water lake surrounded by lush native forests. 

The silence is deafening, and then across the oillike 

water comes small bow waves towards your 

fly as you slowly retrieve. Suddenly, the serenity 

vanishes as quickly as your line tightens, the water 

erupts as a trout breaks the surface, peeling the 

line from the grasp of your hands, and the contest 

begins. Trout fishing is that juncture position of 

moments, sometimes hours of quiet serenity 

impacted by moments of complete drama. 

What I personally enjoy the most about hunting 

trout is the challenge. Seeing a massive fish and 

then planning, which could take half an hour or 

so before I move in. Stalking in on it like a tiger 

to a deer, getting into a position close enough to 

get a cast and then delivering it. Sometimes you 

only get one shot, and the cast must be pinpoint 

perfect. Then once that is achieved, if you are 

lucky enough for the fish to eat your fly, it all turns 

to chaos. The fish thrashes around, and they will 

take you for a wade and run down the river. Here, 

it requires a lot of skill, experience and, as with 

all fishing, a certain amount of luck. Eventually, if 

you get the trout under some control and it makes 

it to your net after the contest of the fight. Then 

there is a moment of pure joy and satisfaction that 

your planning, practice, skill and some luck came 

together, which is absolute fishing gold! 


Clockwise from top left: A back country rainbow trout taken in a prestine environment. / A tailing brown trout working the top for food 

on a stillwater lake / A typical sight of a Rainbow trout as it rises to the surface for insects floating down stream./ My Great Uncle 

Hoka Downs pictured with Zane Grey from the Book "Tales from an Anglers Eldorado" 

These are just a few draw cards on the 

sport of trout fishing and why I love it, 

mainly the places it takes you and the 

people you meet. Plus the skills it requires 

and the challenges. 

Plus, it is also a way of coming together; 

fishing with buddies on annual trips is a 

way of getting together with like-minded 

mates. We also fish as a family, my wife 

and children have caught trout fly fishing, 

and my son Reign caught his first at 4 

years old! It is not just the fishing but 

sharing the environment and the beauty 

of the places trout fishing can take you. 

Plus, there is the bonus that trout is also 

a culinary delicacy; you can't buy it here 

in New Zealand. You have to catch it, and 

on occasion, I’ll take some for the whanau 

who enjoy it. 

I was raised in a small forestry town east 

of Rotorua, which was surrounded by 

rivers and lakes. As a young fella, my 

father used to take me out hunting deer 

on the weekends. Then during the day 

after school, I would bike down to the local 

river searching for trout. My passion grew 

each time I went out on an adventure 

and even biked to locations nearly 30 km 

away. We are fortunate here in Aotearoa 


to be surrounded by stunning freshwater 

fisheries. It’s no wonder New Zealand is 

regarded as one of the top trout fishing 

destinations in the world. 

Trout fishing has been in my heritage for 

well over a century. My great grandfather, 

Morehu and my great uncle Hoka Downs 

were once pioneers for guiding for trout. 

They set up a business near Turangi, 

where my mum’s indigenous side is from. 

They started on family-owned land called 

the Kowhai flats, perched on the mighty 

Tongariro River banks. It is here they 

guided the likes of the Duke and Duchess 

of Wales and a famous American fishing 

writer named Zane Grey, who mentions 

my great ancestor Hoka Downs in his book 

“Tales of an anglers Eldorado”. This book 

is instrumental in putting the Tongariro 

River on the world map as a mecca for 

overseas fishermen to visit. 

This fishing linage from my forebears led 

me to be a trout fishing guide myself. I 

was based out of Rotorua and did it for a 

few years. I have helped tourists and kiwis 

alike have an experience they will never 

forget, from catching their first-ever trout to 

catching their biggest. The joy of guiding 

is not about catching fish (that does help), 

but it is witnessing the pure joy and delight 

from clients who were so thrilled to be 

in that location and to catch their first or 

biggest fish. That is something to cherish, 

and I will have those memories forever. 

Over the years of fishing and guiding, I 

have formed some great relationships with 

people who are now lifelong friends and 

also a few top tackle companies. I became 

a sponsored ambassador for a New 

Zealand based family fishing company 

called Kilwell Sports, which distributes 

Orvis Fly Fishing rods and Scientific 

Anglers fly lines. I am lucky enough to 

test some of the very best fishing gear on 

the planet, which in turn has helped me 

significantly with my catch rates. 

If you want to see more of what I capture 

on my adventures from around the 

country, you can find me on Facebook and 

Instagram titled ‘Fueled by nature’. 

Dion uses: 

www.kilwell.co.nz 

www.scientificanglers.com 

www.orvis.com

M 

MASTERCLASS 

WITH SEAN DAVEY 

This is ex-world champion big wave surfer; Jamie 

Sterling surfing at huge perfect Pipe. 

"I’ve always preferred to “shoot differently” so I shot 

this picture on a 600mm lens at just 1/8th of a second 

at f32. It takes a highly steady hand to pan with the 

action at such a slow shutter speed. Considering 

that most photographers are shooting this at around 

1/000th of a second, this exposure captures 30 times 

more time and movement. Thus, it looks like he is 

going so incredibly fast." 

Instagram@seandaveyphotography 

www.seandavey.com 


usiness 

Go against the flow. 

inspire & enable 

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merrell.co.nz 


ironskinn Surf Pants AU$850.00 

Get out on the water and live to tell the tale. 

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Merrell Hydro Moc $109.99 

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Red Paddle Co Sport Range $2,199.95 - $2,499.95 

For paddlers who are looking for speed and 

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WWW.RED.EQUIPMENT 

Red Waterproof Cool Bag 18 & 30L 

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With thermal lock insulation and Armour 

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Red Pro Change Robe Evo $349.95 

Uniquely breathable with the softest lining, 

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whilst outdoors, this premium robe 

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This is UNLTD. 

• FULL FLAVOURED NON-ALCOHOLIC IPA 

• 13 calories per bottle/can, one of the 

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Red Waterproof Kit Bag 40 & 60L 

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A waterproof duffel and backpack, 

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heavy-duty straps and pockets 

made from strong rip stock material 

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New Zealand’s first online store solely dedicated to 

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PROVEN 

TO SAVE LIVES 

cotopaxi Travel Cube Bundle – Del Día $99.99 

Made with repurposed materials, these 

simple organisers store clothes, toiletries, 

and other must-have items. Receive all 

three travel cube sizes in one colourful 

bundle. 

WWW.COTOPAXI.CO.NZ 

sunsaver classic 16,000 mah solar power bank $129.00 

Built tough for the outdoors and with a massive 

battery capacity you can keep all your devices 

charged no matter where your adventure 

takes you. 

WWW.SUNSAVER.CO.NZ 

PLB1 

Personal 

Locator 

Beacon 

The World’s 

smallest PLB 

30% (typ) smaller 7 year battery life 

cotopaxi Bataan 3L Hip Pack – Del Día $69.99 

Travel easy this summer & keep your 

necessities secure and close at hand. 

Made from 100% repurposed fabric, 

each Bataan is sustainably designed. 


exped Centrum 30 Pack $169.99 

Sleek, minimalistic pack designed 

for urban commuting. Ergonomically 

padded shoulder straps and a fine 

thermo-molded back for comfort. 

Features include a top zip that 

opens to two spacious mesh 

pockets and a laptop sleeve sized 

for 15" notebooks. 

WWW.BIVOUAC.CO.NZ 

Crocs Classic Realtree $99.99 

Wildly comfortable clog offering 

the signature comfort of Croslite 

material with the rugged style of an 

authentic camouflage print. Wide, 

roomy footbeds with heel-hugging 

straps. Croslite material for 

maximum lightweight cushioning. 

WWW.CROCS.CO.NZ 

Crocs Classic All Terrain Clog $109.99 

Rugged lug outsoles with enhanced 

tread for increased traction and support. 

Adjustable turbo heel straps for a 

snug, accommodating fit. Easy to clean 

Croslite foam material and quick to 

dry. Available in more colours. 

WWW.CROCS.CO.NZ 

66 channel GPS 

– Fast accurate positioning 

EPIRB1 

Essential 

for safe 

boating 

The World’s Most 

Compact Emergency 

Position Indicating 

Radio Beacon 

RAB escape kit bags 50, 70 and 90 litres $169.95-$199.95 

Focusing on lightweight durability, the Escape Kit Bags are durable, have a 

water repellent outer, a tough Ballistic base to withstand the rigours of travel 

and feature a handle that converts to a harness for easy haulage. 

WWW.OUTFITTERSSTORE.NZ 

osprey Ultralight Packing Cube Set $59.99 

Make it easier to organize and pack 

your gear when travelling so that you 

can spend more time enjoying your 

experience. 

• Convenient grab handle 

• Zipper secures contents 

• Set includes a small, a medium and a 

large cell 

• Available in two colours 

Find a Stockist: 

WWW.SOUTHERNAPPROACH.CO.NZ 

osprey Arcane Card Wallet $49.99 

Our Arcane Card Wallet, with six 

dedicated card slots and a central 

slot for folded bills, features the same 

beautifully sustainable and durable 

fabrics our Arcane Family is renowned 

for. Its thin design keeps a low profile, 

so you can ditch any bulky wallet that's 

been weighing you down. Constructed 

with a recycled polyester fabric that 

is refined to the touch yet durable for 

everyday wear. 



osprey Ultralight Roll Organizer $49.99 

Whether you’re outdoors for an 

afternoon hill walking or on a monthlong 

expedition to the far-flung 

reaches of Nepal ensuring your kit is 

organized and protected is essential. 



