NZ a land of coffee-loving beachgoers, travel guide says

New Zealand's baristas came in for praise in the latest edition of the Rough Guide. Picture / Reuters

New Zealand is a nation of bad trains, great hostels and plucky, tolerant, coffee-loving beachgoers, according to the latest edition of tourist guidebook The Rough Guide.

Wellington received especially glowing reviews, being described as the country's most exciting city.

Despite being buffeted by Cook Strait winds most days, the compact city was easily walkable and had a buzzing arts scene. Its "big heart" and sophisticated cafe society made up for its small size, the authors said.

Although often regarded by visitors as being chiefly a transit hub, Auckland had a beautiful harbour and warm weather. Prim wooden villas with big gardens created a small-town feel beyond the glitzy city centre. Karangahape Rd got a special mention for its trendy cafes.

Christchurch was a relaxed city where parks and gardens rubbed shoulders with gothic architecture, according to The Rough Guide. However, its Englishness was largely skin-deep, the book said, and in recent years the city had acquired a "youthful, bohemian edge".

Dunedin, meanwhile, was "darkly attractive", with iconic architecture crafted from local stone. Its green, tree-filled Octagon drew praise, and the authors suggested tourists visit during Otago University's term-time, when local nightlife took off.

The Rough Guide, scheduled for release next week, had few pointed comments of the sort that appeared in the Lonely Planet handbook released last month.

The Lonely Planet authors described Bluff as shabby and Kaitaia as crawling with thieves, while most of Central Otago's small towns were dismissed as having little to offer.

The Rough Guide was gentler in its criticism. Whangarei was "a bit disappointing", while Akaroa was attractive but twee, and New Zealand's growing sophistication seemed to have passed Westport by.

Other towns fared better. Nelson was beguiling and "supremely placed" among beaches and national parks, while Cambridge was peaceful, understated and attractive in a rural way.

The authors pointed out that people hoping to see elves and wizards roaming countryside dotted with stone fortresses would be in for a shock.

Special effects had rendered many of The Lord of the Rings landscapes unrecognisable from their real-life states, the book warned. "Be prepared for some disappointment. Scenes rarely look as they did in the films."

Tourists thinking about using the country's passenger rail system were told there was not much left of it.

"Trains are so slow that they have ceased to be practical transport for most New Zealanders," the authors said. Features included reclining seats, "beer, but no espresso" and sporadic, not particularly diverting commentary.

Despite the lack of good coffee on the trains, making the stuff had nonetheless been turned into a national art form, The Rough Guide said.

In fact, Kiwi food and drink in general got a resounding thumbs-up, with the authors recommending local favourites including cervena, feijoas, hot dogs and lamingtons.

Budget accommodation was also singled out as being particularly impressive.

"New Zealand has pioneered the backpacker hostel. Found all over the country, hostels offer superb value to travellers. Wherever you stay, you can expect unstinting hospitality and a truckload of valuable advice."

Furthermore, New Zealanders liked to think of themselves as tolerant and open-minded people, and foreigners were generally welcomed with open arms.

Holidays were a major part of the relaxed New Zealand lifestyle, the book said, so perhaps it's no wonder locals did such a good job as hosts.

"Kiwis identify strongly with the land, and perhaps even more so with the sea. During summer large swathes of the population decamp from the town and cities to baches or camping spots by the beach."

The country's rugged beginnings also played a big part in shaping the national psyche.

"At its core the Kiwi personality is rooted in the desire to make a better life in a unique and sometimes unaccommodating land. New Zealanders are inordinately fond of stories of plucky Kiwis overcoming great odds."


SO THEY LIKE US THEN, EH?

A selection of comments from the Rough Guide travel handbook:

Landscape

Despite its diminutive size, New Zealand packs in an enormous diversity: unspoiled sub-tropical forests, rich volcanic basins, boiling mud pools and geysers, intricate and rugged coastlines with golden sand beaches and spectacular alpine regions.

Race relations

In theory, biculturalism gives equal status to the beliefs and values of Maori and Pakeha with distinct but complementary systems for things like health care and education. Such measures have detractors - some see it as pointless tokenism, while radicals see it as going nowhere near enough. While acknowledging its faults, most people are proud of their country's race relations.

Media

Travellers are always griping about low TV standards but, while much prime-time viewing is unashamedly populist, there is high-quality stuff out there. All the main papers are politically fairly neutral [but] newspaper journalists get little scope for imaginative or investigative journalism.

Sport

If God were a rugby coach almost every Kiwi would be a religious fundamentalist. Newspapers and TV news often give prominence to sport, and entire radio stations are devoted to sports talkback, usually dwelling on the occasions when Kiwi underdogs have overcome better-funded teams from more populous nations.

Sir Edmund Hillary

He embodies the qualities Kiwis hold most dear: Hard-working, straight-talking and, most of all, modest. As he said on his return from [conquering Everest]: "Well George, we knocked the bastard off." That's what gets your face on every $5 note in the country.

Kea

These kleptomaniac parrots can be persistent and frequently grab sandwiches from inattentive lunching walkers. Trampers have been known to wake up to a clinically dismembered rucksack or, in more extreme cases, a semi-digested tent.

Nuclear power

For decades, no one dared suggest New Zealand should invest in nuclear power. But the power pinch and the need to follow Kyoto commitments is beginning to change that. It would take a brave Government to take the first step but the nuclear option is no longer a total no-go.

Speech

Throughout the country, Kiwis add an upward inflection to statements, making them sound like questions; most are not and, to highlight those that are, some add the interrogative "eh?" to the end of the sentence, a trait most evident in the North Island, especially among Maori.

WHAT DID THEY SAY ABOUT YOUR TOWN?

Hamilton: Most visitors pass straight through Hamilton but it's a pretty enough place, well-sited on the banks of the Waikato River.

Gisborne: Not overly endowed with attractions but its relaxed pace and easy-going vibe make it gently appealing.

Rotorua: No amount of bad odour will keep visitors away from this small, ordered city, with its origins firmly rooted in tourism.

Taupo: This unobtrusive resort town attracts Kiwi and foreign tourists alike, the latter increasingly due to its skydiving.

Napier: A Mediterranean climate and a population barely touching 50,000 make it an easy place to warm to.

Blenheim: A sleepy service town surrounded by some of the most highly regarded vineyards in the land.

Queenstown: There is no doubt it is one of the most commercialised resorts but remains an idyllic spot, attractively set beside Lake Wakatipu.

Invercargill: Sprawling over an exposed expanse of flat land, the monotony is relieved by huge parks and friendly people.

- NZPA