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Tag: Hidden Destinations

Posted on 11/09/201626/05/2021

Top 5 Hidden New Zealand Destinations

I’m reluctant to write this post. Not because I have writer’s block or am feeling disinclined to use the left side of my brain today. Rather because I am scared to share these little corners of New Zealand with the big wide world of the interwebs.… Read the rest

Welcome to Kiwi Globetrotteuse

A travel blog created by Carolyn, a travel addict, aspiring writer & photographer from New Zealand with a background in the bespoke travel industry. I’m on a mission to make it to all 193 UN member states in my lifetime

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The final section of the Catlins Coastline is in t

The final section of the Catlins Coastline is in the Southland region, and it’s pretty evident that there’s not much between the coast and Antartica. 🌊💨❄️ Think rugged rocky coastline, windswept beaches and trees that are most bent over horizontally! There are a couple of highlights in this part of the coast; the first is the petrified forest at Curio Bay (it’s not so much scared but rather really old and preserved 😉.) Curio Bay also boasts a yellow-eyed penguin/hoiho colony 🐧🐧🐧The second highlight is Slope Point. New Zealand folklore is that the country stretches from Cape Reinga in the North Island to Bluff in the South Island but that’s actually a bit of a misnomer because Slope Point is further south than Bluff 🤯 Mind you if you want to get pedantic about it there’s always Stewart Island further south - an even more remote destination that we’re adding to our NZ travel list for a future trip!
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#catlins #catlinsnow #catlinsnz #slopepoint #curiobay #capereingatobluff #southisland #southislandnz #southislandnewzealand #southislandroadtrip #southislandnzroadtrip #southland #southlandnz #discoversouth #southproudnz #curiobay #offthebeatentrack #offthebeatentrail #travelnz #visitsouthland #invercargill #bluff #bluffnz

The next stop on our road trip through the Catlins

The next stop on our road trip through the Catlins was the Cathedral Caves - an impressive set of limestone cavities next to Waipati Beach. The caves form a sort of lung - so you can walk in one and out the other. They truly are as breathtaking as a vast cathedral - and more so as they have been completely naturally formed by the sea. Access to the cathedral caves walk is managed by the local iwi, and you will be charged a nominal fee ($10/adult) when you reach the car park. There is a small window of about four hours either side of low tide where the caves can be safely accessed- so you’ll want to plan the timing of this adventure carefully so you don’t miss out!
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#catlinsnz #catlinscoast #cathedralcaves #cathedral #naturalcathedral #cathedralcavesnz #visithecatlins #seethecatlins #coastalotago #cluthanz #cluthadistrict #southisland #southislandnz #southproudnz #newzealandnatural #newzealandvacations #newzealandtrip #newzealandguide #newzealandadventures #newzealandtravel #newzealandroadtrip

Carry on south along the southern scenic route thr

Carry on south along the southern scenic route through Owaka and eventually, just after Papatowai, you’ll be in for a truly breathtaking vista over the crescent shaped Tautuku Bay from the vantage point of Florence Hill. There are tons of beautiful sea views on offer in the Catlins but not always a huge amount of vantage points from which to enjoy them, as the windy road is often flanked by dense native forest, so this view is one to savour. If you’re anything like us you will come back to the lookout again and again, to see how the view has changed as the weather flows in, over and through the rugged and exposed coastline.
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#coastalotago #thecatlins #florencehill #catlinsnz #discoversouth #southislandnz #southislandnewzealand #southislandroadtrip #beautifuldestinations #seetheworld #travelendlessly #visitnz #travelphotography #naturephotography #beachlovers #newzealand #stunningviews #southproudnz #cluthanz #catlins #southernscenicroute

