TOURISM INDIA MARCH 2019 TOURISM INDIA FEBRUARY 2019 | Page 38

DE S T I NAT ION / OU T B OU N D
TURN OFF AND TUNE
IN TO NATURE IN
NEW ZEALAND
I
n the US, the National Day
of Unplugging takes place
in early March (1-2 March
2019) and that should apply around
the world, in New Zealand, any day
or week of the year is good. So, turn
off your mobile roaming and immerse
yourself in perfect silence at one of
these spectacular off-the-grid locales.
The most comfortable way to be
fully immersed in nature, a PurePod is
pretty special and pretty much unique
to New Zealand at this stage. The
“pods” are made entirely from glass,
and this includes floors and ceilings.
While they don’t have television or
internet coverage, they do feature
the most advanced environmentally
friendly tech available for the
generation of power and disposal of
waste. PurePods are integrated into the
breath-taking natural environments
they inhabit (there are six locations
around the Christchurch region) and
feature views of sea, mountains, rivers
and the glorious southern night sky.
36
Tourism India February 2019
All the PurePods are accessible by car
from Christchurch and two of them are
close to Kaikoura. Private parking is
provided at each location, then visitors
walk through beautiful landscape to
access their pod. The best time to
visit is spring and autumn when the
countryside is at its prettiest.
Forget air pollution: the pristine
Mackenzie Country offers unimpeded
views of the glorious southern night
sky. SkyScape at Omahau Hill Station
offers visitors the opportunity to soak
up the stars in a SkyBed – a recessed,
ground-level bed underneath a roof
of glass. Meanwhile, outside there’s
a 2m-long bath crafted from steel
and cedar and fed by a nearby fresh
water spring. Enjoy the scrub- and
tussock-strewn landscape by day,
and when darkness falls, watch the
universe unfold in all its star-studded
glory. SkyScape is a 10-minute
drive from Twizel, two hours from
Wanaka, or three-and-a-half hours
from Christchurch. It’s located on the
2428ha farm of Michael and Elaine
Lindsay, who run sheep and cattle
across its rolling hills. As the location
is isolated, you never have to worry
about the crowds.
Glamp it up
For some, camping can be a trial
(insects, wet weather, minimal
facilities) but glamping offers all
of the fun with none of the “ew”
factor. Clifton Glamping in Hawke’s
Bay features such home comforts as
hot water, fine linen on a king-sized
bed and even an outdoor bath. The
“glamp site” overlooks a beautiful,
slow-flowing river and you get the
feeling you’re a million miles away
from civilization. Located a short
(20 minutes) drive from Napier
or Hastings, the Clifton Glamping
site is conveniently situated for
travellers. Hawke’s Bay is renowned
for its wineries, and there’s a wealth
of outdoor activities such as cycling
and hiking for those who want to get
a little active and stir themselves away
from pure unadulterated bliss.
Lap up the luxury
Few things are as de-stressing as
the sound of water lapping against the
side of a luxury launch. The Fiordland
Jewel takes this to a whole new level
of luxe – think on-board helipad,
hot tubs and fine-dining cuisine.
The five-star catamaran cruises the
Milford Sound and further reaches
of Fiordland, offering a completely
off-the-grid experience combined with
blissful helpings of pure comfort. The
Fiordland Jewel only takes 20 people
a night, so it pays to book early. The
Jewel offers overnight and private
charters. Transfers are available from
Queenstown and Te Anau.
Wild at heart
Hours from anywhere, Wilderness
Lodge is situated on the banks of Lake
Moeraki, in the heart of the South
Island’s World Heritage-listed Te
Wahipounamu area. It’s wilderness