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Hobbiton: A Day in the Shire

Despite the fact I fell asleep the first time I tried to watch “Return of the King,” visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set here in New Zealand was on the top of my “to do” list for this part of the world. Unfortunately, it took me almost the entire year to get here! A lot of this had to do with timing and cost but was eventually able to go thanks to a gift from my family, and a new friend.

The good news: It was worth the wait.

Bag's End at Hobbiton in Matamata
No visit to Hobbiton is complete without a stop to Bag’s End. (Which by the way, doesn’t actually have an interior. Those scenes were shot on a sound stage in Wellington.)

In case you don’t know: Hobbiton is the movie set where they filmed scenes for the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movie series. Both are based on fantasy books written by J.R.R. Tolkien.

While I have since rewatched the entire “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed them, you don’t have to have seen any of the movies or read any of the books to enjoy a trip to Hobbiton. In fact, the tour guide told us about 40% of visitors have no experience with Tolkien in any form. While I personally enjoyed nerding out, the set is simply a really fun place to see and experience.

You can’t get on the grounds on your own; everyone must take a guided tour. But don’t worry, the tour guides are a lot of fun and full of facts to share about the movie filming and production.

Samwise's Hobbit hole
Samwise’s Hobbit hole, one of just a handful of Hobbit Holes actually built to scale.
Hobbit Hole in hobbiton
One of the 39 Hobbit Holes found in Hobbiton. All are varying shapes and sizes

Some of my favorite facts I learned about the set and the films:

  • Almost all of the plants on set are real. (Including the giant pumpkins!)
  • In the books, Tolkien references how hobbit children spend their days playing under the plum trees. However, plum trees didn’t fit the aesthetic of the set and don’t grow naturally in New Zealand. So, the set artists spent hours making an apple tree look like a plum tree for filming. The tree only made it into one scene.
  • Peter Jackson initially had picked out 12 different shooting locations in New Zealand for Hobbiton. He scraped all of those locations once finding the Alexander Farm near Matamata where the set is now permanently constructed.
The Party Tree at Hobbiton
One of the things that lead Peter Jackson to choose the Alexander Farm was this tree, which would eventually become the Party Tree in the movies.
The Party Field at Hobbiton
The Party Field, waiting for the next big celebration in Hobbiton
  • The set that stands there isn’t actually the one that was used to film anything from “Lord of the Rings.” That was torn down after filming was done. However, trips to The Shire were so popular after the series hit theatres that they decided to make it out of durable, long-lasting materials when it was time to film “The Hobbit.”
  • The Hobbit Holes are all different sizes. The small ones were built to make the actors playing wizards look tall, and the big ones were built for the actors playing Hobbits.
  • During filming for “Lord of the Rings” the scene where the Green Dragon burns down is actual footage of the set burning.
The Green Dragon Pub, where you can order real food and drink

Things to know before you go:

  • The tour starts at one of three places: The Shire’s Rest Cafe, the Matamata I-Site, and the Rotorua I-Site. The Rotorua option is quite a bit more expensive than the other two, as they are busing you in from almost an hour away.
  • If you don’t do the Shire’s Rest option, you will not see that cafe and gift shop. However, all tours include a free drink at The Green Dragon pub from the films and a visit to the gift shop on the set grounds.
  • Each tour is on a very strict time schedule, so you won’t get to spend too much time on set, in The Green Dragon or in the gift shop.
  • The bus rides include specially-made videos that include interviews with director Peter Jackson and the family that owns the farm the set is on. They also include clips from “The Hobbit” films.
  • The tour guides are happy to snap photos for you, so don’t worry about not getting photos of your adventure if you go alone if you go alone!
Amiekay in a Hobbit hole at Hobbiton
My tour guide snapped this expert photo
Amiekay’s Personal Advice:
  • I really recommend stopping in the town of Matamata if you can, as the town has really embraced its Tolkien-themed tourism industry. The I-Site, for instance, is modeled after a Hobbit Hole, and there are places with Hobbit-themed food and names, such as “Hobbit Sushi.”
Matamata I-Site
The Matamata I-Site, designed to look like a Hobbit Hole
  • If you have a car, get your tour to leave from The Shire’s Rest. I am a bit bummed I didn’t get to check out this Hobbit-themed cafe.
  • The entire set is “nerd-friendly.” The tour guide invited us to re-enact the scene where Bilbo runs down the street yelling “I’m going on an adventure.” While I didn’t actually do it, I was extremely tempted.
Gandolf's Cutting
Called “Gandolf’s Cutting” this passage is extremely narrow in order to create forced perspective
Amiekay at Hobbiton
Amiekay taking a stroll. (Photo by my talented friend Margie)
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Wonderful Wai-O-Tapu

Waiotapu in Rotorua

Wai-O-Tapu is an attraction about 20 minutes outside Rotorua that bills itself as a “thermal wonderland.” The park features a number of attractions and sights caused by the volcanic activity in the area. But while it is full of some beautiful colors and unique landscapes, it is not necessarily a must-do in the region.

