Hobbiton Movie Set at Matamata, New Zealand

New Zealand, a stunning country where there are most sheep than people. Another thing that New Zealand is known for is that it was where the Lord of the Rings films was filmed. In January 2015, I visited Matamata, where the Hobbiton Movie Set is located and served as the filming location for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series.  Stepping into the Hobbiton Movie Set was like being transported into Middle Earth, with the whole movie set functioning as a farm and nature reserve.

The location hills were excavated to create Hobbit holes. A lot of the plants such as the sunflowers were real, but on some of the trees, the fruit were artificial and added on so the Hobbits could reach them. The oak tree on top of Bag End brought in from near Matamata and the leaves were individually wired onto the branches.

In Hobbiton, visitors can visit The Green Dragon Inn, a replica of the inn that featured in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The Inn functions as a pub for visitors and serves cider, beer and other treats.

The entire movie set uses forced perspective to make the hobbits in the film smaller than they really are. Hobbiton is a great place for fans of the movies to experience The Shire and see how the movies are made.

Chris

Hawaii

In 2013, my family and I went on a trip to Hawaii and stayed on the island of Oahu, which is the main tourist destination for most first-time visitors of Hawaii stay in Waikiki. 

View of Waikiki from the beach

Oahu has many activities to take part in and is very well known for its cheap shopping and historical activities as well as the diverse beaches. 

Hanauma Bay

The best part of the trip for me was being able to swim with the dolphins as well as visit Pearl Harbour. We also hired a car for a few days to do a self-guided tour around the island. Which was an interesting experience as they drive on the opposite side of the road to us. 

Learning about Pearl Harbour and getting to witness this beautiful yet tragic site allowed me to gain more of an understanding of the devastating impacts of the bombing. 

Pearl Harbour memorial

We also visited the iconic beach of Waikiki, which is well known for its flat waters which are full of blow up tubes and paddle boarders. On the road trip around the island, we visited some of the famous surfing beaches such as Waimea Bay and Sunset beach. 

Waikiki Beach at sunset

On our way back to Waikiki, we stopped off at the beach, Laniakea well known to have sea turtles sunbaking on the shores. 

Sea Turtle sunbaking

 

Hawaii was an amazing place to visit, and would definitely go back to explore the other Islands. 

Sunset over the water

Jess

Singapore

Singapore, termed the ‘Lion City’, combines elements of multiculturalism, heritage and a fruitful economy to produce one of the most contemporary South East Asian countries today. Personally, I have visited Singapore over 20 times in my life and accordingly my perspective in this blog post is based upon these visits.

Singapore is one of the most culturally diverse countries I’ve ever visited, where the main races are Malays, Tamils and Chinese. As a result, the Singaporean cuisine encompasses this variety of cultures. Singaporean food is typically characterised by hawker centres, which are large open food courts where dozens of individual vendors sell food. These hawker centres are located in almost every corner of Singapore. Many tourists are concerned with the cleanliness and hygiene of these hawker centres, however from my generalised experience of them, they are trustworthy given Singapore’s strict health and safety regulations. My personal favourite local specialties are Singapore Chilli Crab, Char Kuey Teow, Hor Phun and Murtabak. These dishes are famous in Singapore, and for a real authentic experience, must be tried at a hawker centre.

Typical Singaporean meal in a Hawker Centre

Singapore is also highly renowned for its shopping. Over the years, I have realised that there is a dichotomy in shopping experiences – local shopping and high end shopping. Local shopping can be found in places such as China Town and Bugis Junction and cater to more of a market style shopping experience. In these places, items sold are usually local items such as Jade and Asian collectibles, prices of goods are cheap and there is an opportunity to bargain. Conversely, high end shopping, such as Orchard Road, offers more international brands, higher prices and primarily caters for tourists. Orchard Road is one of the most popular tourist attractions, and can be seen as the ‘Paris of Singapore’ with most stores boasting exclusivity and luxury. Personally, I prefer the local shopping as these goods are usually not available here in Australia and are more affordable than high end shopping.

