Waikato, New Zealand, Hamilton, Raglan, Matamata, Cambridge, Tirau, Te Awamutu, Kawhia,

The city of Hamilton is bisected by the mighty Waikato River, which is best appreciated from the deck of a classic paddle steamer. While the trees and riverbank suburbs glide by, you can learn about the city’s history and special attractions. At Hamilton Gardens there are themed displays of trees, flowers and exotic plants to enjoy at any time of the year. Other city highlights include the Waikato Museum of Contemporary Art and History and the zoo, which provides native birds with enormous freedom in a walk-through free flight aviary.

The centre of the city, on the Waikato River, is a bustling retail precinct. The entertainment area is quite vibrant due to the large student population. Hamilton has the second-largest collection of cafés in the country—second only to Ponsonby Road in Auckland. However, Hamilton still struggles with an arguably undeserved reputation for being a boring `Cowtown' due to its inland location and conservative rural background.  It is however New Zealand’s biggest inland city with 40% of New Zealand’s population living within a 250-km radius.

The surf town of Raglan is relaxed and arty. Watched over by Mount Karioi, the colourful community goes about the business of surfing, creating artworks and enjoying the fantastic coastal environment.

Manu Bay to the west is world famous for its perfect left-hand break; two kilometres further on is Whale Bay, known for its terrific tubes. For those who don’t surf (or don’t want to take surfing lessons) there are safe swimming beaches, hiking tracks and kayaks for hire. Or follow the arts and crafts trail to meet some of the local creative people.

Holiday makers and tourists flock to this coastal township, attracted by the laid back bohemian lifestyle; it is a means of escapism from the city and daily grind of everyday life.

There are several excellent walks in the Raglan area. In just 10 minutes you can walk to the top of Bridal Veil Falls (55 metres). If you're wanting a more challenging adventure, you can climb to the top of Mount Karioi - on a fine day you can see all the way to Mount Taranaki. The Te Toto Gorge Track is another option - it's a route that was once used extensively by Maori and remnants of stone walls can still be seen in places.

In recent years, Matamata has attracted Lord of the Rings enthusiasts who want to see the relics of the Hobbiton set. On a local farm, there’s enough remaining of the Hobbit village for you to imagine life in Middle-earth. View the hobbit holes and find out how the set was created on a guided tour.

Matamata’s other attractions include tandem sky diving and geothermal hot pools. For an understanding of local history, the historic Firth Tower is filled with Maori and pioneering artefacts. Visitors also come here to admire the horse flesh – the area is known for its thoroughbred stud farms. East from Matamata is Wairere Falls, the highest waterfall in the North Island. The falls drop over the active Okauia fault.

The pretty country town of Cambridge is located in the heart of the Waikato horse breeding district. It has lovely tree lined streets and many well preserved heritage buildings.

If you’re fond of horses, you’ll like it here. Over the past 50 years, Cambridge has had a major influence on Australia’s greatest horse race - the Melbourne Cup. 13 of the cup’s winners were bred here.

While in Cambridge you can shop for antiques and art, attend a horse show, graze the local restaurants, embark on an eco-adventure and enjoy the splendid parks and gardens. There’s an interesting museum in the old courthouse at the southern end of the main street.

Corrugated iron is a classic New Zealand building material, but it can also be a creative medium. In Tirau, the artful side of corrugated iron is explored. Among its well known sights are the information centre shaped like a giant dog and 'the big sheep', a large wool outlet, both made out of corrugated iron. Many of the shops in the town possess large corrugated iron sculptures including a hunk of cheese, a pukeko, a praying mantis and a cow pushing a shopping trolley; the church even has a giant shepherd. It all makes for an entertaining rest stop.

There are cafés for refreshment; antique shops for browsing; galleries for gazing. At the southern end of town you’ll find a replica castle full of toys, teddy bears and dolls. If you plan to stay overnight, there are a couple of options for accommodation.

Tirau is a vibrant little town set in the South Waikato amongst some of New Zealand's most fertile farmland.

Tirau is Maori for "place of many cabbage trees." Early Maori spoke of Tirau as a wonderful place to catch the Kereu or native pigeons. The birds used the many Cabbage trees in the area as overnight resting places and large parties of Maori came and gathered them at night. Unfortunately many Cabbage trees have  since disappeared but they remain a symbol of the town.

Te Awamutu calls itself the ‘Rose Capital of New Zealand’. During the blooming season, November to April, the garden next to the visitor centre is a technicolour dream as 2000 rose bushes turn on the charm.
Te Awamutu also has an excellent museum, with a large collection of Maori treasures and stories from the Waikato land wars. The Museum contains one of the most famous early Maori artefacts, a large carved post known simply as Te Uenuku. This impressive carving has caused much controversy because its style is markedly different from any other early Maori work, yet it is clearly of a Maori design.

