Destination New Zealand
New places, New faces, New adventures, NEW ZEALAND
Whatever your interests, New Zealand is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world to complete your internship. The home of breathtakingly beautiful beaches, sensational scenery and adrenaline-packed adventure, there is something for everyone. At New Zealand Internships we believe in striking the perfect balance between getting meaningful work experience in a quality business environment and making the most of the fact you will be living in one of the most spectacular countries in the world.
Nature like nowhere else
The Natural beauty and unique wildlife encounters are two of New Zealand’s biggest attractions.
Where else in the world can you, within the space of just one day, experience native rainforest, white sandy beaches, volcanic landscapes, ancient glaciers and picturesque coastlines. New Zealand’s reputation as the the most beautiful country in the world with the most diverse and spectacular landscape in the world is well deserved. Even if you were to travel across the whole of Europe, you would never experience something like New Zealand.
Animals and wildlife
New Zealand showcases a variety of diverse animal species. As a result of the country’s remote location, many of the plants and animals you see here cannot be found anywhere else in the world. This includes survivors from millennia ago – the “tuatara” is an ancient reptile closely related to the dinosaurs! New Zealand is also home to many native birds, including the cheeky “Kea”, penguins and grand albatross’s. Also found in New Zealand’s southern waters are marine mammals – giving the rare opportunity to witness (and potentially swim) with whale, dolphins and seals.
New Zealand – From Tropical to Alpine
New Zealand lies in the Southern Hemisphere, it has opposite seasons to those living in the northern half of the world. Being a maritime country, New Zealand is famous for having “four seasons in one day”. It can go from being cold and rainy in the morning to sunny and hot by afternoon. In general, the winters are mild compared to Europe standards and the majority of the year is sunny with mild rainfall. Furthermore, being a long and thin company, the top of the country can have Tropical weather, while down South experiences alpine and snow.
Summer: December – February
Summer in New Zealand is moderate to hot, with temperatures between 20-30 degrees celsius and with very little rainfall.
Autumn/Fall: March – May
Temperatures are generally warm but a little cooler than Summer and have a tendency to cool off at night more during this season.
Winter: June – August
Winter in New Zealand brings colder weather to much of the country, with snow in the south and rain in the north. Think long pants, long-sleeved tops and coats.
Spring: September – November
Spring brings all types of weather – expect everything from cold, frosty, clear days to days that are sunny and hot.
Safest country in the world
New Zealand is consistently rated as one of the friendliest and safest countries in the world. According to the Global Peace Index it rates in the top 3 safest places in the world to live and work. As a comparison, other nations such as Australia (15th), Netherlands (20th), UK (44th), USA (99th) who are much further down the list. New Zealand is a relaxed and welcoming place to live, with a modern, secular democratic society and a mix of lifestyles is accepted here. People from many walks of life call New Zealand home and the majority of New Zealanders are honest law-abiding citizens, well protected by a strong local police force.
Finally, owing to its relative isolation, it has managed to remain largely on the sidelines of the global political landscape and international conflict, with a risk of a terrorist attack on New Zealand being classified as “low”.
Nature without the danger
There’s no need to worry about any deadly snakes, insects of animals while travelling through New Zealand. Unlike Australia, which is teeming with hundreds of poisonous animals and insects, New Zealand has none of these.
The Kiwi Culture
New Zealander’s, commonly referred to as ‘Kiwis’ are a very friendly, helpful and outgoing bunch. Although formerly belonging to the British Commonwealth, New Zealand nowadays has a dynamic and harmonious multicultural society, in which many roots are intertwined. Thanks to this multicultural environment, visitors and foreigners are always warmly welcomed.
Maori Culture
Before the British discovered New Zealand (or “Aotearoa” in Māori) and started to explore the country in 1769, the islands were already populated by the Māori, a tribe originating from Polynesia. Today, the influence of this indigenous culture is still well and truly present and is encouraged to continue. In fact, Maori is one of the official languages of New Zealand, most cities still bear the Maori name and there are newspapers and television channels in the native language.
Some common Māori words you will encounter when you’re here:
- Haere mai – Welcome! Come!
- Kia ora – Hi! G’day!
- Haka – A traditional war dance
- Aroha – compassion, tenderness, love
Getting around
All major cities have frequent and reliable bus and train links. We will ensure you are secured accommodation in an area close to your internship to reduce on travel costs and time. At our orientation we will advice you on the best and cheapest methods for navigating your destination city.
A great and cost-effective method to travel the country is with an organised bus tour. They will take you to the main attractions and you will have the benefit of being with a large group to travel with. Alternatives include renting a car or campervan – also a popular way to travel for those that enjoy the freedom of choosing your own itinerary. Either way, New Zealand Internships will assist you with the cheapest possible travel solution, including bus tours and car rental discounts.
