Arctic journey, wine tours, and historic events: Five best travel deals to book this week
Treat yourself to a luxurious alpine retreat with seven nights at Cahilty Lodge in Canada's ski-through village of Sun Peaks. Staying in a spacious two-bedroom suite, this package includes a five of six Day Lift Ticket, one free night, and an incredible bonus Kids Ski Free, all adding up to over $1800 in savings. Located in the heart of the charming Sun Peaks, Cahilty Lodge offers ski-in, ski-out access to over 4200 acres of terrain across three spectacular mountains. From perfectly groomed cruisers and gladed tree runs to powder-filled bowls, Sun Peaks delivers world-class skiing in one unforgettable winter escape.
From $1925 per person, this deal is on sale until June 1, 2025 for travel between January 4 to February 12, and February 22 to March 21, 2026. Airfares are additional. Prices are per person (family share) and based on quad share occupancy. Visit flightcentre.co.nz/product/20797083 or call 0800 427 555 to book.
Matariki at Rosewood Kauri Cliffs
Celebrate Matariki, the Māori New Year, at Rosewood Kauri Cliffs on June 20, 2025. Join charismatic indigenous guide Michael Venner for a magical pre-dawn stargazing experience, sunrise storytelling, and a Matariki-themed gourmet breakfast. This special day invites guests to reflect on Māori values, gratitude, and connection while witnessing the rising of the Pleiades star cluster in the southern sky.
Located in culturally rich Taitokerau Northland, Rosewood Kauri Cliffs offers an immersive experience blending stunning natural beauty with Māori traditions. The $2530 suite package includes accommodation for two, stargazing, gourmet meals, a choice of unlimited golf or spa treatments, and more. Book at rosewoodhotels.com/en/kauri-cliffs/experiences/event-calendar/celebrate-matariki before rooms sell out.
Margaret River and Swan Valley
Take a relaxing seven-night trip through Margaret River and Swan Valley, staying at two luxury hotels and enjoying local wine tastings, guided tours, and fine dining. The Ultimate Journeys deal offers five nights at the five-star Parmelia Hilton Perth and two nights at the five-star Cape Lodge from $5265 per person twin share.
Inclusions cover luxury accommodations, breakfasts, gourmet meals, wine tastings, private coach tours with an expert guide, private airport transfers, and a small group size capped at 14 guests. Travel dates are from October 28 to November 2, 2025, March 17 to 22, and June 9 to 14, 2026. Book by March 31, 2026, at helloworld.co.nz/deal/30182.
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is coming to Auckland for the first time ever, marking a major cultural event set to take over Eden Park in February 2026. Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the world-renowned show will feature over 1000 performers, including the iconic Massed Pipes and Drums from UK Military regiments. With themes of tradition, history and heroism, the event promises a powerful and unforgettable spectacle across two shows on February 19 and February 21, 2026.
House of Travel offers exclusive early accommodation and ticket packages, starting from $489 per person. Sales are open now, and availability is limited. Book at houseoftravel.co.nz/deals/campaigns/edinburgh-cmpremt1605 to secure your spot before public tickets go on sale.
