wearing wet suits and carrying paddles, such is their appetite for the outdoors and adventure. No part of the country is more than 79 miles from the sea, and a coastline spread with splendid beaches dishes up thousands of beautiful coastal walks and chances to surf and soak in the sun. Any number of vigorous outdoor activities are offered here -- hiking, skiing, rafting and of course, that perennial favorite, bungee jumping awaits the adventurous. You can swim with dolphins, gambol with newborn lambs, whale-watch or fish for fattened trout in pristine streams and rivers.
But you don't have to be an extreme athlete to enjoy New Zealand travel. There are just as many ways to be laid back and indulgent. You can tour wineries that have stampeded their way to the top of world ratings in record time, take in the wealth of Polynesian and Maori culture that forms the backbone of an increasingly multicultural society, or check out the strong historic and architectural reminders of a colonial past. There are lush gardens, art galleries, museums and plenty of one-of-a-kind reminders that travel in New Zealand is like no other place.