New Zealand is proud of its achievements on the world stage:
- Movies – The film location for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong, Narnia, The Hobbit, The Last Samurai, The Piano and the Frighteners.
- Sport – Consistently performs highly on the world sporting stage. Home of the famous “All Blacks” rugby team.
- Adventure capital of the world – Birthplace of the Bungee Jump, Zorbing, Jetboating
- Wine – Ideal growing conditions and climate makes some of the worlds best white wine
- The Maori Culture – A rich, interesting culture who’s presence is still felt in daily New Zealand life.
- Music – Several international hit artists and excellent local talent call New Zealand home and can often be seen live in concerts across New Zealand
- People who made a name in history – Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to the climb Mount Everest. Ernest Rutherford, the first to split the atom. Richard Pearce – the first to make powered flight (Before the Wright Brothers!)
- No poisonous plants or animals – One of only two countries in the world that does not have snakes
- L&P – Or Lemon and Paeroa, a popular Kiwi soft drink, made by combining lemon juice with carbonated mineral water from the town of Paeroa. The comically pretentious advertising slogan is “World famous in New Zealand”
- Kiwi – And of course, let’s not forget the most famous, loveable and curious flightless birds of them all – the “Kiwi”!
New Zealand’s nightlife scene
While New Zealand is typically known for its easy-going and laid-back lifestyle outdoors in nature, many of the main cities still have excellent nightlife locations. Auckland in particular, a metropolitan city of 1.3 million people contains many of the things you’d come to expect from an international city. In fact, Auckland has more bars, restaurants and cafes per capita than anywhere else in the world.
Concerts and Events
Being the largest city in New Zealand and comparable to other cities around the world like it, there are live music performances every weekend in Auckland from both local and international artists. The Powerstation in Mount Eden is a large indoor venue for bands and musicians of all genres, while the 12000 seat Vector Arena, holds all the big name international acts.
Britomart
The Britomart area is the new, popular and stylish place in Auckland, with a selection of vibrant new bars and restaurants. Catch up with friends over a beer or cocktail at Britomart Country Club, Tyler Street Garage and Northern Steamship Co. before the nightlife steams up at around 10pm, then dance the night away at 1885.
Ponsonby
Ponsonby Road is the place for stylish bars and the best dressed in Auckland. Known as Auckland’s trendiest road, Ponsonby has a large range of restaurants and bars to suit all tastes. Ponsomby’s newest space, Ponsonby Central, is a stylish mecca of restaurants, bars and cafes. Dance until the early hours of the morning at Ponsonby Social Club, Revelry and the Longroom.
Viaduct Harbour
This area is famous for its bars and partying, with a selection of more than 30 exciting bars. Classic Auckland nightlife in the Viaduct kicks off around 5pm on a Friday with after-work drinks and also makes for a lively Saturday night. You’re guaranteed to be dancing all night at Carpark, Provedor, or Lenon. If you’re looking for a classic pub with great live music, head to Danny Doolans or O’Hagans Irish Pub’s.
Auckland CBD
When it comes to nightlife, the Auckland CBD is full of hidden treasures that are just waiting for you to discover them. Federal Street and Vulcan Lane, namely cassette bar, have a great selection of bars and restaurants. If you’re looking to party hard, check out Roxy and Forte’ on Fort Lane. Or if you’re looking for something a bit more rowdy, Habana Joes or Bar 101 on Darby Street off Queens Street are always packed and popular.
K’ Road
If you’re looking to experience another side of Auckland, Karangahape Road – more commonly named K’ Road – offers an eclectic mix of bars and clubs. This area is famous for its dance and DJ gigs and hip hop concerts. Catch live concerts and DJs at Studio the Venue and Galatos Bar or dance all night at Family Bar.
Plenty to See and Do
The majority of our candidates either do complete their internships in Auckland or at some point in there travels will spend some days there. Below is a quick list of popular activities to do in the city you will call home.
- Visit the Auckland Museum and learn about the culture and history of New Zealand
- Climb the top of one of the many volcano’s for stunning views
- Relax on one Auckland’s city beaches; Mission Bay, Kohimarama, Takapuna beach etc.
- Head down to the viaduct and watch the local sail boats racing
- Unwind or sport in one of Auckland’s central parks; The Domain, Albert Park etc.
- Take a nature walk through one of Auckland’s central bush trail’s
- Explore the Auckland nightlife; full of restaurants, bars and clubs
As you can see, there is a lot to see and do in Auckland. As always, if you are looking for tips and advice on any of these activities or are looking for something more specific – just ask our friendly team!