From cute sheep to incredible kai, kindhearted people and profoundly beautiful scenery, it can be easy to forget just how incredible Aotearoa is. A post on social media has amassed 300 comments after asking tourists to share joyful memories from their visit. Shared to the private Facebook group “New Zealand Travel Tips” ( NZTT ), the post asked the almost 107,600 members: “What was your happiest surprise when visiting New Zealand?” Unsurprisingly, our natural landscapes were a highlight for many, many describing New Zealand as the trip of a lifetime or a bucket list destination.
READ MORE: British mother asks for advice on moving family to New Zealand “Profound beauty at every turn,” one person wrote, while dozens commented on Queenstown’s snowcapped mountains. “The amazing view from the plane as we came into Queenstown,” one shared, while another said the best surprise was the morning view of “The Remarkables in all their glory” after arriving the previous night. Some people mentioned activities such as the Shotover Jet in Queenstown or witnessing a Scottish festival in Dunedin and many people said their happiest surprise was the culture.
“Coming into a hotel restaurant in [the] Bay of Islands to a large group spontaneously doing a haka and later singing in perfect harmony. They were just celebrating a birthday,” one person wrote. Another loved Auckland Airport’s Māori music and tomokanga (carved gateway).
One person loved the lack of a tipping .