Our next stop in the Catlins heading south was Can

Our next stop in the Catlins heading south was Cannibal Bay. About 8kms down a gravel road it is somewhat off the beaten track but it’s a worthwhile detour. If you walk along the beach at Cannibal Bay you can follow a short sandy path over a small headland to reach Surat Bay. That’s two golden sand beaches with barely a soul on them (besides the sea lions 🦭🦭🦭) for the price of one! The water is a stunning blue, even on a slightly overcast day like we had, and rather than straining to see the local wildlife we literally almost tripped over it (swipe left to see a good boy having a big snooze 😴)
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#thecatlins #catlins #catlinsnz #cannibalbay #suratbay #nzbeaches #nzwildlife #otago #otagonz #coastalotago #catlinscoast #CluthaNZ #sealions #southislandnz #southislandnewzealand #southislandroadtrip #beautifuldestinations #beautifulbeaches #offthebeatentrack #explorenz #nzsummer

Just after Christmas we spent three days exploring

Just after Christmas we spent three days exploring the Catlins - a rugged, windswept area of coastline between Dunedin and Invercargill in New Zealand’s South Island 🌊💨⛰The northernmost part of the Catlins lies in Otago and one of the first stunning locations to visit is nugget point with it’s iconic lighthouse. So named because of the ‘nuggets’ that lie in the sea beyond the point. At this time of year, as you walk out towards the lighthouse you can hear baby fur seals playing in the rock pools below 🥰🦭💦More stunning pics from this area to come very soon!
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#catlins #thecatlins #thecatlinsnz #otago #coastalotago #nuggetpoint #nuggetpointlighthouse #newzealandnature #newzealandtravel #southislandnz #southisland #southproudnz #southislandnewzealand #southislandroadtrip #beautifuldestinations #kakapoint #whistlingfrogresort #visitnz #tourismnz #nztravel #seetheworld

Flying through summer way too fast like this water

Flying through summer way too fast like this water skier🚤 ⛷… the Christmas break was a complete whirlwind but no complaints about the scenery along the way! 😍
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#centralotago #centralotagonz #cromwell #cromwellnz #watersports #waterski #waterskiworld #lakedunstan #centralotagorailtrail #visitnz #newzealandnatural #newzealandvacations #travelnewzealand #summervibes #beautifuldestinations #seetheworld #experiencenewzealand #southisland #southproudnz #southislandnz #southislandnewzealand #southislandroadtrip #newzealandroadtrip

Oh the places we could go… to drink all the cent

Oh the places we could go… to drink all the central Otago wine 😍🍇🍷
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#centralotago #centralotagonz #centralotagowine #bannockburn #bannockburnhotel #wine #winelover #winetasting #winecountry #nztourism #visitnewzealand #nzwine #nzsummer #wineries #nzwineries #vino #vindenouvellezelande #vinneozelandais #winestyle

These stunning cascades are part of kitekite falls

These stunning cascades are part of kitekite falls, near Piha beach to the west of Auckland. They can be reached on an hour long walk from the Glen Esk car park. This shot only shows the lower falls - there are more beautiful pools and cascades in the upper part, some of which can be viewed by walking to the vantage point at the upper part of the falls. The bush is wondrously lush because of the considerable amount of rainfall that falls in the waitakere ranges. However it’s really important to stick to the marked paths- a fungal disease called kauri dieback that can be carried on people’s shoes is affecting many of the large kauri trees in the area and slowly killing them. Kauri trees hold a special significance for New Zealanders and particularly Maori - as the tallest trees in many of our native forests they hold spiritual significance. Many kauri trees were logged for their beautiful, strong wood when Europeans first settled in New Zealand so these days we need to do all we can to protect the trees that remain.
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#newzealand #newzealandfinds #newzealandguide #wildlife #waterfallsofinstagram #waitakereranges #waitakere #pihabeach #kitekitefalls #aucklandregion #westauckland #summerfun #travelphotography #travelblogger #bushwalks #walkingtrails #visitnz #visitnewzealand #tourismnz #dogochasingwaterfalls #mãoriculture

