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In 2012, I moved to New Zealand with my family.
Fast-forward a couple of years, the family moved again and I stayed. Thus, the first 7 years of my adulthood were spent in the beautiful Aotearoa, and I made it my home and adopted country. In the process and because I continued to travel overseas I began to see how many things people get wrong about New Zealand.
Most of them are funny and harmless and if you are a Kiwi or someone that has traveled to the faraway land of the hobbits, you will definitely recognize some of them.
Every time I mention New Zealand, I have no idea where people will imagine it is located. Don’t get me wrong, some people are more familiar with geography than others, however, for most of my European friends, the name New Zealand brings up the region of Scandinavia.
I can tell because their follow-up questions are often about how cold it is “up there”.
Other popular places that New Zealand is mistaken for are England (why?) and Greenland! My university student card that prominently displayed “New Zealand” at the bottom was always flagged as an English student card in Greece.
New Zealand is the same as Australia
People tend to group New Zealanders and Australians together; an easy way to make amicable Kiwis slightly annoyed! From the accent to the landscape and the fact that the shortest flying distance between the countries is 4 hours, these are two wildly different countries!
For reference, Athens to London would take about 4 hours as well!
New Zealand is tropical and warm
Let’s go back to the map for a second. New Zealand is not a warm tropical destination. Even our summers are best described as mild rather than hot.
The average temperature nationwide during summer (December, January, and February) is only 17 to 19°C.
That said, the climate varies widely depending on location. The far north gets a hint of subtropical weather, while areas like the Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay are sunshine paradises.
In the north, winter brings frequent rainfall. In the south, it’s often drier but colder.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from camping in summer and freezing at 5°C overnight (or getting sunburnt in autumn at 20°C), it’s this: you need to be ready for four seasons in one day. And always wear sunscreen.
New Zealand has a lot of dangerous animals
If there’s ever a reason to celebrate being different from our Aussie neighbours, it’s this: New Zealand has no animals that want to kill you.
That’s right.
Forget snakes, spiders, creepy crawlies, and anything else that might poison you with a single look. Those all stayed in Australia.
There are a few venomous spiders, like the Australian white-tailed, but they’re rare, and their sting isn’t lethal.
New Zealand has actual hobbits
This one’s hard to dispute. Maybe they’re in hiding and no one has found them yet.
I partly blame the fact that Kiwis love to go to the supermarket barefoot. And yes, I’ve tried it. I’m a fan.
New Zealand is white European and English
This topic deserves more than 100 words, but here’s the short version.
New Zealand was founded on biculturalism, recognizing equal rights and protections for both Māori and non-Māori (Pākehā) citizens.
The founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi), was signed in 1840. But it’s only in the last 40 years that real efforts have been made to stop favouring Pākehā culture.
There’s still debate about what a truly bicultural society should look like, and there’s a long way to go when it comes to Māori self-determination (tino rangatiratanga).
That said, New Zealand today is also one of the most multicultural countries in the world.
In cities, especially Auckland, nearly 40% of residents were born overseas. You’ll find large communities from China, India, Fiji, Polynesia, South Africa, the Philippines, and more. The result is incredible food options all across Auckland.
You will see a Kiwi
The word “kiwi” can mean a lot of things:
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A New Zealander
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A green, fuzzy fruit
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A native flightless bird
That last one is New Zealand’s unofficial national animal, and it’s endangered.
Once upon a time, millions of kiwi birds roamed the country. Today, their population is under 70,000 and steadily declining.
To make things harder, kiwi birds are nocturnal. Unless you’re out at night or visiting a sanctuary, your chances of spotting one in the wild are low.
Your best bet? Try Stewart Island, at the very bottom of the South Island.
New Zealand is 100% Pure
“100% Pure” was a hugely successful tourism slogan. Whether it holds up depends on who you ask.
Yes, New Zealand is beautiful. It has diverse landscapes, unspoiled nature, and clean air.
But the myth of “purity” has deeper, more complicated roots.
The idea of a free, untouched paradise was part of colonial-era propaganda used to lure settlers to “new” (i.e., stolen) land.
Today, the slogan is often used to highlight New Zealand’s natural beauty and sustainability efforts. While the country isn’t perfect, it’s generally more proactive about environmental issues than many others.
You won’t see tourism campaigns showing dairy runoff or toilet paper left behind by inconsiderate freedom campers. But make no mistake, New Zealanders care deeply about protecting the environment, not just promoting it.
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Must Know When Visiting New Zealand
- Emergency: Dial 111 for all emergencies.
- Language: Both English and Māori are official languages in New Zealand. Samoan, Northern Chinese and Hindi are also widely spoken. Common phrases to learn are “Kia ora” (Hi – informal greeting), “Aotearoa” (Māori name for New Zealand), “Mōrena”, (Good morning), “Whānau”, (Family).
- Water: Yes, it is perfectly safe to drink tap water in New Zealand.
- Driving: Left-hand side, international driving permit recommended. Book your rental car with Discover Cars for the best rates and comparisons across all major and local companies.
- Accommodation: Booking.com for the most options on hotels, apartments and hostels. Free cancellation in a lot of places and no need to pre-pay. Great for their rewards points system.
- Geography: New Zealand has two main islands (North and South) and a number of smaller islands including Steward Island at the bottom of the South Island.
- Activities: From cultural sights to day trips, food tours and city guides, use Get Your Guide.
- Domestic Airlines: The main airlines for air travel are Air New Zealand (check out their safety videos) and Jetstar.
- Taxi: You will be able to download apps like Uber, Ola and Cabify among others, to order taxi rides.
- Culture: It is not uncommon for people to walk barefoot in certain settings in New Zealand. The summer season is popular for festivals, roadtrips and of course, a good opportunity to see a rugby game.
