da aviator aposta： Underground caves, surfing, skydiving, hot pools, beaches – you’re sure to find them all in and around this North Island city
da winzada777： Will Macpherson08-Jan-2015Chances are you’ve heard the jokes about Hamilton. “Not even the river stops for a look,” sneering Aucklanders will tell you. “The airport can get away with charging a departure fee because everyone’s so keen to get out,” say Wellingtonians. To some, it’s just a “cow town” (unlike most of the country, Waikato is known for animals that moo not baa). That’s all pretty unfair. Landlocked it may be, but Hamilton is the closest cricketing port of call to many of the North Island’s gems, both rugged and beautiful, thrill-seeking and tranquil. If you have a day or two to spare, or perhaps are travelling to or from Hamilton, check out some of these wonderful spots: Waitomo Caves (1 hour by car)
These caves are quite extraordinary. Millions of stalactites, delicate glowing strands – the glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa – decorate every inch of the roof. Some 30 million years old, the caves were first explored by Maoris in 1887 and today all the guides are local Waitomo folk. They’ll take you round on a raft, past the Tomo – a 16m vertical shaft where an ancient waterfall plunged – and the Cathedral, where you’ll alight to enter a vast limestone cavern that looks like Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia upside down. On my visit, a group of American tourists insisted on singing a rendition of “Amazing Grace”. I rolled my eyes, but so perfect were the acoustics in the grotto that, far from ruining the moment, it was the day’s highlight.A glowworm cave in Waitomo•Getty ImagesIf you’re the adventurous type, try black-water rafting through the caves. There are three packages of varying degrees of daring: Abyss, Labyrinth and Odyssey. I did Abyss, the toughest (I’m told). On goes a drysuit (that’s thicker than a wetsuit, you know) and minutes later, you’re abseiling 35m down a tiny shaft. Hours on, you emerge into Waitomo woodland having tubed along a subterranean river, squeezed through holes, climbed up and sped down waterfalls and flown on a zipwire in pitch darkness. Upon return to terra firma, you’re greeted by a warm shower, hot soup and crusty bread. Marvellous.Hobbiton (40 mins by car)
Here’s a magical little spot. It’s still a working sheep farm and the drive in (it’s worth stopping in Cambridge en route from Hamilton, by the way), with views across the Kaimai Ranges, is spectacular. Indulge your inner geek on a tour through the Shire: You’ll take in Bag End, 43 other hobbit holes, the Party Tree and the Mill before ending up in the Green Dragon for a tankard of Hobbiton’s own beer, cider or wine. You can also arrange a feast at the pub. So spectacular is the food – every meat imaginable and rich puddings – you’re left wondering how the hobbits gobbled up six meals every day and remained so minute. The guides are full of wonderful, nerdy anecdotes, the best of which involves director Peter Jackson approaching the farmer, one Mr Alexander, about using his land for a film, only to be told to “bugger off and come back in an hour”. Turns out he was watching rugby on the TV and didn’t want to be disturbed! Fifteen years and six flicks later, that’s all history.Boast to your friends about catching some waves in Raglan•Getty ImagesRaglan (40 mins by car)
My visit came in midwinter but Raglan is one of those rare, wonderful places where summer never seems to end. Appropriately, the beaches here featured in the iconic ’60s surfing doc . Raglan’s a little like Byron Bay, but better. Like Byron, turquoise water, silky sandy beaches and wild bush walks are to skydive: more than 30,000 are done there every year. I jumped out of a pink plane at 15,000ft with Skydive Taupo (who pick you up in a limo, oddly) and, on the clearest of days, it was spectacular: both east and west coasts were visible on the descent.