Orchard Road at night

A recent, growing attraction in Singapore is Marina Bay Sands and its surrounding areas. My first visit ever was last year, which is crazy considering how many times I’ve visited before. I heard nothing but good things about this area and I can safely say I was not disappointed. The Marina Bay Sands hotel was hands down the grandest hotel I’ve ever visited. Although we didn’t stay there, we walked around the area and came across Gardens by the Bay. Gardens by the Bay is a large, contemporary botanical gardens attraction with several iconic structures in the premises. This place is an amazing place to take a walk through and to get some incredible views of the city of Singapore. It’s safe to say, this place is now one of my favourite places in Singapore. 

Gardens by the Bay

Singapore Zoo is undeniably one of the best attractions in Singapore. This zoo is hands down the best zoo I have ever visited, given its range of animals and interactivity. Singapore zoo also heavily promotes sustainability and animal welfare. One of my favourite parts of the zoo is the orungutan enclosure, where there is no caging and the orungutans are swinging by on the ropes right above you! It is this interactivity and closeness to the animals which differentiates it from other zoos I’ve visited. An important travellers tip would be do load up on the sunscreen, take a hat and keep hydrated – the zoo is a very hot and humid place to spend the day!

Singapore Zoo

Singapore has a unique character, where a contemporary society fuses with traditional culture. From my experience, it is the food, shopping and attractions which represent this fusion and have made the world recognise Singapore as one of the most contemporary South East Asian countries today.

Hasveen

Dubai

Dubai


I had the chance of visiting Dubai, the (Paradise of Middle-East) in 2013. Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is a desert city but they converted that desert to various attractions.

The most famous and recent attraction is the tall tower of (Burj Khalifa). This tower is the tallest building in the world, has the highest numbers of stories, highest outdoor observation deck and tallest free standing structure in the world.

We climbed the tallest tower in the world burj Khalifa. This tower’s height is 828, but the observation deck is in level 124, at 450 meter that you can experience a 360 degree view, and you can see the dancing water fountains. There are number of telescopes in the observation deck that helps you to see the city closer and also they show you how did the city looked before 30 years.

www.worldrecordacademy.com

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 Burj Al Arab or the Arabia Tower is the only 7 star hotel is the third tallest hotel in the world. It is located in Jumeirah beach. It shaped like a sail of a ship. There is a tennis court on the roof of the hotel, Helicopter pad, underwater rooms and restaurant, swimming pools. This hotel has 202 bedroom suites and they are all double stories. The size of each suite is around 169 sqm and the largest (Royal Room) is 708 sqm.

www.marsho.com

The Royal Suite is priced $18,716 USD and it is the number 12 of the 15 most expensive suites in the world. This suite takes up to 2 floors, and you can enter the suite via private elevator. The stair case of the suite is made of 22 karat gold.

www.news.com.au

 There is a private dining area, a butler and an Arabic style lounge, a private library. The master rotating bed with a 13 selection pillow menu is impressive.

 The bathroom with gold tabs are made of gold, and there are cushions around the edge of the bathroom to rest on.

Bathroom

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Helicopter pad

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Under water restaurant

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Tennis Court

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The Dubai palm island is an island in the shape of a palm tree inside the water. It is holding a large number of luxurious and modern residential houses. This is island has no shops and no schools.

The Tree Island

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This unforgettable, unique city has more to offer. The night life, Sahara Safari, various restaurants with Arabian belly dancing, Water Park and the flower garden are also available for you to experience. This mixture of luxury life and Arabic culture is not available anywhere else other than Dubai. I spend one of the most beautiful days of my life there. 