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The Spinoff
a day ago
- The Spinoff
Event noticeboard: Kite making, sequinned quilts and multi-sensory films
The Spinoff's top picks of events from around the motu. I have always wanted to taste tītī (and kererū, but that's a different story). In photos I've seen those two little leg bones poking out of perfectly golden little bodies. The fact that they're harvested annually from windy rocks in the cold Foveaux Strait makes them especially tantalising. Tītī can be bought brined and in buckets online but if I was to cook one myself I would never really know if I'd done it right. If I'm going to eat a delicacy, especially in the form of a little salty, fishy seabird, I want to know its just as intended. This is why I'm jealous of southerners this week. Those in Invercargill can treat themselves to a pre-Matariki feast of tītī and learn about the birds, islands, harvest and traditions at the same time at The Batch Cafe. I will have to settle for finally having tried something else I've had my eye on, cacio e pepe at Pici in Auckland. It was salty, and it looked like a bowl of worms. So fun to try new things! Workshop: Manu Raupō with Alicia Courtney Hihiaua Cultural Centre, 56-58 Herekino Street, Whangārei 10am Saturday, June 7 Koha appreciated, registration needed Māori kites are often called manu tukutuku, with tukutuku referring to the winding out of the line. They are flown to celebrate Matariki and are thought of as a way to communicate with loved ones who have died and a way to connect Papa and Rangi through flight. There were at least 17 different types of manu tukutuku before colonisation, but only three types have survived. Traditionally kites were decorated with feathers, shells, carved faces and red and black patterns. Some had long feather tails or rattling shells. On Saturday morning you can make your very own kite from raupō (bulrush) in prepartion for Matariki with guidance from local artist Alicia Courtney (Pākehā). Courtney has spent time at Hoani Waititi Marae where she learned tikanga and became involved with Māori material culture. She has been guided by many kaumatua of Tai Tokerau. Her artistic practice is inspired by traditional Māori materials and methods and searches for a balance between respecting the technology of te ao tawhito (traditional Māori life and customs) with the necessity of living in te ao hurihuri (the contemporary world). The workshop is part of a wider festival for Matariki called Pūanga. The following two events at Hihiaua are based on storytelling and look great too. Paihia Music: Ngati Soul Music Bad Habits, 76 Marsden Road, Paihia 6-9pm Friday, June 6 Free entry Ngati Soul plays music for those that don't just get wet, but feel the rain. He plays songs by Sublime, Otis Redding, Maroon 5 and more. Matakana Film: The Scammers Matakana Cinemas, 2 Matakana Valley Road, Matakana 10.30am Wednesday, June 11 $14 – $22 Bon soir! The French Film Festival is on nationwide, with heaps showing at the Matakana Cinemas. See the full programme here. Tāmaki Makaurau Music: Junk Fest 2025 Double Whammy, downstairs at St Kevin's Arcade, 183 Karangahape Road 8pm, Saturday, June 7 $35 – $50 Junk Fest sold out last year and is back with a siiiiick line up including Vera Ellen, Twine, Hōhā and Scrambline. Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road, Titirangi, Auckland 10am-4.30pm daily Free Kokonga Ngākau includes five quilt figures: family members, deities, taniwha, merpeople. The title comes from the whakataukī 'He kokonga whare e kitea, he kokonga ngākau e kore e kitea' (The corners of a house can be seen, but not the corners of the heart). Tauranga It isn't likely you will see a wild kiwi, given they run a mile when they hear humans coming, but you will discover nocturnal creepy-crawlies like spiders and wētā and incredible glow-in-the-dark fungi. Rotorua Film: Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Sir Howard Morrison Centre, 1170 Fenton St, Rotorua 7pm Friday June 6 $25 – $31 More than two hours of inspiring action, environmental, cultural and adventure films from around the world. Te Whanganui-a-Tara Theatre: Tūī Girls Basement Theatre, Te Whaea – National Dance & Drama Centre, 11 Hutchison Road, Newtown 6.30pm and 4.30pm June 11-14 $15 – $25 Michaella Steel's new play about a Nan returning to spend her last few days with her beloved mokos before te rerenga wairua. Blenheim ASB Theatre Marlborough, 2 Hutcheson St, Blenheim 7pm Thursday, June 5 $48 'From the elegance of the classical era to the emotion of contemporary voices, Masterworks showcases the full power and beauty of live orchestral music.' Kaikōura Festival: Kaikōura Oceans Day Festival Fyffe House, 62 Avoca Street, Kaikōura 10am Sunday, June 8 Free Join Kaikōura Ocean Research Institute to celebrate World Ocean Day at Fyffe House. Ōtautahi Gemma Syme's multimedia project explores how personas are constructed, documented, represented and ripped apart. For its anniversary The Wet EP has been reissued with new video work in collaboration with Ōtautahi based artist Pentaloe. Ōtepoti Athenaeum Theatre, 23 The Octagon, Central Dunedin 6pm Friday, June 6 Free Five new films embracing multi-sensorial knowledge systems by artists Kah Bee Chow, Selina Ershadi, Kite, Sonya Lacey and James Tapsell-Kururangi. Invercargill The Batch Cafe, 173 Spey Street, Invercargill 6pm Friday, June 6 $120 Join mahinga kai champion and storyteller Dan Tarrant, generous Ricky Fife and chef Ethan Flack for an evening of Tītī: a five-course meal, the birds, the islands, the harvest, the traditions and the whakapapa that binds it all.