LAB0684 

30% (typ) smaller 10 year battery life 

5 year warranty 406-link via 

satellite to 

Emergency Services 

www.rescueme.co.nz 

Lowe alpine Escape Tour Bag 55 + 15L 

$459.95 

The Escape Tour is a rear-access, 

loaded with features 55-litre 

backpack and detachable 15-litre 

daypack, offering volume and 

flexibility making adventure fun, 

safe and simple. Unisex options 

available. 

WWW.OUTFITTERSSTORE.NZ 

Chickfly Bamboo Leggings High Rise 

or Low Rise (USD $119.00) 

Chickfly leggings are made 

with soft, strong, stretchy 

and sustainable bamboo 

fabric, coloured with organic 

dyes. Our patented fly is held 

together by tension, creating 

a seamless, flattering, soft, 

and easy-to-use feature in the 

most comfortable and stylish 

black legging that every 

woman needs not only for 

style but for convenience and 

functionality. 

WWW.CHICKFLY.COM 

rescueme PLB1 $589.98 

Wherever you are, at sea, on land, 

the rescueME PLB1 provides the 

reassurance that global emergency 

services can be alerted by the press of 

a button. 

The rescueMe PLB1 can be operated 

with a single hand in even the most 

challenging situations. A simple springloaded 

flap covers the activation button 

preventing inadvertent use. rescueME 

PLB1 works with the only officially 

recognised worldwide dedicated search 

and rescue satellite network (operated 

by Cospas Sarsat). As this is funded by 

governments there are NO CHARGES 

to use this service. 

Available through all leading sports and 

recreation retailers and online. 

WWW.RESCUEME.CO.NZ 


kiwi camping Mamaku Trek 0°C Sleeping Bag $119.00 

The Mamaku Trek sleeping bag is ideal 

for trekking or camping adventures. The 

semi-tapered design features a drawstringadjustable 

contoured hood that packs down 

into the handy compression bag for easy 

pack and carry. 

WWW.KIWICAMPING.CO.NZ 

kiwi camping Rover Lite 3cm Self-Inflating Mat $109.00 

Compact to pack and carry, the Rover Lite selfinflates 

in minutes. The tapered design can fit in 

a sleeping bag, 1830mm long and 550mm wide. 


sea to summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow $59.99 

The Aeros Ultralight pillow has been 

refined from three design principles to 

be light, compact, and comfortable. 

• Curved internal baffles create 

contours that cradle your head 

• Inflate pillow in a couple of breaths 

with the multi-function valve 

• Easily secured to any Sea to Summit 

sleeping mat through the Pillow Lock 

System 



Klymit Insulated Static V $259.95 

A comfortable backcountry pad 

providing winter insulation and allseason 

comfort, the Insulated Static V 

packs light and small, and delivers an 

R-value of 4.4. 

WWW.OUTFITTERS.NET.NZ 

exped ULTRA 7R Mummy Sleeping Mat $369.99 

Insulated with responsibly-sourced down 

for comfort on your adventures yeararound. 

Lightweight, compact packed 

size, a recycled 20D ripstop face fabric 

and 9cm-thick chambers. Certified carbon 

neutral by myclimate 183cm long. 

R-value 7.1. 620g 


Kiwi Camping Pukeko Hiker Tent $249.00 

A spacious hiker tent that’s easy to pitch and 

keeps you warm and dry even in the worst 

conditions. Featuring dual pitch design, 4000mm 

aqua rating and tri pegs. 


Kiwi Camping Weka 2 Hiker Tent $339.00 

Kiwi Camping's most popular hiker tent with double-sided entry, sturdy 

vestibules, and a user-friendly design. With a fly that handles rain and 

snow, the Weka 2 is perfect for hiking adventures. 



exped Trekkinglite -5 Down Sleeping Bag $549.99 

Excellent warmth-to-weight ratio and 

a minimal packed size for extended 

adventures from spring through to autumn 

and an excellent choice for cold sleepers 

in summer. Supple, durable shell, a 

next-to-skin comfortable lining and 580g 

of 700-fill, high-quality European duck 

down insulation. Proportional differential 

cut, multi-chambered footbox, and plush, 

adjustable draft collar. 1150g 


sea to summit Expander Liner $59.99 

The Expander liner is made from a 

premium stretch knit poly-cotton, making 

it super stretchy and even warmer than a 

standard cotton weave liner. 

• Premium stretch knit fabric that can 

expand twice its width. 

• Luxuriously comfortable to sleep in. 

• Extends the life of a sleeping bag by 

keeping it clean 

• Anti-Microbial protection keeps liner 

fresh, hygienic and odour-free 

• Double folded and reinforced seams 

• Easy care, machine washable 

• Standard rectangular shape 



kiwi camping boost lED light with Powerbank $89.99 

Bright LED light with power bank to illuminate 

your tent and charge devices on the go. 

Features 11 light modes including SOS 

signal, built-in magnets and hanging hook. 


Klymit pillow x $59.95 

A supportive, ultralight and 

comfortable camping pillow, 

featuring the self-centering 

X design which positions 

and cradles your head for 

supportive, stable comfort. 


GLERUPS HONEY RUBBER AND BLACK RUBBER SHOE $189.00 

When you are camping, you need a shoe that is 

good on all surfaces including inside the tent or 

the hut. Made from 100% natural wool, glerups 

provides an instant comfy at home feeling. They 

are light, versatile, and well worth the space in 

your backpack. Get natural, get cosy and get 

yourself some glerups. 

WWW.GLERUPS.CO.NZ 

Gasmate Turbo Butane Stove & Pot Set 

$149.00 

For quick boiling when you need 

it! A super lightweight aluminium 

stove with quick boil technology, 

piezo ignition and accessories 

all packaged in a handy mesh 

carry bag. 

WWW.GASMATE.CO.NZ 

Vango Krypton UL2 Tent $999.99 

2-person tent for extreme adventures, 

suitable for the harshest of conditions. 

Free-standing, strong geodesic 

construction. Offset height allows room 

for sitting and streamlined, wind-shielding 

shape. Twin doors. Packaged weight 2.1kg 



merrell Moab 3 $229.00 

For over a 15 years, the Merrell® Moab has been the choice of hikers when a 

choice needs to be made. Famous for its out-of-the-box comfort, durability and 

all-purpose versatility. The new Moab 3 features a new more supportive insole, 

a softer more cushioned midsole, and a best-in-class Vibram® outsole. This 

newest generation is the most environmen-tally friendly Moab ever, utilising 

recycled materials in construction. 


merrell Bravada 2 Eco $239.00 

This women-specific hiking favourite is made even more eco-friendly 

with added recycled content throughout. Treat your feet to a trail-ready 

versatile hiking sneaker that hugs the ankle. Made with a sticky rubber 

sole and rock plate, it provides underfoot confidence and safety on all 

types of hiking terrain. 


SALEWA WILDFIRE CANVAS $279.90 

The breathable recycled cotton and hemp canvas upper is protected 

by a full 360° TPU rand. Our 3F system with nylon-coated Kevlar® 

cables provides additional support and greater stability at the heel, while 

ensuring a precise fit. The dual density eco Ortholite® footbed promotes 

superior cushioning, and the Pomoca outsole offers secure grip during 

light hiking approach activities. 

Fit: STANDARD / Weight: (M) 305 g (pictured) (W) 256 g 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/SALEWA 

SALEWA ALP TRAINER 2 GTX $369.90 

The Alp Trainer 2 GTX has a suede leather and stretch fabric upper 

with a protective rubber rand for protection against rock, scree and 

debris. Featuring a GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort lining for optimal 

waterproofing and breathability. The EVA midsole provides superior 

cushioning and excellent comfort for a technical shoe. Climbing Lacing 

right to the toe allows for a more precise fit, while the Vibram® Alpine 

Hiking outsole covers a wide spectrum of mountain terrain. 

Fit: STANDARD / Weight (M) 470 g (pictured) (W) 370 g 


SALEWA WILDFIRE 2 $329.90 

Engineered for technical terrain, the Wildfire 2 is a lightweight, agile and 

precise tech approach shoe with a breathable recycled synthetic mesh 

upper, and a 360° protective rand. It’s equipped with climbing lacing for 

fine adjustment in the toe-area and a lateral net system with Kevlar® 

cables for better overall performance and sensitivity. The POMOCA® 

outsole with Butylic compound rubber is designed for precision and 

sensitivity in mixed mountain terrain and ensures good grip on rock in 

both dry and wet conditions. 

Fit: STANDARD / Weight: (M) 355 g (W) 305 g (pictured) 


SALEWA MOUNTAIN TRAINER LITE MID GORE-TEX® $329.90 

Made for alpine hiking and long backpacking routes – our lightweight, 

comfortable and supportive mid-cut boot performs well on rock and 

technical terrain. The waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX® lining makes it 

ideal for 3-season use, from higher activity levels in summer, to rain, mud 

or lingering snow. 

