World Country Guide

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Food & Drink
New Zealand has a reputation as a leading producer of meat and dairy produce with lamb, beef and pork on most menus. Venison is also widely available. Locally produced vegetables, such as kumara (a natural sweet potato), are good. There is also a wide range of fish available, including snapper, grouper and John Dory. Seasonal delicacies such as whitebait, oysters, crayfish, scallops and game birds are recommended. New Zealand is also establishing a reputation for French-type cheeses: Bleu de Bresse, Brie, Camembert and Montagne Bleu. New Zealand’s traditional dessert is pavlova, a large round cake with a meringue base, topped with fruit and cream. Many picnic areas with barbecue facilities are provided at roadside sites. Restaurants are usually informal except for very exclusive ones. Waiter service is normal, but self-service and fast-food chains are also available. Some restaurants invite the customer to ‘BYO’ (bring your own liquor).
New Zealand boasts world-class domestic wines and beers, some of which have won international awards. A wide range of domestic and imported wines, spirits and beers is available from hotel bars, ‘liquor stores’ and wine shops. Bars have counter service and public bars are very informal. Lounge bars and ‘house bars’ (for hotel guests only) are sometimes more formal and occasionally have table service. The minimum drinking age in a bar is 18. There is some variation in licensing hours in major cities and some hotel bars open Sunday, providing a meal is eaten. In most hotels and taverns, licensing hours are 1100-2300 except Sunday.

Nightlife
New Zealand has an active and varied entertainment industry. Theatres offer good entertainment ranging from drama, comedy and musicals to pop concerts and shows. Concert tickets can be booked online (website: www.ticketek.com). In large cities, there are often professional performers or guest artists from overseas. Visitors should check ‘What’s On’ in local papers. There are also cinemas and a small selection of nightclubs in larger cities.

Shopping
Special purchases include distinctive jewellery made from New Zealand greenstone (a kind of jade) and from the beautiful translucent paua shell. Maori arts and crafts are reflected in a number of items such as the carved greenstone tiki (a unique Maori charm) and intricate woodcarvings often inlaid with paua shell. Other items of note include woollen goods, travel rugs, lambswool rugs, leather and skin products. Shopping hours: All shops and businesses are open Mon-Sat 0900-1700, as a minimum; there are local variations but many stores and most malls are also open Sun 1000-1300. In resorts, most shops are also open in the evenings.

Special Events
For further details and exact dates, contact Tourism New Zealand (see Contact Addresses section). The following is just a selection of special events occurring in New Zealand in 2005:
Jan 3-Feb 6 Global Challenge yacht race, Wellington. Jan 10-16 Heineken Tennis Open, Auckland. Feb 5 Kawhia Traditional Maori Food Festival. Feb 4-5 International Rugby Sevens Tournament, Wellington. Feb 5-6 Harvest Hawkes Bay Wine & Food Festivals. Mar 11-13 Womad International Music Festival, Taranaki. Mar 13 Weka Wildthing Triathalon, Manawata. Mar 26-27 Silverstone Race to the Sky. Mar 31-Apr 2 New Zealand Shearing Championships, Waikato. May 6-8 Savour New Zealand, food festival. Jun 4-Jul 9 British Lions Rugby Tour. Jul 22-Aug 7 International Film Festival.

Social Conventions
Should a visitor be invited to a formal Maori occasion, the hongi (pressing of noses) is common. Casual dress is widely acceptable. New Zealanders are generally very relaxed and hospitable. Stiff formality is rarely appreciated and, after introductions, first names are generally used. Smoking is restricted where indicated. Tipping: Service charges and taxes are not added to hotel or restaurant bills. Tips are not expected.