The South Island is bursting with adventure activities to give you that heart-pounding rush of excitement. It’s the birthplace of jet boating and commercial bungy jumping; a 15 million-hectare adventure playground with more outdoor action than any adrenaline junkie could cram in one lifetime. The South Island does a great line in jaw-dropping scenery on […]

A who’s who of international and national acts are on the lineups for this summer’s round of festivals. Something for everyone to get their groove on, from The Chemical Brothers and State of Mind to The Human League and Nik Kershaw; Ocean Alley, Benee and Dolphin Friendly to L.A.B and Blindspott; and Sean Paul, UB40 […]

US-style low-and-slow, Argentinian asado, South Africa’s braai – all variations on the theme of meat cooked over a fire. As we head into the barbecue season, we talk to two top fire chefs about the allure of the flame. Cooking over fire is as old as humanity. Even older – palaeontologists have shown that pre-humans […]

Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival starts its 18-day run of theatre, music, dance, cabaret and more in early March. We asked curators Shona McCullagh and Ataahua Papa for their top picks from the 200 acts on offer. Diptych – This show by award-winning theatre company Peeping Tom from Belgium is the ultimate […]

He’s a trouper – trans-Atlantic music superstar Graham Nash will turn 82 a month before his New Zealand tour in March, 2024. What’s Hot New Zealand spoke to him at home in New York during his only five-day break since kicking off a tour in January, 2023. The schedule has been gruelling – 100 shows […]

Tim Finn is taking the songs of Split Enz, Crowded House and his solo material back on the road. What’s Hot New Zealand talks to him ahead of his main-centre tour, The Lives and Times of Tim Finn, in September. You’ve got a huge catalogue of songs to choose from – how was it coming […]

Clinical psychologist Dr Sarah Anticich has some advice for getting off life’s treadmill one step at a time. In our fast-paced lives filled with constant demands, many of us find ourselves overwhelmed. Clinical psychologist Dr Sarah Anticich offers a refreshing perspective, advocating for the power of taking small, intentional steps that can momentarily lift us […]

Christchurch’s Orana Wildlife Park has got something very special for Christmas – two stunning Sumatran tigers, freshly arrived from Australia Zoo. Reggie and Scout are a pair of boisterous four-year-old boys and the only tigers in the South Island. After the park’s elderly tiger, Dumai, sadly passed away in February, the team have been upgrading […]

Vegans rejoice, another epic plant-based meal is joining the lineup at Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant in Christchurch. Yes, it’s true, the crowd-pleasing pinnacle of Indian food has been given a plant-based makeover. Local Canterbury Indian restaurant legends Coriander’s decided that it was high time this popular dish was enjoyed by all, and Head Chef Pankaj Kumar […]

Vegans rejoice, another epic plant-based meal is joining the lineup at Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant in Christchurch. Yes, it’s true, the crowd-pleasing pinnacle of Indian food has been given a plant-based makeover. Local Canterbury Indian restaurant legends Coriander’s decided that it was high time this popular dish was enjoyed by all, and Head Chef Pankaj Kumar […]

New Zealand Opera’s general director Thomas de Mallet Burgess waxes lyrical on his upcoming productions The Human Voice and Eight Songs for a Mad King, and the future of opera. What can you tell us about the creative setting of The Human Voice? The Human Voice takes place in a hotel room, and the audience […]

Warm up your applauding hands and prepare to be amazed, because Bread & Circus – World Buskers Festival is back on Christchurch’s event calendar for 2022. Christchurch’s famous World Buskers Festival may have been knocked from its usual January slot thanks to the shenanigans of old mate Covid, but everyone’s favourite laugh-out-loud performing arts and […]