Fit: WIDE / Weight: (M) 565 g (W) 465 g (pictured) 


SALEWA RAPACE GTX $579.90 

The Rapace GTX is a lightweight mountaineering boot with a hard-wearing 

nubuck upper with waterproof breathable GORE-TEX® protection. The 

3F System provides ankle support, flexibility and a perfect fit. Our Bilight 

TPU technology and Nylon + 27% Fiberglass in the midsole ensures an 

ergonomic hold and allows the use of semi-automatic crampons. There’s 

a full rubber rand for protection against rock and scree, and the Vibram 

WTC outsole has an aggressive tread pattern that gives good traction yet 

provides a natural feel and secure grip on mixed terrain. 

Fit: WIDE / Weight: (M) 740 g (pictured) (W) 615 g 



G e a rr f ooo rr g ooo ooo d .. 

Weeeeeeee cccrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaaatttttttteeeeeeee sssssssuuuuuuusssssssttttttttaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnaaaaaabllly ddddddddeeeeeeeesssssssiiiiiiiiggnnnnnnnneeeeeeeedddddddd 

pppppprrrrrrrroooooooodddddddduuuuuuucccttttttttsssssss ttttttttoooooooo iiiiiiiimmmmmpppppprrrrrrrroooooooovvveeeeeeee tttttttthhhhheeeeeeee hhhhhuuuuuuummmmmaaaaaannnnnnnn 

cccoooooooonnnnnnnnddddddddiiiiiiiittttttttiiiiiiiioooooooonnnnnnnn,, iiiiiiiinnnnnnnnsssssssppppppiiiiiiiirrrrrrrreeeeeeee aaaaaaddddddddvvveeeeeeeennnnnnnnttttttttuuuuuuurrrrrrrreeeeeeee,, aaaaaannnnnnnndddddddd 

mmmmmoooooooovvveeeeeeee ppppppeeeeeeeeooooooooppppppllleeeeeeee ttttttttoooooooo ddddddddoooooooo ggoooooooooooooooodddddddd. 

wwwwwwwww...ccoootooopaxi...ccooo...nz 

Seeeeeeeek 

Adveeeentureeee. 

Exppppppllloooooooorrrrrrrreeeeeeee fuuuuuuurrrrrrrrtttttttthhhhheeeeeeeerrrrrrrr tttttttthhhhhiiiiiiiisssssss sssssssuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeerrrrrrrr wiiiiiiiitttttttthhhhh oooooooouuuuuuurrrrrrrr 

eeethiiccaaalllly ddeeesssiiggneeedd Paaaccksss & Baaaggsss.. 

Outdoor Research Women’s Echo Printed 

Hoody $119.99 

Slim-fit, made with moisture-wicking, 

breathable, quick-drying recycled 

fabric and features long sleeves and 

hood, with pony port. Odour control 

technology, anti-chafe flat seam 

construction and a UPF 20 

sun protection rating. 


cotopaxi Do Good 5-Panel Hat $49.99 

A classic five-panel hat made from 100% cotton. It shares 

our Do Good mission to make an impact, and inspires 

others to do the same. 


MERRELL Tencel Long Sleeve Tee $99.00 

Your anything but basic, basic long 

sleeved tee made from plant-based 

Tencel fibers for a super soft luxurious 

feel, moisture wicking, anti odour and with 

UPF protection to keep you outside or 

moving for longer. 


Patagonia PFC-Free Torrentshell Jacket $249.99 

Simple and unpretentious, Patagonia's trusted 

Torrentshell 3L Jacket uses 3-layer H2No® 

Performance Standard technology for exceptional 

waterproof/breathable performance, all-day comfort 

and long-lasting waterproof durability. What's 

more, this season, all Torrentshell products have 

been redesigned to be fully PFC-free. Fair Trade 

Certified sewn, this travel staple is available in W's 

and M's styles in a wide range of colours. 

WWW.PATAGONIA.CO.NZ 

RAB Arc Eco Jacket $469.95 

The waterproof and breathable Arc Eco Jacket is made with recycled 

Pertex® Shield Revolve and featuring an adjustable mountain hood, 

drawcord hem, A-line chest pockets. 



RAB Nexus Pull-on $139.95 

The Nexus Pull-on is a staple go-to, 

lightweight technical mid-layer made with 

Thermic stretch fleece for mobility and 

comfort with a YKK® chest zip and pocket. 

WWW.OUTFITTERS.NET.NZ

ONE FOR THE ROAD - proceed with caution amber 

ale $7.95 

This all season medium-bodied lager 

showcases both malt and hops. It follows 

with a toasty malt character with only a 

subtle hop bitterness.

FEED YOUR ADDICTION 

Like a ‘perfect storm’, we have seen a dramatic growth and 

development in online stores over the past 5 years. 

We are dedicating these pages to our client’s online stores; some 

you will be able to buy from, some you will be able drool over. Buy, 

compare, research and prepare, these online stores are a great way to 

feed your adventure addiction. 

Waterfront accommodation on Nydia Track, Marlborough, NZ 

www.onthetracklodge.nz 

Meals bursting with flavour, combined with home compostable 

packaging, means you really can have it all in the mountains. 

Designed by ‘foodies’ for maximum plant-based deliciousness 

and wrapped in earth positive, lightweight, packable pouches. 

www.localdehy.co.nz 

Never have a dead phone 

again! Because now you can 

charge straight from the Sun 

with SunSaver. Perfect for 

that week-long hike, day at 

the beach, or back-up for any 

emergency. Check us out at: 

www.sunsaver.co.nz 

Building versatile and reliable gear so you 

can adventure with purpose. 

www.keaoutdoors.com 

Bivouac Outdoor stock the latest in quality outdoor 

clothing, footwear and equipment from the best 

brands across New Zealand & the globe. 

www.bivouac.co.nz 

Shop for the widest range of Merrell footwear, apparel 

& accessories across hiking, trail running, sandals & 

casual styles. Free shipping for a limited time. 

www.merrell.co.nz 

Temerature. Taste. Transport. 

Hydroflask, more than just a water bottle. 

www.hydroflask.co.nz 

Norsk designs and builds ice coolers that without fail, 

will not fail. Perfect for your hard out adventures. 

Free shipping within New Zealand. 

www.norsk.co.nz 

Living Simply is an outdoor clothing and equipment 

specialty store in Newmarket, Auckland. Your go-to place 

for quality footwear, packs, sleeping bags, tents, 

outdoor clothing and more. 

www.livingsimply.co.nz 

Our mission is to produce 

the best quality beers 

possible across a range of 

flavours and styles and to 

have fun doing it! 

www.dcbrewing.co.nz 

Gear up in a wide selection of durable, multifunctional 

outdoor clothing & gear. Free Returns. Free Shipping. 

www.patagonia.co.nz 

www.glerups.co.nz 

glerups shoes, slippers 

and boots are known for 

their exceptional comfort 

and unique design. 

Over the years we have 

perfected the wool mix 

by blending Gotland 

wool with quality wool 

from New Zealand 

farmers. 

Fast nourishing freeze dried food for adventurers. 

www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz 

Stocking an extensive range 

of global outdoor adventure 

brands for your next big 

adventure. See them for travel, 

tramping, trekking, alpine and 

lifestyle clothing and gear. 

www.outfittersstore.nz 

Specialists in the sale of Outdoor Camping Equipment, RV, 

Tramping & Travel Gear. Camping Tents, Adventure Tents, 

Packs, Sleeping Bags and more. 

www.equipoutdoors.co.nz 

Sustainably designed outdoor gear that fuels both 

adventure and global change, by dedicating a 

percentage of revenues to nonprofits working to improve 

the human condition. www.cotopaxi.com 

Supplying tents and 

camping gear to Kiwis 

for over 30 years, Kiwi 

Camping are proud to 

be recognised as one of 

the most trusted outdoor 

brands in New Zealand. 

www.kiwicamping.co.nz 

Our very own online store where 

you will find hard goods to keep you 

equipped for any adventure. 

www.pacificmedia-shop.co.nz 

With stores in Clyde and 

Cromwell, Bike it Now! is 

your access point to the 

Central Otago Bike trials: T 

> Lake Dunstan Trail 

> Otago Central Rail Trail 

> Roxbourgh Gorge 

and more... 

New Zealand’s first online 

store solely dedicated to 

Non Alcoholic adult drinks. 

www.clearheaddrinks.co.nz 

www.ironskinn.com 

www.bikeitnow.co.nz

t r a v e l 

LIVEABOARD DIVING: 

A GREAT WAY TO SEE THE WORLD 

Do you LOVE waking up on the water? 

Want to see a different place every day 

on your holiday? Want to spend a week 

with a group of like-minded individuals? 

As a diver do you want uncrowded, 

pristine dive sites? 

Sounds like liveaboard diving is the 

way to go for your next dive holiday. 

Liveaboard diving (where you live 

on the boat you dive from) offers the 

ultimate dive experience, with up to 5 

or 6 dives per day including night dives. 

In general the boats have a range of 

double or twin share accommodation, 

full dive facilities, nitrox and are the way 

forward for real dive enthusiasts! 

The best way to try liveaboard diving is 

to try a shorter trip somewhere like the 

Great Barrier reef in Australia. There 

are 4, 5 and 8 day itineraries on various 

boats from Cairns and Port Douglas. 