This is Piha - the most well known of the four bla

This is Piha - the most well known of the four black sand beaches to the west of Auckland just over the Waitakere Ranges. The others from north to south are Muriwai, Bethell’s/Te Henga and Karekare. The key to their dark sand lies in the region’s volcanic past. Piha is the most populated of the four- featuring a wee town with a laid back surfie vibe. Piha is a truly iconic summer destination for Aucklanders.
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#aucklandregion #waitakereranges #pihabeach #blacksandbeach #surfing #surfdestination #summervibes #auckland #westauckland #nzmustsee #nzmustdo #newzealandlife #newzealandtravel #nzsummer #nztravel #nzroadtrip #seetheworld #travelblogger #passionpassport #travelphotography

Went for a lovely late afternoon walk on the Tawha

Went for a lovely late afternoon walk on the Tawharanui Peninsula the other day. This Regional Park is one of my favourite in the Auckland region. It’s about 1 hour north of Auckland, just to the east of the Matakana wine making region. The regional park has a special fence to keep out predators and today there are more and more kiwi that can be seen and heard at night. I always feel amazingly blessed to be able to call this whenua (land) home but particularly so this year when Aotearoa/New Zealand is one of the only places not living under any major coronavirus restrictions in everyday life. As my friend and I were walking along the beach her young boy spotted some rubbish and said to her “maman we have to pick it up, it’s our planet too.” So as we walked we filled a small bag as we came along the odd bit of plastic or polystyrene waste before it could make it into the ocean. That’s the spirit of collective responsibility I think we all need to take with us as we confront this age of climate crisis and eco-anxiety. We can’t do everything, but we can do our bit with what is in our immediate control and even our sphere of influence. We may be just one person picking up some trash on a beach, but if we get involved, together we can move mountains 🏔
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#newzealand #nzadventures #nzmustdo #nzmustsee #auckland #aucklandregion #aucklandregionalparks #tawharanui #matakana #matakanacoast #northisland #northislandnz #noplanetb🌎 #seetheworld #trashisfortossers #ecofriendlyliving #planetcare #beautifuldestinations #covid19 #pandemic #beach

Impressive rock formations in the Kawarau Gorge on

Impressive rock formations in the Kawarau Gorge on the other side of ‘roaring meg’ near Queenstown, New Zealand
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#nzmustsee #nzmustdo #newzealand #newzealandguide #newzealandlife #newzealandroadtrip #newzealandvacations #travelphotography #travelblogger #queenstownnz #cromwellnz #nztravel #nztourism #tourismnz #sonyalpha #sonyalphaa5100 #landscapephotography

Lupins by the Lake . . . #mackenziedistrict #laket

Lupins by the Lake
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#mackenziedistrict #laketekapo #lupins #lakeside #nzmustdo #nzmustsee #summertime #newzealand #roadtripnz #2020travel #southislandnz

The final stage of our road trip around Puglia was

The final stage of our road trip around Puglia was the journey from Monopoli to Bari, the largest city in Puglia. Just 20 minutes north of Monopoli is Polignano a Mare, with its beautiful little beach nestled in between some impressive cliffs. As you can see Polignano a Mare is not a very well kept secret, the beach is packed all summer long. Surprisingly though most of the visitors are still Italians. The rest of the world doesn’t seem to have noticed Puglia yet, which is entirely surprising seeing that it is home to gems like this 😍
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#puglia #pugliagram #igpuglia #ig_puglia #pugliaholidays #pugliaroadtrip #vacationbythesea #seasideholiday #beachholiday #beautifulbeaches #apulia #apuliatravels #travelpuglia #apuliatravelguide #pugliatravelguide #travelitaly #seeitaly #visititaly #italia #viajoenitalia #voyagenitalie #voyages #viajo #turismo #travelgram #igtravel #lonelyplanetitalia #culturetrip #europetravels #travelsfromlondon

