Welcome the bright morning sun.

New Zealand, often called the "end of the world," is a land of natural wonders that captivates visitors with its surreal beauty. Interestingly, it is home to the people who witness the sunrise earlier than anywhere else on Earth.

This country possesses a strange allure that leaves me speechless, transforming me into a storyteller, for every moment, every scene captivates a traveler like me. Here, I truly find myself lost in a myriad of emotions and wondrous adventures.

The peaceful, poetic beauty of New Zealand

Watching the sunrise at Lake Wanaka

Many photographers around the world say that if New Zealand is the place where humans can witness the earliest sunrise, then the solitary tree at Lake Wanaka is the best spot to catch the first rays of dawn. Because of this fascinating legend, even though it was a chilly morning with a biting wind piercing through my clothes, I still made my way out of my warm bed and took a bus straight to Lake Wanaka. The scene was magical as the morning sun gently shone on the misty lake, with the eternal snow-capped mountains in the distance. This peaceful, poetic, yet majestic sight has filled millions of tourists with satisfaction.

Upon arrival, over a hundred photographers were already waiting. The water was icy cold, and a thin layer of ice covered the lake's surface. Then the long-awaited moment arrived. The morning sun gradually spread, transforming the white and blue hues of the mountains and forests into a brilliant golden yellow. A solitary, slender tree leaned beside the lake, blending with the sky and earth to create a poetic sunrise scene.

The scene is magical as the morning sun gently shines on the misty surface of Lake Wanaka.

The Hobbit – a fairytale village hidden underground.

I returned to the Hobbit village and stayed there for a day, experiencing a gloomy, drizzly morning followed by a brilliant, sunny afternoon, resulting in images that were sometimes deeply romantic and sometimes dazzlingly radiant. This time, I was still captivated by the vast, lush green hills and the fluffy white sheep. The interplay of space and time was a magic wand that transformed the village into a fantastical fairytale world. The gentle hues of time blended with the vibrant colors of the Bag End houses, leaving me mesmerized. I stood gazing at the streaks of sunlight running from one hill to another. The Hobbit village was used as a filming location for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In the films, the 44 houses with their tiny round doors, half-buried in the ground and half-rising above the hills, looked very impressive and mysterious. Around the houses were charming little vegetable gardens and gnome-like artifacts.

This place is becoming one of the most attractive tourist destinations in New Zealand. Located in Matamata, Waikato (North New Zealand), about 130km from Auckland, the village boasts a picturesque entrance, lush green hills, and flocks of sheep grazing peacefully. The main attraction is the Bag End house of Bilbo Baggins – the dwarf character in the Lord of the Rings film series.

The rolling green hills are like something out of a fairy tale in the Hobbit village.

Take a boat trip to explore the Tasman Glacier.

This was my first time experiencing a boat ride on a glacier in temperatures of minus 50°C. It was drizzling, and the wind was bitterly cold. The guide picked up a piece of melting ice and offered it to me to bite into. It was bone-chillingly cold! As the boat slowly drifted along, the iceberg in front of us suddenly collapsed – an extremely rare sight. Located within Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, Tasman Glacier is New Zealand's longest glacier, measuring 27km in length and 4km in width. From the shore, visitors can see the towering iceberg.

Queenstown – the adventure capital of the world

Queenstown boasts a gentle and elegant beauty, yet it also thrills visitors with some of the world's most adventurous activities. Queenstown is the birthplace of bungee jumping. The bridge over the Kawarau River is the world's first commercial bungee jumping site. You'll be lifted onto a bridge with sections without handrails, a deep abyss below, your feet securely fastened with an elastic rope, and then you'll jump from a great height.

The scenery is picturesque, with endless rolling hills of grass.

If bungee jumping is too much for you, consider zip riding. This activity offers an amazing experience of gliding through the air, combined with a bit of adventure and thrill. Another memorable experience in Queenstown is riding a jet boat. Imagine yourself strapped to a high-speed boat, hurtling down the rocky Shotover River. Occasionally, the boat will spin 360 degrees, or seemingly crash into the cliffs, then swerve into the next branch of the river in seconds, leaving you breathless.

Before the enchanting beauty of this land, words seem insufficient. Even after exploring the ends of the earth three times, I still feel I've only grasped a tiny fraction of it, and this wanderer longs to return more than once.

Source: https://heritagevietnamairlines.com/don-nang-mai-rang-ro/