These trips explore dive sites further off 

the beaten track like The Cod Hole and 

the renowned Ribbon Reef and will give 

you a taste of what liveaboard diving is 

all about. 

Mantas Shrimp 

Sa Pa - Image by Aaron Joel Santos 

Once you have whetted your interest 

with one of these closer trips it may 

be time to explore further afield. 

Most liveaboards are between 7 – 10 

nights and there is a huge variety of 

destinations and boats! 

Where you choose to head all 

depends on what kind of diving you’re 

interested in, below is a summary of 

the best sites around the world: 

Wreck diving – Truk Lagoon, The 

Thorfinn is a legendary boat based 

in Truk lagoon. Truk is where a huge 

Japanese fleet was ambushed in 

WW2 and has an incredible range of 

wreck dives. 

The Solomon Islands has Bilikiki 

liveaboard and the Solomons Master, 

both of which are based out of 

Honiara. The diving is a mix of coral 

gardens, remote dive sites and WW2 

wrecks. Once again there is a vast 

range of wreck diving opportunities 

including Kennedy’s PT boat, aircraft 

wrecks and both shallow and deep 

shipwrecks. 

What better way to explore the ocean than on a 

liveaboard boat - Image by Marcelo Ogato 

Muck diving, small creatures, coral gardens 

–Micronesia which is close to the equator, 

doesn’t get the big storms like much of the 

South Pacific, so the dive sites are incredible. 

Indonesia offers Komodo, The Forgotten 

islands and Raja Ampat which all have remote 

dive sites with extraordinary nudibranch action, 

beautiful coral gardens and unique wildlife. 

Big Pelagic fish and open water diving – the 

legendary Galapagos has a mind blowing 

range of species to be seen on one dive 

trip. There are many boats operating out of 

Galapagos, so you just need to find one which 

will suit your budget and time frame. Palau is 

also well known for sharks, mantas, turtles and 

large fish. 

Remote dive sites – If you really want to 

get off the beaten path French Polynesia has 

some incredible experiences. Generally with 

smaller ships and sailing catamarans these 

expedition style craft offer itineraries from 

Tahiti to Rangiroa, the Tuamotos’s and the 

Society islands. There is also diving available 

in Antarctica for the really intrepid diver. The 

Hondius has itineraries which offer hiking, 

sea kayaking and diving on their Antarctic 

journeys. 

Papua New Guinea is another serious 

destination where I wouldn’t want to be living 

ashore, but a dive boat is perfect and Febrina 

and Oceania are two liveaboards which have 

almost cult status in the dive fraternity. These 

boats have a range of itineraries which make 

the most of the local weather conditions. 

So if you wish at add a little adventure to your 

diving, if the call of a more dive lifestyle holiday 

appeals to your sense of Adventure. The a live 

about could be right for you. 

If the idea of a before breakfast dive, or a late 

night after dinner dive appeals a liveaboard 

might be for you! 

bugdreamer.com | Marcelo Johan Ogata 

Experts at adventure travel since 2000 

Your dive travel specialists, with over 20 years 

experience ensures you have a fantastic 

trip, crafted by people who really care. 

New Zealand owned and operated 

"We live what we sell" 

0800 623 872 

info@madabouttravel.co.nz 

madabouttravel.co.nz 


v i e t n a m 

VIETNAM: 

STHEAST ASIA 

9,158KMS 

Distance from New Zealand 

18HOURS 

By air from Auckland 

14.0583"N. 

108.2772"E. 

GPS Location 

96 MILLION 

Population 

Vietnam Fishing Boat 

Image by Aaron Joel Santos 

Kayaking Trang An Ninh Binh 

Image by Christian Berg 

Georgraphic Location: 

Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a 

country in Southeast Asia, at the 

eastern edge of mainland Southeast 

Asia, Vietnam borders China to the 

north, and Laos and Cambodia to the 

west. It shares maritime borders with 

Thailand through the Gulf of Thailand, 

and the Philippines, Indonesia, and 

Malaysia through the South China Sea. 

Climate: 

Vietnam’s location and topography 

create a tropical monsoon climate. 

The country’s climate is variable. 

The north has quite a severe winter, 

with a pleasant spring, and hot, 

rainy summers and autumns. In the 

highlands, the climate is extreme, with 

very hot summers and occasional 

snow in the winter. In central Vietnam, 

Rebecca Rusch & Huyen Nguyen on the Ho Chi Minh 

Trail - Image by Josh Letchworth/Red Bull Content Pool 

Sa Pa - Image by Aaron Joel Santos 

summers are typically hot and sunny. 

Lăng Cô in the north is hotter in 

summer and cooler in winter, while Da 

Nang and southern cities have milder 

conditions. The southern climate is 

hot and sunny, with frequent rains in 

June and July, and a cool, dry season 

from December to February. 

ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES 

• Cultural activities 

• Caving 

• Diving 

• Rock climbing 

• White water rafting 

• War tours (surprisingly 

active) 

• Boating 

• Biking 

• Hiking 

Best time of year to travel 

Vietnam is suitable for travel throughout the 

year, however the best time is during their 

winter (December to March). While in summer 

(June to September), which is the rainy 

season, there are often thunderstorms, but the 

price will be cheaper. So, the best time really 

depends on your needs. 

Accommodation: 

Accommodation is diverse, with a wide 

range of options - hotels, resorts, hostels, 

and homestays. There are luxury hotels and 

unique homestays specifically near key tourist 

attractions which are rally popular 

Locals tips: 

• There are a lot of scams in Vietnam 

so book any tours in advance or with a 

reputable supplier. 

• Although you won’t have to worry about 

malaria in the major tourist areas of 

Vietnam, Dengue fever and the Zika virus 

aren’t uncommon. Make sure to use good 

bug spray every day. 

• If purchasing be prepared to haggle its all 

part of the cultural process 

• Do not drink the tap water and keep your 

mouth shut in the shower and use bottled 

water when brushing your teeth. 

• You need to be aware, carrying large 

sums of money is not a good idea, be 

aware of scams, don’t put yourself at risk. 

• Similar to the other Southeast Asian 

countries, local merchants in Vietnam 

are more willing to accept cash, since 

credit cards are more likely to be stolen 

and swiped in this region. The USD is 

the most popular and the most readily 

convertible currency in Vietnam, and the 

exchange rate is one of the best. 

Home to a tiny island 

community of 212 people 


jurawhisky.com

v a n u a t u 

VANUATU: 

TAKE THE LEAP 

INTO PENTACOST 

2938KMS 


3HOURS 15MIN 


15.4493"S. 

167.5954"W. 

GPS Location 

319,000 

Population 

Pentecost Island in Vanuatu is 

known around the world for Naghol, 

a land-diving ritual conducted by 

the men of the island and open for 

visitors to see between April and 

June. There are three key sites 

where this takes place, and the tour 

you take will impact which site you 

visit (though similar rites, each site 

is slightly different in its setting). It’s 

what the popular activity of bungee 

jumping is based on, and brings 

people to witness it year after year. 

Beyond Naghol, Pentecost has 

much to offer year-round, from 

cascading waterfalls and rich 

cultural diversity. You’ll be exposed 

to the traditional way of life, from 

kava tastings to experiencing the 

warm hospitality of locals in village 

guesthouses that are scattered 

along the island’s coastline. 

How to experience Naghol 

Naghol, otherwise known as land 

diving, is a rite of passage for the 

men of Pentecost Island. It's the 

inspiration for modern-day bungee 

jumping and is what Pentecost 

is famous for. We’ve compiled a 

quick cheat sheet to help you with 

planning your trip, whether it be as a 

day trip or multi-day visit. 

Naghol, or land diving, Pentacost Island 

Vanuatu is a country in 

the southwestern Pacific 

Ocean, consisting of a 

chain of 13 principal and 

many smaller islands. 

Adventure activities: 


• Exploring 

• Diving 

• Fishing 

• Surfing 

• Sailing 

• All water-based sport 

• Biking 

• Hiking 

Best time to visit: 

Vanuatu weather is 

typically great all year 

round however conditions 

are generally at their best 

from April to October when 

the weather is fine and 

temperatures are warm 

yet comfortable, averaging 

between 18 degrees 

Celsius and 28 degrees 

Celsius. 

10.00am Pentecost Island 

What is Naghol, and when is it? 

Locals say that Naghol started from 

a time when a woman was running 

from her husband and was chased 

to the top of a coconut tree. She 

jumped off (with vines attached 

to her legs) and survived and he 

followed, yet did not survive. Naghol 

marks the start of the yam harvest 

season, with the better jumping 

resulting in better yams. It's not 

specifically a ceremony that occurs 

for tourists, though it draws visitors 

from around the world to witness the 

marvel that is Naghol. 

Tours to Pentecost Island to 

experience Naghol take place on 

Saturdays in the months of April 

to June. These day tours coincide 

with the rite of passage taking place 

(because the vines are strong for the 

ceremony to take place after the wet 

season). 

Why take a tour? 

A tour will make your Naghol 

experience far smoother. Tours will 

depart in the early morning from 

Port Vila (some also depart from 

Luganville) to fly you to Pentecost, 

where you'll then be driven to one 

of the sites for the land diving. 

Many tours will also include lunch. 

