6 minute read
Things to do in the Dark
AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM – AUCKLAND DOMAIN, AUCKLAND
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Check out Auckland Museum’s Twilight Tuesdays, open until 8.30pm. Explore the galleries and enjoy dining at the Tuitui Bistro for a date night treat.
BIOLUMINESCENCE KAYAK TOUR – AUCKLAND
Watch the dark ocean come alive with light and life as you gently brush your hand though the water to awaken the bioluminescence. This is nature at its finest, so it is dependent on the algae being timely and cooperative.
KIWI SPOTTING – TĀWHARANUI, AUCKLAND
This one may be a given as you’d be hard pushed to see a kiwi in their natural habitat during the daytime. Tāwharanui Regional Park’s Open Sanctuary is located on a remote peninsula in the Hauraki Gulf (about 1.5 hours out of Auckland’s CBD) and happens to be the perfect place for kiwi and other native birds such as kererū, tui and ruru to roam. Kiwiness Tours runs guided walks at night to help you see our national treasures.
North Island kiwi © Adobe Stock
AUCKLAND LANTERN FESTIVAL – AUCKLAND
Light up your life by sharing in the annual Chinese New Year celebrations. Wander through the Manukau Sports Bowl following the colourful hues of spectacular creations that glow into the night. It does get busy with up to 200,000 visitors but it’s well worth it. Just make sure you decorate your kids in plenty of glow sticks so you don’t lose them.
Lantern Festival at Albert Park © Todd Eyre
ROTOKARE BY NIGHT – TARANAKI
Transform the way you see and hear in this reserve, as you are guided into the dark to explore native forests after sundown. Meet beady-eyed ruru, hear scuttling wēta on the forest and a multitude of others from forest to stream.
LIGHTS OUT AT JUMP – AUCKLAND
Wildly popular with the young at heart, this place is even more awesome at night. Their Lights Out sessions run every few months and it’s a whole new experience. For two hours the lights go down and the music goes up. With DJs, laser lights, trampolines underfoot plus a café, those aged 8-16 years love this experience.
NIGHT RIDING AT RAINBOW’S END – MANUKAU, AUCKLAND
Over the winter months when the skies get dark, the streetscapes of the Kidz Kingdom and the Gold Rush Town are illuminated by thousands of fairy lights. Wander though the park on their familyfriendly Twilight Ride evenings or, for the older daredevils, there are the Night Ride evenings for ages 13 and over. Don’t worry, there are still all the usual favourites such as the Fear Fall and Stratosphere to lose your lunch over.
REDWOODS TREEWALK/ NIGHTLIGHTS – REDWOODS, ROTORUA
The daytime walk is a lot of fun, but there is something more magical about visiting at night. These magnificent trees come to life, glowing amongst the coloured lights, and giant lanterns help guide you as you travel along the bridges and through the treetops.
TWILIGHT PADDLEBOARDING IN A GLOWWORM CAVE – ROTORUA
Enjoy paddling the Rotorua lakes as the sun sets then, as night falls, you’ll paddle your way into secret glowworm caves.
GEYSER BY NIGHT – TE PUIA, ROTORUA
Engage all of your senses under the stars by trying the guided night trail here. This 90-minute/3km-long tour is a totally new way to discover the geothermal valley, plus the centre is also part of a kiwi conservation scheme.
Geyser By Night – Te Puia, Rotorua © Destination Rotorua
NIGHT VISIT TO ZEALANDIA – WELLINGTON
Explore the sanctuary by torchlight and listen out for the distinctive sounds of New Zealand’s native forest. Discovering rare and endangered species, some which only come out at night, you’ll see wētā, glowworms and tuatara and, if you are super lucky, you may see some of the 150 little spotted kiwi who live here.
HOT-AIR BALLOONING BY NIGHT – SELWYN, CANTERBURY
The Hororātā Glow Festival hosts a gathering of hot-air balloons radiating through the night’s sky, glowing in unison to music. There is also a healthy representation of Selwyn’s superb local food and wine on offer.
NIGHT RIDING AT CHRISTCHURCH ADVENTURE PARK – CRACROFT, CHRISTCHURCH
Don your head torch, flick on your bike lights and strap on your helmet for this next level in mountain biking. This downhill adventure park runs night rides over the winter months on Wednesdays and Fridays (weather dependent). Open till 8pm, you’ll be able to grab a bite to eat in the café and make a night of it.
SKYLINE LUGING IN THE NIGHT – ROTORUA AND QUEENSTOWN
It’s best to book a few runs here, as one is never enough. Both locations have a variety of tracks so you can build up your downhill speedster rating, and Rotorua has opened three new ones to master.
ONSEN HOT POOLS AND RETREAT – QUEENSTOWN
Whether you opt for an outdoor tub or a pool with a retractable roof, you’ll get an epic view of the starscape from these bubbling pools of joy. Open until late to anyone over 12 years old, you’ll feel rejuvenated to take on the next day’s activities.
© Onsen Hot Pools, Queenstown
GLOW-IN-THE-DARK STAND- UP PADDLEBOARDING – AKAROA
The craze for stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) came and stayed. Beautiful to do on a clear bluebird day but heading out at night will really float your boat. Book yourself onto a NightSUP tour where you’ll be kitted out with an LED board and depart at dusk to paddle before a dazzling sunset. As night descends with the sinking sun, the marine life beneath is illuminated.
GLOWWORM TOUR, THE BROOK WAIMĀRAMA SANCTUARY- NELSON
Hooting rurus signal nightfall as you’re drawn in by the glowing bioluminescence points of light generated by the Sanctuary glow worms, living in the sheltered banks of the Sanctuary pathways.