🇮🇹🌵🛵 After driving through the Valle d

🇮🇹🌵🛵 After driving through the Valle d’Itria our next overnight stop was in Monopoli- a seaside town with fortified walls. We wished we had more time here as we stayed in a super quirky Airbnb and the seaside bars were full of revellers enjoying long lazy dinners and then talking, laughing & dancing into the wee hours.
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#puglia #apulia #monopoli #monopoli_puglia #visitpuglia #seepuglia #explorepuglia #apuliatravels #italy #igitaly #travelgram #igtravel #italygram #igitalia #planbookshare #mustseeitaly #travelblogger #neverstopexploring #travellife✈️ #seetheworld #kiwiinlondon #travelsfromlondon #europetravel #seasideholiday #beachholiday #seasidevacation #beachvacation #travelphotography #travelguide #travelphotoblog

The Trulli lined streets and pointy Trulli roofs o

The Trulli lined streets and pointy Trulli roofs of Alberobello. 🇮🇹🤍😍 Why are traditional dwellings in this area built in such a distinct style? Well it all comes back to tax evasion actually. The counts that ruled the area in the 1400s could avoid paying taxes on the dwellings if they were built without mortar and could be dismantled quickly. Local peasants found that the circular formation with a conical roof could be made most easily with stone available in the local area.
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#trulli #trullidialberobello #trullo #trullilovers #trullihouses #valleditria #puglia #apulia #travelpuglia #seepuglia #visitpuglia #travelitalia #visititaly #travelphotography #cutetowns #beautifuldestinations #travelgram #igtravel #sheisnotlost #travelgirls #kiwiinlondon #travelsfromlondon #roadtrip #selfdrive #mustsee #tourism #turismoitalia #planbookshare #europetravel #culturetripitaly

The next day of our trip around Puglia was a jam p

The next day of our trip around Puglia was a jam packed one, with lots to see. Our first stop was Locorotondo where we spent some time exploring the narrow streets of the old town before stopping for a lunch of orecchiette (a local pasta dish) & meatballs. This photo is of the Itria Valley as viewed from Locorotondo. If you look closely you’ll make out some little white stone huts with pointy roofs - these are trulli- a traditional style of Apulian dwelling. This area truly is trulli country 😏 You can find a trullo or two in many of the towns in this area including in Martina Franca and most famously Alberobello where there are whole streets of them. I love this photo because it captures the essence of this area so well. There’s just something about the Puglian countryside in summer, it’s heady and fragrant and humming with life. 🌞🌾🌵
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#summertime #puglia #itria #itriavalley #locorotondo #alberobello #locorotondo_travel #valditria #valleitria #trulli #trullihouses #trullo #trullilocorotondo #trullilovers #italy #travelitaly #countrysidephotography #countryside #apulia #travelpuglia #seetheworld #neverstoptravelling #passportlife #italygram #travelgram #igtravel #culturetrip #lonelyplanetitalia #travelguide #traveltips

After Santa Maria de Leuca we started driving up t

After Santa Maria de Leuca we started driving up the eastern coast of Puglia, alongside the Adriatic Sea. We decided to do a wine tasting over lunch and got outrageously drunk in this little winery restaurant (and had to take a break until we were sober enough to jump into our little Fiat again!) 🍷🚗😅 Our next night was spent near Otranto - a spot we chose to break up the drive from Leuca to Ostuni. Otranto was nothing special - I don’t even have any photos of it. Our next destination, Ostuni, was on the other hand one of the most photogenic spots on our entire trip! It is entirely painted white and set atop a lone hillside looking out on the seaside. In Italian they call it Citta Bianca- the white city. Its small whitewashed streets are like a maze, but one we happily lost ourselves in. It doesn’t take long to cross the city, but there’s a cute new alleyway to explore every time you do. Ostuni is authentic Italy at it’s most charming. It was our favourite part of Puglia 🌵⛪️🛵
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#ostuni #ostunicittàbianca #italy #italia #puglia #salento #thewhitecity #ostunicentrostorico #ostunitravel #seeitaly #travelitalia #roadtrip #fiat #prettycities #culturetrip #lonelyplanetitalia #southernitaly #sheisnotlost #travelphotography #urbanphotography #streetscapes #planbookshare #igtravel #travelgram #igworldclub #igitaly #igitalia #seepuglia #travelpuglia #weareinpuglia