The tours will also ensure that 

appropriate fees are paid by a 'fixer' 

from your tour company to the 

traditional land owners where you 

are observing Naghol. 

Check out Vanuatu Eco Tours who operate a fantastic 3 day/2 night tour to the Naghol: 

www.vanuatuecotours.com/tours/pentecost-vanuatu-land-diving/ 

Day Trips are operated by: www.airtaxivanuatu.com and www.unity-airlines.com 

For further information please visit: www.vanuatu.travel 

Enjoy the warm hospitality of 

the locals 

Hiking Diving Culture 

Volcanos 

Go explore at vanuatu.travel 


s a m o a 

SAMOA: 

BUILDING AN 

ADVENTURE CAREER 

ebikes at Falealupo 

Don't spend your health on 

your career," we were advised 

at a lecture on health for 

CEOs. The final challenge 

was: “You can all write 

business plans. This time write 

a life plan." 

My response was my 50/50 

plan: spend 50% of my time 

running adventure tours 

around the world, 50% as a 

business and IT consultant 

with some additional time 

studying risk management. 

And to achieve this by the time 

Kayaking in Antarctica. amongst 

the brash ice. 

I was 50. I was then 49 and 

had became bored with the 

repeating cycle of challenges 

in winning and delivering 

complex IT projects. 

Our holidays had always 

involved cycling, tramping 

and rafting adventures. Now 

that the kids had left home, I 

had been forced to look wider 

for willing participants, and 

the trips had become more 

extreme. I enticed my running 

club mates into a month-long 

adventure in South America, 

By Ross Bidmead 

where we ran the Inca Trail, 

cycled into the Amazon and 

swam with the pink dolphins. 

The trip was extreme in 

terms of physical and mental 

effort, but also rewarding 

watching the group extended 

themselves and grow. 

Frances, my wife, was 

comfortable with the reduced 

income and pleased with the 

thought of a less stressed 

husband. However, she 

pointed out that this was 150% 

of my time commitment. 

2,887KMS 


4HOURS 4OMIN 


13° 45' 29.92"S. 

172° 06' 17.16"W. 

GPS Location 

192,001 

Population 

Our first commercial trip, 

chartering a yacht and sailing 

to Antarctica to explore with 

the kayak, was an exuberant 

introduction to the new 

lifestyle. The trip began with 

an extreme stress test. Our 

yacht, Spirit of Sydney, was 

knocked down by a wave on 

the preceding voyage. The 

damage, including a bent mast 

and destroyed electronics 

and heating systems, had 

necessitated a stay in the 

Falklands for repairs. Our 

group arrived in Ushuaia, 

Building our house and workshop 

was all hands on deck. Ross in 

yellow shirt. 

Argentina, to find the yacht was still 

a day away from limping into port. 

Decidedly concerned about the large 

amounts I had been paid by each trip 

member and what I would do if we 

couldn't sail, we improvised exploring 

the nearby National Park. 

Once Spirit arrived, the crew worked 

magic, provisioning the yacht, and 

replacing much of the electronics in two 

days. A stormy crossing of the Drake 

Passage bonded our group, and as the 

seas calmed, a cooking competition 

developed as we sought to bake the 

best bread and cook the best meals 

when our watches corresponded with 

galley duties. The Antarctic peninsula 

exceeded our expectations as we 

kayaked amongst whales and leopard 

seals, spent a day in a remote penguin 

colony and camped out on a glacier. 

The Antarctic trip occurred before I had 

found a CEO to replace me, but in 2008 

I handed over the reins. To celebrate, 

Frances and I chose a warmer 

destination and cycled independently 

around Savai'i, Samoa, on a journey 

of surprising discovery. My images of 

the Pacific Islands mainly had been 

formed by reading "Pacific Adventure" 

by Willard Price, and I imagined and 

hoped for pristine white sand beaches 

beside crystal clear lagoons fringed 

with palms and occasional simple 

native huts. 

Our trip to Samoa was the least planned 

and researched adventure we ever did, 

and initially, we paid the price. The plane 

landed at midnight at Faleolo Airport, 

an hour from Apia. My quick glance at 

a map before we left showed an airport 

in Apia, but Fagalii Airport in Apia was 

tiny, and all jets landed at Faleolo. 

Eventually, we found a bus that would 

take our bike boxes, and we made it to 

our backpacker’s hotel by 2 am. 

In the morning, we assembled our 

bikes and started cycling towards what 

we thought was the ferry terminal. 

But the road ran out at the end of the 

peninsula, and we sheepishly returned 

to town to hunt down a better map. 

Finally, on our way around noon, we 

cycled in the midday heat back out 

past the airport on the busiest road in 

Kayaking through the mangroves out to the 

turtle lagoon. 

Samoa to the ferry terminal. There 

were no beaches along the way and 

continuous villages on both sides. We 

were tired and sweaty and beginning 

to wonder if this was one of our better 

ideas. 

Eventually, after a short ferry 

crossing of the Apolima Strait, we 

arrived at a small resort in Salelologa 

on Savaii, just a kilometre from the 

ferry terminal. The bar was humming, 

serving unbelievably cheap drinks 

to a mostly younger and lightly clad 

clientele. After a long refreshing 

swim, we relaxed on the covered jetty 

as the sun set. It seemed perfect, but 

the best was still to come. 

Cycling out of Salelologa the next 

morning was completely different 

from the first day. There was very 

little traffic on the well-sealed road. 

We rode slowly in the morning 

cool, admiring the numerous family 

meeting fales [far-lays] set back 

from the road behind immaculately 

maintained gardens bursting with 

colour. The road soon joined the 

coast, and we cycled beside a 

sparkling lagoon. 

Descending Lemaire Island in 

Antarctica. 

The Beach Fales at Lano had a slightly 

abandoned look, with the dining fale 

undermined by a recent flood. As we 

wondered what to do, the proprietor 

appeared and welcomed us. We quickly 

unpacked and jumped into the warm 

sea, getting out only to grab our masks 

and snorkels to explore the numerous 

coral outcrops teeming with fish. It was the 

perfect place to gain confidence 

in snorkelling, and we swam for an hour and 

were lucky enough to spot a turtle. 

Beach Fales are Samoa’s equivalent of 

campgrounds. Located on village land and 

usually run by a family, the fales have a 

wooden sleeping platform, thatched or steel 

roof and matting sides. The sea breeze 

provides air conditioning and is far more 

comfortable than tents. They cost less than 

a basic campground cabin in New Zealand, 

but the rental includes dinner and breakfast. 

That night we were treated to a fiafia 

(traditional show). The traditional dances 

had similarities to kapa haka but somehow 

felt more personal, and we felt privileged 

to be allowed to participate. The fiafia 

culminated with a siva afi or fireknife dance 

where a traditional fighting axe with blazing 

petrol-soaked rags tied to the handle and 

blade was twirled at high speed. Drums 

beat out a fierce tattoo at an ever-increasing 

tempo, and the siva complexity grew with 

the dancers spinning a knife in each hand. It 

looked dangerous, and all the dancers had 

new knicks and burns. 

The rest of our cycle around Savaii 

continued in the same way, with each night 

at a stunning beach. We would cycle in 

the mornings and swim and snorkel every 

afternoon. The bikes also introduced us to 

the locals who were always interested in the 

bikes and where we were going. 

The mountain bike track we are building from our base 


Captivated by Samoa, we 

immediately began offering guided 

cycle trips there. At first, these 

involved everyone bringing their 

bikes, but I got tired of packing 

them up at the end of each trip, and 

we bought a small fleet of rental 

bikes that we kept at a local motel. 

It became known that we had 

bikes, and requests for freedom 

rentals increased without any real 

intention or marketing. Before 

long, we found we had 35 bikes in 

Samoa and needed a better plan 

and maintenance system. 

Initially, we rented a motel unit for 

three months, planning to only stay 

for the peak season. But being 

based in Samoa meant more time 

to explore, and it wasn't long before 

I had convinced Frances that we 

should buy the local kayak tour 

business. 

The kayaks provided an opportunity 

to explore the coast better. We 

had some challenging adventures 

with friends and clients as we 

discovered turtle breeding grounds, 

offshore islands teaming with 

seabirds, uninhabited islands with 

palm-fringed lagoons and remnants 

of an old leper colony. We even had 

close encounters with whales. 

With the kayaks, we needed 

more storage space, so gradually 

expanded over the next few years. 

By 2019 we had 100 bikes, 25 

kayaks, and permanent residency 

in Samoa. Our part-time hobby 

business had become a full-time 

job for both of us. 

Our focus had gradually changed 

from running large, challenging 

guided trips in the Himalayas and 

South America to almost solely 

Samoa tours. 

Looking back over the last 16 

years, it has been a continuous 

adventure. Not just an adventure in 

the outdoors but in understanding 

a different culture and running a 

business in a developing country. 

Some events have been highly 

demanding at the time but more 

enjoyable on reflection. Building our 

house involved navigating a different 

building consent process, dealing 

with an often minimal and constantly 

changing range of building materials 

and learning to work alongside local 

builders. Desperately attempting to 

float off the concrete floor before it set 

under a baking sun on a 34-degree 

day was as tough as a typical 

adventure race day. 