A display about local music heroes Tim and Neil Finn is another drawcard. Their musical careers have stretched from Split Enz through the internationally successful Crowded House to their current solo and collaborative works. The town is mentioned in Split Enz's song "Haul Away", and also in Crowded House's 1986 song "Mean To Me", the debut single off their self-titled debut album.

Pirongia Forest Park to the west offers hiking and horse treks. The Pirongia Forest Park includes three extinct volcanos - Mount Pirongia (959 metres), The Cone (945 metres) and Mount Karioi (756 metres). The area is densely forested, but vegetation changes noticeably as the altitude increases. Rimu and totara are found in the lower levels of the forest, along with tawa and tree ferns. Higher up, hardy plants such as kamahi and horopito ('pepper tree' - frequently used as a cooking spice) are found on exposed ridges. Near mountain summits, thick mats of mountain flax, coprosmas and ferns are common.

There are many walking tracks in this forest park - from one hour nature rambles to 10 hour epic adventures. A special experience is the walk to Kaniwhaniwha Caves, which are near the start of Bell Track. You can walk through the 20 metre main cave, except for a short hands-and-knees crawl. The cave is wet underfoot and torches are required. The second cave is tight and narrow.

The coastal village of Kawhia supports a fishing and farming community. For much of the year, life is quiet. But over summer Kawhia fills up with holiday makers. Kawhia is surrounded by magnificent scenery and bound by unspoiled beaches stretching North and South.

Kawhia's main claim to fame is the hot water spring on Ocean Beach. At low tide, geothermally heated water bubbles up through the black sand - you can dig your own bath. To find the springs, walk around the beach from the boat ramp or drive to the end of Te Puia Road and walk over the dunes. They are usually accessible for up to two hours before and after low tide.

Another expedition is the walk to Maketu Marae, where two stones mark the burial place of the Tainui canoe (one of the migration canoes that came from Polynesia).

If you want a crash-course in basic kiwi culture, Otorohanga is the place to do it. The main street features a parade of modular ‘kiwiana’ displays – from All Blacks and Aunt Daisy to farm dogs and Pavlova. Printed guides are available in most main street shops. While you’re making your way around the displays, you’ll notice a number of kiwiana murals painted on the town’s buildings.

To complete the experience you can see real kiwis at the Kiwi House, as well as numerous other native birds in their natural habitat. Kiwiana aside, Otorohanga has a good choice of cafés, shops and places to stay.

Tokoroa is a timber town – the heart of New Zealand’s massive forestry, timber and paper industries. It sits between the lush farmland of the Waikato and the vast plantation pine forests of the central North Island.

Visitors can follow the ‘talking poles’ trail through the town centre to learn about Tokoroa’s history and people. Pastimes in this area are decidedly rustic. Hunting is very popular and permits can be obtained to shoot deer, possums, rabbits, pigs, goats and other introduced species. The many gravel and dirt forest roads around Tokoroa attract motor rally and mountain biking events.

The Waitomo Caves were formed over 30 million years ago, and drip by drip they’re still changing. The natural beauty of stalactites and stalagmites lit by the blue light of glow worms has to be seen to be believed.

The limestone caverns are a popular tourist destination, as the caves are easily accessible. The main caves in the area are Waitomo Cave, Ruakuri Cave, Aranui Cave and Gardner's Gut.

The Waitomo Caves district is famous for its subterranean phenomena. Beneath the surface of this limestone region is a series of vast cave systems decorated with speleotherms (stalactites and stalagmites) and glow-worms. Some caves are open to the public, others are best left to the experts. Black water rafting is an intriguing way to appreciate the underground splendours of Waitomo – you’ll drift along subterranean streams on your own personal raft. Guided abseiling experiences are also available. Other activities in the area include horse riding, quad biking and jet boating.

The prime time to visit Te Kuiti is in autumn, when the Te Kuiti Muster is in full swing. This event is normally held the weekend after Easter each year. As well as all things sheepish (shearing contests, sheep races and more), you can see Maori culture groups performing.

At other times of the year, Te Kuiti is a good base for exploring the Waitomo Caves area. Local beauty spots include the Tatsuno Japanese Garden, Mangaokewa Scenic Reserve, Te Kuiti Lookout and Brook Park. The Maori meeting house Tokanganui-a-Noho is beautifully carved and can be visited by arrangement.