This is Santa Maria di Leuca, or just ‘Leuca’

This is Santa Maria di Leuca, or just ‘Leuca’ for short (or rather this is the view of Leuca from the hillside above the town where you’ll find a big, tall lighthouse and a Basilica/Sanctuary.) And yes you heard that right- this is another ‘Santa Maria.’ You see, good catholics that they are the Italians really love naming cities after mother Mary 🤰🏻Leuca is located on a Promontory at the very tip of Puglia, Italy’s southeastern most point where the Ionian & Adriatic seas meet. You really have to make a point of getting to Leuca (see what I did there 😏) so even in the midst of summertime at it’s “busiest” it’s vibe is still very chill. Unlike in so many other over-touristed parts of Italy there are plenty of umbrellas, beach chairs & scoops of gelato to go around 👙🏖🍦Whilst wandering the peaceful streets you’re likely to see some quite quirky art-deco villas built by Puglia’s aristocratic families back in the day- just watch out for the occasional surprise Fiat zipping along well above the speed limit- they may be a god fearing bunch but breaking the road rules is a favourite Italian past time 🚗🇮🇹😅
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#italy #italia #puglia #apulia #leuca #santamariadileuca #travelitaly #tourismitaly #italytourism #visititaly #seeitalia #visitpuglia #beachvacation #southernitaly #summertime #sunnyplaces #travelgram #igtravel #mustvisit #planbookshare #travelsfromlondon #culturetrip #lonelyplanetitalia #travelguide #travelphotography #travelblogger #sheisnotlost #travelgirls #goexplore #mustvisitworld

Just to the south of Nardo & Santa Maria Al Bagno,

Just to the south of Nardo & Santa Maria Al Bagno, when you’re still on the Ionian (western) coast of Puglia and the Salento Peninsula is the town of Gallipoli, whose Centro Storico (old town) is set on a limestone island. This Gallipoli is not, I should add, to be confused with the Turkish Gallipoli made infamous by WWI. Gallipoli means ‘Beautiful City’ and the Italian version (which I suspect not many non-Italians know about) sure lives up to it’s name. It’s another wee hidden seaside gem- like so much of Puglia! 😍🏖🌵
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#puglia #gallipoli #gallipolisalento #gallipolipuglia #gallipoliitaly #cittadigallipoli #salento #apulia #apuliatravels #travelpuglia #italie #italy #travelitaly #seeitaly #planbookshare #mustvisitworld #culturetrip #lonelyplanetitalia #beachvacation #seasideholiday #iseethesee #summervibes #summertime #travelguide #travelblogger #travelphotography #beautifulbeaches #oldtownitaly #traveleurope #seepuglia

Ah Italy, take me back to those turquoise blue wat

Ah Italy, take me back to those turquoise blue waters any day 😍 This was destination number two on our roadtrip around Puglia - the coastal region just to the west of Nardo. One of the most well known beaches there is Santa Maria al Bagno but we headed for nearby Santa Caterina instead which was a little quieter and spent a nice lazy afternoon sunbathing & swimming off the rocks 👙☀️🏖
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#beachvacation #summerholiday #italia #italianseaside #puglia #santacaterinanardo #santacaterinadinardò #nardò #pugliese #playa #plage #italie #voyage #viajo #turismoitalia #planbookshare #seetheworld #mustvisitworld #passportlife #sheisnotlost #instatravellers #travelgram #travelguide #travelphotography #seaside #summervibes #travelinspiration #southernitaly #travelitaly #beachshots

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