The rewards have included listening 

to clients when they return from their 

trips, often lots of little things went 

wrong, as is inevitable in a developing 

nation, but so often we would be told: 

"it's the best holiday we have had". 

I still love watching people as they 

spot dozens of turtles or seeing them 

step out of their comfort zones and 

conquer their fears. Teaching one 

of our young guests to snorkel and 

watching her worry turn to amazement 

as we floated over coral gardens 

remains a cherished moment. 

Sunset at Falealupo Beach 

It has been satisfying to see our staff develop 

new skills as guides and bike mechanics 

while learning new ways to build, repair 

and cook with different and often limited 

resources. Although I still can't cook an umu 

or efficiently husk a coconut. 

The 50:50 Plan remains a goal. We expect a 

hectic year with the country fully open after 

Covid. Making time for new adventures will 

require some discipline, but there are many 

opportunities for new activities in Samoa and 

many places to explore in New Zealand. 

A perfect lunch swim spot 

"Looking back 

over the last 

16 years 

it's been a 

continuous 

adventure." 

Siva afi with two flaming knives while 

the support band beat out an ever 

increasing tempo. 

Beautiful Samoa awaits you, and we are welcoming our international aiga 

with open arms! Experience Samoa’s untouched beauty, unique cultural 

experiences and rich heritage. Self drive, bike or stroll through the wonders 

that make this island life one to cherish just like the locals do. 

Contact Ross and Frances at: office@outdoor.co.nz to organise a custom tour or to join a group.www.outdoorsamoa.com 


n e w c a l e d o n i a 

c a l e d o n i a 

NEW CALEDONIA: 

ADRENALINE KICKS 

New Calendonia is a water lovers paradise 

For a destination offering a 

range of activities to kick your 

adrenaline into overdrive, 

look no further than the 

heart of the South Pacific, 

New Caledonia. As an active 

traveller in New Cal, you’ll 

have access to a range of 

activities, such as skydiving 

over the stunning lagoon, 

taking part in a series of water 

activities, or testing your limits 

on a strenuous hike, there is 

a hot pick for every type of 

adrenaline junkie. 

Exploring New Cal on foot 

New Caledonia is New 

Zealand’s closest neighbour 

and is accessible with a short 

3-hour flight from Auckland, 

making it the perfect 

destination for a short active 

holiday. 

Explore on foot 

While hiking may not be the 

first thing that comes to mind 

for some when considering 

New Cal for a holiday, the 

range of walking trails from 

beginner to expert will be 

sure to convince you. Take 

on the Mont-Dore trail that 

will have your heart racing as 

you traverse through a range 

of terrains and finish off with 

some of the best views of 

Noumea. If you want more 

of a challenge, tackle the 96 

km long GR® NC1 hiking trail 

that cuts across the southern 

tip of the Grand Terre. 

Divided into seven main 

stages is estimated to take 

a total of 6 days, and you’ll 

enjoy the beautiful nature 

2,388KMS 


3HOURS 


22°16'32.8836''S. 

166°27'28.7748''E. 

GPS Location 

285,000 

Population 

while you hike through the 

red landscapes of the Great 

South to the lush Dumbéa 

rainforest. 

Other hot trails include the 

mountain that overlooks 

Noumea, Pic Malaoui (or 

policeman’s hat) or if you’re 

looking for a more peaceful 

experience the Source trail in 

Yaté is another great pick for 

a shorter hike. 

New Cal surf 

Image by Oneye Production 

Across the dirt on two wheels 

The elevations across the main island 

mean that New Caledonia is becoming 

a top destination for biking enthusiasts. 

Your pulse will be rising as you jump on 

a mountain bike to take on the rough 

trails of the mainland, known as the 

Grand Terre. There are countless tracks 

to discover on the west coast, from 

Deva in Bourail to the paths traced in 

the land of Koné, such as the Grande 

Boucle of the Tango plateau. 

As with hiking, the Great South is an 

ideal spot for biking where there are 

7 different bike trails laid out, ranging 

from green pats under 5km to daunting 

red and black trails extending from 10 

to 33km. 

Touch the sky 

Not just your ordinary flight, the ultralight 

aeroplane (ULM) flight is perfect 

for those who want to taste the thrill and 

enjoy the scenery all wrapped up in one 

experience. Float above the heights of 

the mountain chains and ranges where 

you may even spot a bale of sea turtles 

or the jump of a dolphin. Our pick is to 

fly above the literal heart of the South 

Pacific, the famous naturally formed 

Heart of Voh on the North-West side 

as you are wowed by the beauty of the 

mangroves and the lagoon. 

Kayaking at Plage Ouvea 

Image by Escape Your Life 

Horseriding is a great way to 

explore the regions top attractions 

Image by JC Robert 

New Caledonia is a top location for biking 

enthusiasts 

A WATER LOVER’S PARADISE 

If extreme adrenaline is not 

quite your thing, then choose 

from the endless selection of 

water activities that are set 

to provide the rush you are 

longing for. New Caledonia 

boasts stunning scenery, great 

conditions, and an abundance 

of spots for water activities to 

take place. For beginners try out 

kayaking, not only will it get your 

heart rate pumping, but you will 

find yourself amongst the wild 

nature of the lagoons. If you 

want to kick things up a notch, 

then kitesurfing might be the 

activity to participate in. Not only 

are the waters ideal for wave 

riding but the opportunity to spot 

fish, dugongs and other marine 

species in the world’s largest 

lagoon cannot be missed. 

See New Cal on horseback 

For an adrenaline rush that isn’t quite the norm, 

partake in horseback riding. Horse riding in New 

Cal is a great way to explore the region’s top 

attractions that are more difficult to get to by car 

or foot. Choose from a range of tours to suit the 

adventure you would like to enjoy, whether it is 

to stride past the wide-open plains where you 

might also witness wild horses, gallop along 

the water's edge, or indulge in some good oldfashioned 

cowboy culture. 

Glide above the forest 

A top activity that is sure to raise the hairs on 

your skin is zipping through the tree line of New 

Cal, via a tree climb or zip line – the perfect 

opportunity to see the land from a different 

angle. Strap yourself in as you are catapulted 

through the air with only a harness to support 

you, the sense of freedom will be thrilling 

enough! Don’t forget to look out for the wildlife 

that can be spotted around you and in the lush 

greenery you are travelling through. 

Dive into your wild side 

Those who want to dive deeper and explore 

the depths of the lagoon will have an incredible 

opportunity in New Caledonia. With abundant 

wildlife on the reefs and a steady water 

temperature all year round, it is an experience 

like no other. A popular activity is free diving, 

with many local courses available in the safe 

and controlled environment of the Caledonian 

lagoon. If diving is a little beyond your limits, 

there’s an abundant number of locations that 

are ideal for snorkelling. Follow the underwater 

path at Ile aux Canards (Duck Island) or take a 

dip with the fishes in the natural pool in Oro Bay 

on the Ilse of Pines. 

Plongee sous-marine - Image by Alize Diving Satosha Masuda 

For more experiences to raise the pulse in New Caledonia visit: https://pulse.newcaledonia.travel/nz/top-experiences/ 


n i u e 

NIUE: 

THE ROCK 

2,828.6KMS 


3.5HOURS 


19°03'15.37"S. 

169°51'43.51"W. 

GPS Location 

1,620 

Population 


Niue is an island country in the South 

Pacific Ocean, 2,400 kilometres 

(1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand. 

Niue is located in a triangle between 

Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook 

Islands. It is 604 kilometres northeast 

of Tonga . 

Formed by volcanic upheavals, 

the island sits atop 100-foot cliffs 

rising straight out of deep ocean. 

All fourteen villages are situated 

on a narrow terrace that encircles 

the island. The interior consists of 

a central saucer-shaped plateau, 

-five meters higher than the terrace, 

covered in ferns, scrub, and secondgrowth 

trees. 

There is no surface water except in a 

few caves with small, brackish pools. 

There are no surrounding protective 

reefs or sheltered lagoons. Niue is 

very exposed! 

Scenic Matavai Resort Niue 

The fishing is first-class 

Climate: 

The climate of Niue is tropical, with 

a hot, muggy and rainy period from 

December to April and a cooler and 

drier period from June to October, 

during which the south-east trade 

winds prevail. 


• Diving 

• Whale watching 

• Fishing 

• Biking 

• Hiking 

Niue's unique landscape creates some impressive 

swimming and diving holes 


The most popular time of the year to visit Niue 

is July to October, when the humpback whales 

are visiting. April, May and June are also a good 

pick, because temperatures are comfortable 

(average temperature 24°C). 


There is one main resort, The Scenic Matavia, 

and a few motels. guest houses and private villas 

– be prepared to book as there are not a huge 

number of rooms available. 

Locals tips: 

• This is an island of 1600 people everyone 

knows everyone, so it is relaxed, friendly 

and quiet. 

• The fishing in Niue is off the scale good 

and a half day charter is the best fishing 

experience you will ever get on the big blue 

wobbly stuff. 

• The water in Niue, because there is 

no runoff, is crystal clear and although 

there are very limited beaches there 

are some amazing swimming holes and 

chasms. The chasms are very tidal but 

there is a brochure you can get in your 

accommodation that tells you the best time 

to go and where, they are all different. 

• Because the water is very deep close to 

the island and no rain runoff diving in Niue 

is some of the best in the world. 