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Market, fire and light show returns
After a successful event last year, Bluff will again host a Night Market combined with a Fire & Light Show at the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival site on June 21 as part of Matariki. Organised by the monthly Thieves Alley Market team, along with Bluff Promotions, last year's event drew a good crowd who enjoyed the night market plus fire and light demonstrations. This year, organisers are promising much more, as the cancellation of the Matariki celebrations in Invercargill has brought some of the vendors to Bluff. Music is one big addition to this year's event, featuring ukulele band Don't Fret as well as Nolan Henigan and friends entertaining. Organiser Frazer Murdoch was also hoping for one more element of the entertainment programme to be announced shortly. Meanwhile, there will be a good muster of marketeers with stalls featuring a range of wares while several food trucks will add to the atmosphere. With the country celebrating Matariki, a fire and light show featuring fire poi and decorated fire drums will complement the activities. The event will take place from 5pm-9pm and admission will be free. Prospective stallholders could contact Frazer Murdoch on 0278 506-261 or at tbag7708@ By Lindsay Beer
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Matariki takes to the water for 2025 festival
Celebrations at last year's festival. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council Auckland's Matariki Festival will invite visitors to paddle waka and experience kapa haka, as the city celebrates the Māori lunar new year. The festival will run from 7 June to 13 July and decorate central Auckland with murals, sculptures and neon lights. The month-long celebration will also host dozens of free events across the city. "The theme for this year's festival is all based around the water... You're going to see an array of events across Tāmaki that will have that theme based around the water," Auckland Council Māori culture and identity programme lead Melz Huata-Lucas said. "We will be having events across the city where family can get involved and really feel the essence of Matariki, but the thing is it's going to be a little bit cold around that time so I'd suggest everyone to rug up nice and warm but definitely get out to as many free events as possible." Auckland's Matariki Festival in 2024 . Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council The first tent-pole event would be an exhibition hosted by iwi partner Ngaati Tamaoho at the Sir Edmund Hillary Library and Papakura Museum on 14 June. "On the 14th there'll be an exhibition held showcasing Ngaati Tamaoho who is our iwi partner, they have weavers and carvers and artists that will be showcasing a lot of their work that they have been working towards for this year's team," Huata-Lucas said. "But also for our hapori, for our community, to get to know who the iwi are and their stories." Auckland's Matariki Festival in 2024 . Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council The next day, Aucklanders and visitors would be invited to try paddling a double hull waka. "With the theme of water, we have an intimate event with Ngaati Tamaoho showcasing the waka hourua... They will have that experience of jumping on the waka, learning how to paddle and navigate via the stars," she said. "I'll be looking forward to getting along to that experience myself, that will definitely be a highlight for anyone participating." The main event on the Friday 20 June, the Matariki public holiday, would be a day-long festival at the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa with activities like kapa haka, kite making and carving demonstrations. "We have free entertainment, we've got kai there, and from my recollection from last year the feedback we had was the community loved it. We're hoping the weather will be on our side so the community can get involved," Huata-Lucas said. Huata-Lucas said that just scratched the surface, estimating the 2025 programme would include about a hundred events throughout the city including workshops, exhibitions and more. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
