The sixth day of the Adventures by Disney New Zealand itinerary not only wrapped up our time in Rotorua, but also the North Island. The day began with a visit to the Te Puia Geothermal Park & Māori Arts & Crafts Institute. With several attractions in one stop, our group began by wrapping up our education in the epicenter of Māori culture with a look at how traditional crafts are being preserved.
The first demonstration was wood carving, with our guide passing around samples of the types of wood the Māori carved in both its rough and finished forms. An artist was in the process of creating a new carving while we were there. This is also a school where Māori descendants come to learn these trades so they can take them back to their tribe and keep these traditions alive.
Another skill set on display was weaving. We got to see how native plants are broken down into fiber strands, which can then be used to create clothing, rugs, furniture, and more, all by hand.
This ancestral land is home to Pōhutu Geyser, the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Rotorua is home to many hot springs, but this is essentially New Zealand’s equivalent of Old Faithful.
Our visit ended in a gift shop that sold a variety of products, but the most special felt like the handmade wood and woven items we saw being created during the tour. And with Māori culture serving as a point of inspiration for Disney’s Moana, a carving of Maui’s fishhook felt like a special souvenir. Next, it was on to the Rotorua Regional Airport for our flight to Cristchurch. We had pre-selected a lunch option for the airport cafe, and there was plenty of time to eat before our New Zealand Air flight. On board, the flight crew surprised us with our pin of the day, fittingly featuring Moana with today’s theme – “Island Hopping.”
Goodbye, North Island…
…and hello, South Island!
After getting our luggage and boarding our coach, we were given a fitting welcome to the oldest established city in New Zealand (by Royal Charter) with a traditional punting voyage down the Avon River.
This relaxing and peaceful experience offered beautiful views of the Christchurch Botanical Gardens, including a moment plucked straight out of a scene from The Little Mermaid, gliding underneath a willow tree.
It also offered a nice duck’s-eye view of the world.
Check-in at the hotel (Crowne Plaza Christchurch) was handled before we arrived, with one of our Adventure Guides distributing room keys. Tinker Bell went ahead and delivered our luggage to our rooms before we arrived.
The evening was free to ourselves, and our Adventure Guides sent everyone a list of recommended restaurants near the hotel. We took them up on a recommendation and had a wonderful meal on our own.
Christchurch is a quick stop on this adventure, and tomorrow we’re off on a train ride through the mountains on our way to the Franz Josef Glacier. Check back each day to follow along on our Adventures by Disney trip to New Zealand.
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