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Wasen

New Zealand

New Zealand is a stunning country situated 900 miles across the Tasman Sea from Australia. As on of the last lands to be settled but humans it has developed its own distinct biodiversity of animal, plant and fungal life. New Zealand's capital city it Wellington and its most populous city is Auckland, both situated in the North Island. On both my visits to New Zealand I found my favourite place was Queenstown partly due to its reputation as the adventure capital of the world. Queenstown has an endless amount of adventure activities, tours, attractions, history and leisurely options to choose. Some of the best activities include, rafting, hiking, jet boating, luge riding, gondolas, skydiving, bungy jumping and helicopter flying. After a long day full of activities, Queenstown provides the perfect after party. Well know for the night life, Queenstown is full of eateries, bars and clubs. I highly recommend grabbing a bite at the famous Ferg Burger, but be sure to head there with an empty stomach.

Another of the main attractions New Zealand offers is the overwhelmingly vast and exquisite ski slops set on volcanic mountains. The great thing about the NZ slopes are the vast amount of options. Spending a week skiing or snowboarding you can almost visit a different slope each day. My most recommended are Coronet Peak, Mt Hutt, The Remarkables and Cardrona. If skiing isn't for you I would highly recommend hiring a bicycle. An extensive cycleway network covers a vast amount of the Wakatipu area and circles around the lake. As well, the Skyline Gondola up Bob's Peak is an incredible place to photograph the iconic view of Queenstown. While up at the Skyline Ridge ride the chairlift to the top and luge down the racing tracks with spectacular views every where you look.

There isn't a best time of year to visit but simply depends on what time of activities you are after. June, July and August are best if you desire the slopes and all other months are perfect for all other activities and hiking.

Berlin

In 2012, I was lucky enough to participate in an exchange run by my school. As a part of this exchange, we visited different places within Germany and my favourite place out of all the ones we visited was Berlin. 

The streets of Berlin 

To be able to experience the beauty and history of Berlin was incredible. We were able to visit the remains of the Berlin Wall which was incredible to see. We were also able to visit some of the other main attractions including Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Building, Checkpoint Charlie and Berlin Cathedral. As a part of this trip, we were able to walk along the streets, going into the many shops and were lucky enough to be there whilst a market was taking place which was for Oktoberfest. 

Berlin Cathedral

Learning about the history of Germany, in particular, Berlin, was incredible as we learnt additional information to the common knowledge taught in schools and I was also lucky enough to see the differences in buildings and materials used in East and West Berlin as our guide pointed out some of the subtle differences. 

Berlin Wall remains 

Berlin is a must see for anyone planning to visit Germany and I will definitely be making the effort to go back to Berlin next time I visit Germany. 

Brandenburg Gate

Jess 

Amsterdam

Amsterdam. What I would call one of the greatest small cities in the world. It is located in the Netherlands, part of the European Union. I was lucky enough to be able to spent 5 days in this incredible place in September of 2013.

You wont find yourself bored for a minute in this historical and culturally diverse city. From the famous canals and amazing architecture, Amsterdam is also home to many famous museums, my personal favourites being the Anne Frank museum, something I always wanted to visit after reading her diary as a young girl. As well as the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. A great way to see the sights is by bicycle as well as allowing yourself to be emerged in the dutch culture, as Amsterdam is one of the most bike friendly capitals in the world. I recommend doing a bike tour. I signed up for a bike tour that took us out of the city centre and into the beautiful county side where we wear able to visit famous windmills and cheese and clog factories. Otherwise you can always rent a bike yourself and discover as you please. Be certain to take a trip through the largest park in the city, Vondelpark as a great escape from the buzzing hub of the city goers. 

Amsterdam is an open and tolerant society and anyone is sure to enjoy themselves from the vast amount of activities and events. The best time of year to visit is during the summer month, April to september, but ultimately the city is beautiful all year round. 

Lauren

Malaysia

Malaysia

Malaysia is a country in South East Asia. It is like 2 countries in one and its ranked as the 9^th most visited places in the world.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. The most visited and famous attractions of Kuala Lumpur are:

The Twin Towers are the world’s tallest twin towers standing adjacent to one of the busiest shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur, Suria KLCC.

Batu Cave is located 13 kilometers north Kuala Lumpur. The shrine of one of the most respected Hindu is available in the cave.

