By George Haerle
For The Daily World
Any traveler worth his salt knows New Zealand offers more than rolling hills and hobbit holes.
With Middle-earth tours, geothermal parks such as Wai-O-tapu, hot springs, wildlife preserves, glow-worm caves and a diversity of outdoor sports, you’ll want plenty of time to fully explore the Rotorua area. But one adventure that is imperative for any trip there to be successful is a visit to Whakarewarewa Forest.
A filming location for Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon” remake being just a footnote, the forest is perfect for those seeking the outdoors or even just quality family time. There’s a vast network of opportunities to hike, bike, ride horses and explore an expansive and lush forest where you might recognize many familiar California redwoods.
But one of the most fascinating experiences this spot has to offer occurs after 7 p.m., when travelers can learn about the forest from 40 feet off the ground as night falls.
Lit up by artfully crafted lanterns in the treetops and colorful LED lights on the forest floor below, a section of Whakarewarewa is interconnected by sturdily built but childishly fun suspension bridges, allowing visitors to traverse the woods in a fantastical experience. Visiting the forest is free, but admission to the treetop walk is $18 (U.S.), which goes toward conservation of the area.
South of there, one can simply walk into Mordor. Mt. Nguaruhoe was the stand-in for Mt. Doom in the “Lord of the Rings” films. It can be hiked and climbed, but might be best viewed from New Zealand’s most famous day walk: the Tongariro crossing, in Tongariro National Park.
A journey on the north island usually ends in the capital city of Wellington, a melting pot of culture. It’s home to the incredible Wellington Zoo (an absolute must-do) and the Weta Workshop VFX studio, which houses movie-making wizards.
At studio headquarters, called the Weta Cave, film lovers will find a gold mine of treasures: statues and authentic props on display from such hits as the “Lord of the Rings” films, “Avatar” and “District 9,” and a ton of merchandise for sale. Several different kinds of tours of the Workshop can be booked from the Cave, with something available for every budget.
The south island is best reached via Wellington Airport — a low-stress domestic flight hub where travelers will come face to face with gargantuan statues of Smaug the dragon and the giant eagles (with Gandalf, of course).
The south island’s alpine landscapes differ a bit from the north, much of it reminiscent of views of the Cascades from Eastern Washington. The great movie road trip might continue on to Flock Hill (the “Chronicles of Narnia” battlefield), or more sights of Middle-earth at Mt. Sunday (Rohan in “Lord of the Rings”), Lake Pukaki (Laketown in “The Hobbit”) and Paradise (a shooting location for films including “Pete’s Dragon,” “The Hobbit” and “Narnia”).
But perhaps the most interesting, lovable and comfortable stop should be the lakeside community/town of Wanaka. Not because the upcoming “A Wrinkle in Time” film was partially shot here, but because it’s comfortable and fun atmosphere, plenty of good food, and the fantastic micro theater Cinema Paradiso.
As Yoda would say, judge them by their size do not. Able to swap out several movies a day on each of their three screens, the limited number of seats may require pre-booking the day before for some movies. But Cinema Paradiso offers as much comfort as any pub in Hobbiton by serving beer, wine, soft drinks, popcorn, full meals (including homemade pizza and lamb nachos), homemade ice cream and much more. Every movie has an intermission for bathroom breaks or to buy a world-famous cookie hot from the oven — which are brought out only during these intermissions.
Inside each theater you’ll find an arrangement of premium cushioned theater chairs as well as comfy, clean couches in the back and up front. There’s nothing quite like the experience of sprawling out on a sofa to eat cookies and popcorn while watching “The Shape of Water” in a theater.
The entire country will give any traveler more than a few great stories to take home. And, being so small and barely noticeable (much like a Hobbit) in the corner of every world map, the home of Middle-earth is certainly makes for a great unexpected journey. But Cinema Paradiso and the town of Wanaka feel like the ultimate gem earned for any traveling cinephile in New Zealand: a fitting epilogue to going there and back again.
George Haerle holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing for media and lives in Cosmopolis. This is the second of two articles based on his recent travels.
