Auckland Museum: This is the perfect place for an early lesson in things Maori. The recently revamped museum has the largest collection of Maori artifacts in the world. Large war canoes, meetinghouses, greenstone weapons, and feather cloaks are here. On top of that, the Manaia Maori Performance Group puts on a stunning show three times a day.
Te Puia's Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute: Maori guides will lead you through the thermal reserve, explaining the significance of the area to the Maori people. There's also a live song-and-dance performance, a tour of a replica Maori village, and the chance to watch working weavers and carvers in the Arts & Crafts Institute, which was set up in 1963 to foster traditional craft skills.
Tamaki Maori Village: This re-created ancient Maori village presents Maori life as it used to be pre-European settlement. You'll tour the village with a Maori elder, learn the ancient myths, watch a traditional performance, and eat from a traditional hangi.
Whakarewarewa Thermal Village: This small village of just 70 or so people has a 300-year history of settlement. It's probably the only place in the world where people live in such proximity to geothermal activity and still harness the natural forces of the earth for washing and cooking.
East Cape: This is a remote enclave of Maori culture -- one of the last places in New Zealand where the Maori language is part of everyday life. You'll find more than 100 marae scattered along the length of the East Cape Road, and if you ask permission, in most cases you'll be allowed to enter. There are numerous Maori settlements and highly decorative Maori churches.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