The first thing that will greet you in Batu Cave is the world’s tallest statue of the Hindu Deity Lord Murugan. Its 42.6 meters heights, 250 tons of steel bar, and 300 litres of gold paint is used in this stature.

The next important thing in that cave is the 272 steps that you have to climb to reach the main entrance of the cave.

Thean Hou is the oldest and largest temples in South-East Asia. Inside the temple there is a modern Buddhist pagoda and many Buddha images. There is also a statue of Tian Hou. The Design of Thean Hou temple represents a combination of contemporary architectural style and traditional designs.

Istana Negara, the King Palace was built in 1928 and was the residence of Chineese millionaire. After the surrender of the Japanese, the palace was bought by Selangor State Government. It was renovated to become the palace of Sultan Selangor until 1957.

Whether it’s for business or pleasure, city life or adventure, Malaysia is the place to experience the best time of your life. 

Wasen

South Africa

I highly recommend going to two places in particular within South Africa and those are the Kruger National Park and Cape Town.

The Kruger National Park 

The Kruger National Park is a wildlife park which aims to protect the wildlife and tries to put a stop to the poaching of wild animals.The Kruger is an amazing opportunity to witness wildlife in their natural habitat, which gives tourists and locals the ability to truly see how special these animals are. You are able to go in for the day or can stay overnight at one of the bush camps, which has different accommodation options. You travel around inside of your car and drive along the roads that have been set out for visitors, there is also options to go on guided tours in the early morning or late evening. I highly recommend visiting the Kruger National Park as it is an amazing opportunity to experience something completely different.

Lioness having a sleep

Elephant looking for food

Rhinos enjoying a mud bath

Cape Town

Cape Town is known as the mother city of South Africa and is one of the most beautiful cities in South Africa. Out of all cities, Cape Town is the friendliest and the most welcoming out of all the cities and is one of my favourite places within South Africa. Even though I had lived in South Africa previously, it was the first time that I was able to go see Cape Town and experience its beauty.

View of Cape Town from Table Mountain 

The is many wonderful things to do in Cape Town but usually one would run out of time to do everything. It is suggested if you only have limited time in Cape Town, that you should make an effort to try complete the Cape Town Big Six which includes:

1. Robben Island 
2. V&A Waterfront 
3. Table Mountain Cableway 
4. Kirstenbosch Gardens
5. Groot Constantia 
6. Cape Point

The other side of Table Mountain 

Robben Island is one of the few places of major historical significance in South Africa and is commonly known as the place that held Nelson Mandala prisoner during the apartheid. This former prison serves as a constant reminder of the country's troubled past as well as a symbol of triumph, reconciliation and resilience. 

Robben Island 

V&A waterfront is placed in between the Atlantic Oceana and Table Mountain. It is well known for its outdoor restaurants which have views of the harbour and table mountain, as well as its many shops. There are plenty of opportunities for entertainment and one of the most well-known activities is getting the chance to ride the Cape Wheel, which allows you to see spectacular views of  Cape Town.

V&A Waterfront

The Table Mountain Cableway takes you up or down table mountain within 5 minutes, giving you an extraordinary view of Cape Town and with its rotating floors, individuals are able to experience the views of Cape Town from all angles. Allowing individuals to see the other big locations of Cape Town. 

Table Mountain Cableway 

Kirstenbosch gardens are known as one of the most beautiful gardens in Africa, the gardens cover 36ha of land and blend into the slopes of Table Mountain.

Kirstenbosch Gardens 

Groot Constantia is the oldest wine producing estate and has many other activities to participate in such as looking around the museum, having a meal at one of the restaurants and of course get involved in the wine tasting.

Groot Constantia 

Cape Point is the most South Western point of Africa and is also the point where both the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet making it very treacherous waters for any sailors. It also has a 150 year old lighthouse and knowing that the next closest landmass is Antarctica, making this point a very special part of the Cape.

Capt Point

Both places are special places that i highly recommend going to if you ever think of visiting South Africa. 

Jess