• You will not have access to roaming in 

Niue. We suggest booking into some 

accommodation with free Wi-Fi. If you will 

need a lot of data, it’s worth purchasing a 

data plan with Telecom Niue, Niue’s only 

phone network and fixed internet operator, 

some cafes and bars offer Wi-Fi as well. 

There is a free Wi-Fi hotspot in Alofi only 

allows you access to certain websites (so 

don’t get too excited). 

THE SCENIC MATAVAI RESORT 

Imagine sitting back and watching the 

incredible warming colours of a Pacific 

sun set, cocktail in hand, as you tell 

stories with friends about the day’s 

adventures of swimming crystal clear 

waters and exploring hidden caves 

and chasms… In the South Pacific 

hidden gem that is Niue, this dream 

soon becomes the daily routine. 

As the island’s only full service resort, 

the Scenic Matavai Resort offers 

the perfect place to unwind, with 

the stunning clifftop location offers 

uninterrupted views of a spectacular 

ocean scape and stunning sunsets. 

The Scenic Matavai Resort offers the 

perfect place to unwind 

Boasting a swim up pool bar, alfresco 

dining and a range of evening 

entertainment options, the resort is a 

popular place for hotel guests, other 

visitors and locals alike. 

The resort is perfectly positioned to be 

able to take in the myriad of activities 

on island, and is right next door to 

Niue Blue, one of the island’s premier 

diving operations. Various tours leave 

right from the resort door, and it is only 

a few minutes drive from the township 

and some of Niue’s most popular 

walks and swimming spots like the 

Limu Pools and Avatele Beach. 

Within the resort, guests can enjoy a 

range of settings from tropical gardens to 

poolside to the privacy of their own balcony 

with a view. Rooms are spacious, cool and 

well equipped to ensure that whether the 

day has been packed with adventure, or 

chilled by the pool, there is a comfortable 

place to rest your head and be ready for 

the next day in paradise. 

All of this relaxation is just a click away 

with Scenic Matavai Resort. It is quick and 

simple to book online… plus you receive 

an additional discount for booking direct 

and the opportunity to see exclusive offers, 

deals and the added reassurance for any 

changes or cancellations you may need to 

make should anything arise. 

If you are looking for the ultimate getaway 

to recharge mind, body and soul then look 

no further than to the tropical and tranquil 

surrounds of the island of Niue. Just over 

3 hours from Auckland and a world away 

from the hustle and bustle of city life. 

J U S T A C L I C K A W A Y 

scenicmatavairesort.com 

A room with a view 


a r o t o n g a 

t o n g a 

RAROTONGA: 

BIKING THE ISLAND 

Biking allows you to explore the many secluded beaches the island has to offer. 

It’s hot, it’s sticky, it’s sunny, did I say it’s 

hot. 

“Let’s ride around the island” she said. 

She could see by the look on my face that 

all the planets were not aligned for a 35km 

bike ride. 

Trying to up its appeal, she added “we’ll get 

E-bikes” 

An hour later we are standing outside 

Ride Raro. Sandy, not the beach but the 

delightful in-store person, ran us through 

the ‘how too’. We have E-bikes and pretty 

much understand how they work but we 

listened intently to the briefing. Seats and 

helmet adjusted we peddled away not 

really knowing what to expect. 

As with most travel the closer you can get 

to the local community the more enriching 

it is. 

Did I say it was hot? 

It was hot, as the sun beat down, we 

started our trip to circumnavigate the island 

of Rarotonga. 

We started off at Ride Raro base just near 

the city market, the word CITY conjures 

up a range of metropolis images, but think 

in terms of a few cars, a few stressed 

chickens and a man with an arm full of 

coconuts biking up the middle of the road. 

I would not normally suggest anyone ride on 

the road, but in Rarotonga it’s like riding on 

the footpath, possibly a little bumpier in parts. 

The first thing that strikes you on a bike 

as opposed to car, a taxi, or a bus, is the 

smell, every second tree is a frangipani, 

there are pungent tropical scents from 

flowers to ripe mangos, lunches being 

cooked over BBQ’s and smoke for a 

hundred fires. 

DID I say it was Hot! 

Within half an hour we came to a public 

white sand beach. Across the road was 

a store selling beer, the sun beat down, 

the water called to us, and the beer tasted 

amazing. We rested the bikes against a 

banyan tree, laid on the white sand beach, 

swam in the sea and never saw another 

living soul. 

3,400KMS 


4HOURS 


21.2292°S. 

159.7763°W. 

GPS Location 

17,500 

Population 

Stopping at Club Raro on our way round 

the island for a wee cocktail! 

A bike gives you a degree of 

independence, and an E-bike makes 

it easy, it’s like a vesper with big 

wheels, you can go anywhere you 

want, and we did. We swam, laid in 

the sun then dried off and headed 

inland. 

There is a main road that runs 

around the island, but there is a 

secondary road behind it. It’s a 

little rough, but you get an insight 

into island life; people wave, dogs 

look – no one barks, chickens are 

everywhere, its lush and green and 

the air is thick, there is little breeze 

yet it’s still comfortable. Nothing 

is flash, some of the houses are 

ramshackle, but there is washing 

everywhere, and the garden and 

lawns are perfect. 

Every other house has its own 

cemetery, their own memorial, many 

are nicer than the homes, most are 

beautifully kept, whitewashed with 

beautiful gardens and fresh cut 

flower in vases. 

I think that self-biking is the best way 

to see Rarotonga, its flat, it safe, 

there are beaches, and markets and 

stores and restaurants and bars. 

As with all roads you need to be a 

little careful but the local are used to 

seeing tourists. 

We had only hired the bike for 

the day but we could have kept it 

overnight if needed. However, biking 

at night in Rarotonga is not highly 

recommended due to the lack of 

lights and footpaths. 

Exploring the inland trails 

Memorials to lost 

loveones graces many 

home 

Club Raro on the north-eastern 

shores of Rarotonga 

Paradise 

"“Kia Orana” is 

the greeting used 

to say “hello”.The 

literal translation 

is actually “May 

you live a long and 

fulfilling life.” 

COOK ISLANDS 

Rarotonga, is the largest island in the 

southern group of the Cook Islands. 

The island is volcanic in origin and 

has a rugged interior rising to 652 

metres at Te Manga (which you can 

walk up). Surrounding its mountainous 

core is a plain, a raised fringing coral 

reef covered with sediment. The 

island itself is fringed by a protective 

coral reef. 

Best time of year / seasons: 

Overall, the shoulder months of April, May, 

September, and October are a great time 

to visit as the weather in these months 

is usually the perfect balance of warm 

temperatures and dry skies. During July to 

October bring the humpback whales. 


Accommodation varies from 5 star hotels, to 

back-packers, homestays and everything in 

between. We based ourselves at Club Raro; 

with comfortable rooms, an amazing 

reef side setting, great service, an awesome 

restaurant and bar, close to everything and 

priced not to break your bank balance. 

Adventure activities: 

• Diving 

• Fishing 

• Surfing 

• Any water-based sport 

• Boating 

• Biking 

• Hiking 

Locals Tip: 

• Eat and go shopping at Punanga Nui 

Market & Muri Night Markets 

• If you want to rent a car or a scooter you 

will have to purchase a local licence, but 

the local bus service is good. 

• Always eat the fresh fish. 

• Climb Te Rua Manga (The Needle) 

Biking the island allows you to find your own piece of paradise 


Ocean Front Villas open out onto a 

private deck, white sandy beach and 

uninterrupted views to the horizon 

Ocean View, two-story Villas are spacious and 

beautifully decorated, incorporating modern 

living and keeping he fresh ocean feel alive. 

While biking round the island we 

discovered Ocean Escape Resort & Spa, 

so we popped in and booked an afternoon 

massage for the following day. 

The new Eco-resort had come highly 

recommended from some locals, so 

we booked in for their 75-minute pure 

indulgence massage. One of the things 

that contributes to their unique massage 

experience is the use of bespoke100% 

Organic Essential Oils menu, the expertise 

of the therapists, but, also the environment, 

and Ocean Escape Resort & Spa scored 

highly on all fronts. 

As one of Rarotonga’s top spas, they 

offer a full range of pampering packages, 

which is outlined on their website, 

includes massages, facials, pedicure, and 

manicures. 

Ocean Escape Resort boasts a unique 

Ocean water swimming pool, with a 

coral reef (the only one of its kind on 

Rarotonga) This pool is replenished daily 

from the ocean tides, and it is chlorine and 

chemical-free, just like the ocean. 

The eco-friendly experience is at the core 

of the resort, from the sanitation and solar 

power to grey water keeping the gardens 

green. Even the drinking rainwater is safe 

and beautiful to drink, unlike much of 

Rarotonga. 

A phrase you will often hear linked to the 

resort is ‘sustainability and luxury all rolled 

into one.’ As the name suggests, Ocean 

Escape Resort & Spa is right on the beach 

and everything about the resort reflects 

that, from the colours, the 12 villas and 

resort stylish layout. 

Each Villa has its own private balcony with 

a day bed, either stepping directly into the 

saltwater pool or the coastal beach. 

You can sleep to the sound of breaking 

waves and in season you can closely 

watch humpback whales migrating just 

a short distance from the sandy casual 

beach lounge area. 

Not far away is the renowned Muri Beach, 

where you can snorkel over the pristine 

coral reefs and interact with the marine life. 

Or you can explore the densely forested 

landscapes dotted with volcanic peaks. 

This eco-friendly, adults-only oasis (16+) 

is a haven for sun-soaked days, serenity, 

and is perfect for couples seeking a 

boutique getaway escape. 

BJ’s Tapas Bar will be opening soon, 

presenting another first in Rarotonga, 

bringing a top shelf cocktail bar, 

complemented by dishes with a fusion 

of local and Mediterranean Tapas style 

cuisine. 

Rarotonga’s Premium Bike shop | Sales, Service, Rentals | Road , Comfort, Mountain and E bikes 

WWW.RIDERAROTONGA.COM 

Resort & Spa 

Essential 

Ocean Escape Resort 

Rarotonga's Newest Eco-friendly boutique resort! 12 Casual-luxury villas offering an Adults-only holiday Escape. 

1 Ara Tapu, Turangi Village, Rarotonga, 3385, Cook Islands 

T+682 21621 | T+682 78881 | T+682 58375 

E info@oceanescaperesort.com | www.oceanescaperesort.com 

SPA 

+682 74844 | +6427 3852555 | holiday@rarotongabeachapartments.com 

WWW.RAROTONGABEACHAPARTMENTS.COM

frenchpolynesia 

polynesia 

TAHITI: 

AND HER ISLANDS 

4,095KMS 


4.5HOURS 


17.6509°S. 

149.4260°W. 

GPS Location 

282,534 

Population 


Tahiti and The Islands of Tahiti, also 

known as the Society islands (of which 

there are 14 main islands) are in the 

southern part of the Pacific Ocean. 

Commonly referred to as The Islands of 

Tahiti, French Polynesia is a collection 

of 118 islands and atolls scattered 

across an impressive nautical surface 

area the size of Western Europe. Still, 

these tiny islands—many of which 

remain uninhabited—make up a total 

landmass of only 4,100 sq. km 

They are roughly the same distance 

from California as they are from 

Australia. Tahiti itself is the largest of 

the Society Islands of French Polynesia 

which has a population of 275,918 

inhabitants. 

The population of the islands is 

concentrated in the coastal regions and 

becomes increasingly sparse towards 

the mountainous centre of the islands. 

The main island of Tahiti (Iles du Vent), 

where 50% of the inhabitants live, is 

also home to the capital of French 

Polynesia, the city of Papeete. 

The Matavai Hotel, Niue 

The fishing is first-class 

Description: 

Tahiti, the main islands is often referred 

to as the Queen of the Pacific. A circle 

of majestic peaks crowns the island 

of Tahiti, towering over the ocean. 

The mountainous interior shelters 

deep valleys, clear streams, and high 

waterfalls. The flat coastal lands, 

edged with a rugged coastline, is 

home most of the island's population. 

Papeete, the capital city, and gateway 

to the region, boasts world-class 

resorts, spas, fine restaurants, and 

endless shopping at the markets, 

pearl shops, and boutiques. Each of 

the other outer islands has something 

unique to offer, Bora Bora with is 

stunning lagoon, Raetia, the birthplace 

of Polynesia has a rich culture, each 

island has something special, too long 

to list here. 


The best time to visit Tahiti is between May 

and October. Although the temperatures are 

pleasant year-round, Tahiti's winter season 

has less humidity. Tahiti only experiences 

two distinct seasons: Winter which brings 

less rain and pleasant temperatures while 

the summertime – November through April 

– can be quite hot and humid (especially 

December), and often rain. 



• Diving 

• Fishing 

• Surfing 

• Any sort of water activity 

• Boating 

• Biking 

• Hiking 


Accommodation in Tahiti is varied from some 

of the most amazing resorts and hotels in the 

world to pensions(homestays). Pensions are 

very family focused and you can be housed 

and fed and escorted or just left on your own. 

There are also air BnB type options and a 

variety of hotels and motels to fit every budget. 

Locals tips: 

• The best way to eat in Tahiti is not in your hotel but at 

the local Roulette, these are basically food carts that 

pop up at night at local carparks, shopping areas etc – 

just look around at night and you will find them or ask 

locals. They are inexpensive and the food is great, the 

way to pick the best one is to choose where the most 

locals are eating. 

• The local raw fish is always specular – try the local dish, 

poison cru (raw fish and coconut). 

• If you are lucky (or maybe not) try the fafaru – you 

can’t really buy it, but locals might share it with you. 

It is basically fresh fish served in a fermented sauce 

(fermented is a nice word for rotten) taste a lot better 

than it smells. You will get major kudos for eating it. 

• Bread (which is amazing) cheese, wine, beer is all 

inexpensive, buying readymade baguettes at the local 

store (they are everywhere) is a great inexpensive lunch 

option. 

• Don’t surf in Tahiti on the reef breaks unless you know 

what you are doing. There are a few beach breaks that 

are safe for everyone. If surfing for the first time in Tahiti 

it would pay to get a guide – with a boat. 

• There are a lot of tourist options in Tahiti, but anything to 

do with water is worth the experience. The diving is off 

the scale in terms of big fish, sharks, barracuda, manta 

rays etc. Even the snorkelling can be amazing. 

• Fishing is great close to the main city, on the island 

of Moorea, 30 mins by ferry from Papeete is Moorea 

Fishing Adventures (www.mooreafishingadventures. 

com). Captain Matahi will show you an amazing day, 

they have great success and know how to catch fish, a 

great way to spend the day on. 

• Any of the island are worth a visit, but if you stay in 

Papeete it is only a short ferry ride to Moorea. 

• Further north, by plane Bora Bora is the quintessential 

tropical paradise and a visual experience to remember. 

• If you ever thought about getting a tattoo, get it in Tahiti 

– it is a huge part of their culture, and they have some 

of the best tattooist in the world – don’t ask for Donald 

Duck! But choosing from any of the cultural patterns or 

simply asking them to create will be a great memento 

for life. 

• Internet coverage is pretty much 

throughout Tahiti but can be patchy, 

some hotels and resorts have free 

Wi-Fi, but a better option is to get a 

portable router called Tahiti Wi-Fi. These 

can be booked in advance, picked 

up at the airport or delivered to your 

accommodation – these work great 

everywhere and are portable. 

Sailing 

A typical pension home accommodation 

Outrigging in the calm waters of the 

lagoon 

SPECIAL NOTE: 

Tahiti has the stereotype of being every 

expensive, which it can be as it has some 

of the most exclusive resorts in the world, 

whole islands in fact dedicated to one or 

two visitors. But as with all destination 

if you choose with care where you stay, 

how you travel and what you eat, it can 

be very cost effective. Be prepared, it is 

not Southeast Asia, but cost should not 

limit your decision to see one of the most 

beautiful places on earth. 

Tahiti is world famous for its surfing 


Tahitian Adventures 

With 118 islands to explore, getting ‘lost’ in the 

Islands of Tahiti sounds like the perfect adventure. 

A l p i n e R e s o r t 

Terrace Restaurant & Bar Open daily 

Tongariro Alpine Crossing Shuttles from the door 

Backpacker to Superior Family Accommodation 

Alpine Hiking Gear Hire on-site 

Skotel Alpine Resort | SkotelAlpineResort 

Ngauruhoe Place | Whakapapa Village, SH 48 

www.skotel.co.nz | info@skotel.co.nz 

+64 7 892 3719 | 0800 756 835 

The Old Nurses hOme 

GuesThOuse 

Welcome to The Old Nurses Home Guesthouse 

© Grégoire Le Bacon 

This historic renovated building in Reefton allows you to enjoy the stunning 

Victoria Conservation Park with access to outstanding bush walks, historic 

mining sites, and withing walking distance to the famous Inangahua River and 

some of the best fishing for trout in NZ. White water raft or kayak the exciting 

rivers in the area. Reefton offers a perfect base for MTB riders to explore The 

Old Ghost Road from Lyell through the ranges to Seddonville on the West Coast. 

www.reeftonaccommodation.co.nz 

+6437328881 

info@reeftonaccommodation.co.nz

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on both sides using calibrated Spring Tension. Ideal for 

Kitchen, Fillet, Hunting and most other flat-blade knives. 

w w w . k n i f e s h a r p n e r s . n z

“Escape ordinary” 

Caring luxury | Local flavour | One of a kind 

Mountain bike clean up area and a secure mountain bike storage area available 

1191 Pukaki Street, Rotorua 

p: +64 7 348 4079 | w: regentrotorua.co.nz 

A digital currency 

designed for everyday 

payments 

qoin.world 

S.A Shuttles are a specialists when it comes to Auckland Airport shuttle 

services. We pick-up passengers from the Airport and deliver to; hotels, 

motels, CBD and the suburbs (door to door). This service is available to 

meet every flight arriving into Auckland Airport. 

• BOOKED shuttle services to meet flight 

• On demand shuttle services for group bookings 

• Direct shuttle for individual needs 

• Corporate Transfers for Business Client 

Available to download on 

We also do tours around the North Island | www.southaucklandshuttles.com | bookings@sashuttles.com | 0800 300 033 (Toll free)

THE ALL-NEW 7-SEAT

Adventure #236

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