A day at Wai-O-Tapu begins early, as you have to get there by mid-morning if you want to see one of the park’s main attractions: the Lady Knox Geyser.

A crowd gathers to watch the Lady Knox Geyser erupt at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

Although the Lady Knox Geyser is not located in the Wai-O-Tapu park, the only way you can actually see it erupt is by buying the $32.50 NZD ticket into the park. So if you want to get your full money’s worth, make sure you get to the park early enough to see the geyser erupt, which only happens at 10:15 am sharp every day.

 

And why does it only happen at that time? Why is this geyser so predictable?

Well, because the park guides force it to erupt by putting soap in it.

A bit disappointing, isn’t it? While it is cool that you are guaranteed to see the geyser upon admittance into the park, this seems like a bit of a cheap trick.

Don’t get me wrong, the guides tell a neat tale sort of vindicating what they are doing. The story goes this: the geyser was discovered by prison inmates in the early 1900’s who were in the area clearing trees. When these prisoners found the hot water, they put soap into it to wash their clothes, making it erupt.

A view of the Lady Knox Geyser erupting, and a closer look at its artificial base

In addition to the eruption not being a natural phenomenon like say, Old Faithful in the States, the base of this geyser is also man-made. Rocks were placed at its base several years ago with the specific purpose of making the eruptions more intense. (The water can climb up to 20 meters or 65 feet high depending on the day and amount of soap.) Those rocks have since become coated with silica left behind from all the man-made eruptions.

That being said, it is fun to see, especially if you’re like me and have never seen a geyser erupt before. Just know you’re going to see more of a show than a naturally occurring phenomenon.

There is some good news, however, and that’s the attractions inside the park. These are not only completely natureal, but are far more vibrant, colorful and strange than the geyser.

A view of the Artist’s Pallet and Champagne Pool attractions at Wai-O-Tapu

It is these colorful pools and springs inside the park that give Wai-O-Tapu its name, which means “sacred waters” in Maori. From the radioactive green-colored Devil’s Bath to the refreshingly colored blue and oranges in the Champagne Pool, your eyes are in for a a treat that spans the colors of the rainbow. Like the official website says really you can “leave the filter at home.”

The radioactive green Devil’s Bath
Wai-O-Tapu’s famous Champagne Pool

All of the sights here are thanks to the park’s location inside a collapsed volcanic crater that was formed 230,000 years ago. The area is still active, and of course, like most of the attractions in Rotorua, smells like sulfur. While the smell is stronger than some areas of the park than others, the rotten egg smell is fairly prevalent for the whole 75 minutes it takes to see the park, so if this is something that is likely to bother you, I’d advise a nose plug, or at least waiting to eat your lunch until afterward.

Something else you should prepare for when visiting is the crowds. Wai-O-Tapu may be a natural series of sights, but it feels much like an amusement park. There are lines of people excited to catch a glimpse of the waterfalls or lakes just like there are lines and crowds waiting to get on Space Mountain. IT is an experience that I think is purely New Zealand; where else in the world would natural sights be akin to going to Disney Land?

Even the trees here are colored and feel radioactive thanks to a type of algae known as trentepohlia

Overall, I did enjoy my visit to Wai-O-Tapu and would recommend it to anyone who has the $33 NZD in their budget. However, if you have more time than money, I would advise you to skip it. You can see sights similar to the ones in the park throughout the region for free, they are just more spread out and require a bit of planning, driving, and hiking.

In addition to the geothermal attractions, you also get to spend a bit of time walking through native New Zealand bush
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Magic in Real-Life: New Zealand’s Glowworm Caves

Note: All Photos in this post courtesy of Spellbound Glowworm and Cave Tours unless otherwise specified.

If Epcot ever gets a New Zealand pavilion, I already know what the ride should be: a quick sail through dark waters illuminated only by glow worms.

Let me explain. New Zealand is home to a lot of magnificent sites. From its many mountains to its hot springs, to its Lord of the Rings filming locations, there are a plethora of natural things to see and do here. And while I haven’t seen them all, I have seen quite a few, yet none of them have been as magical or as memorable as my time spent in Waitomo.

Waitomo is a small town on the North Island that has a population of about 50 people. However, its population grows by the thousands on any given day, as travelers from all over come here to see glowworm caves. Now, to be fair, glowworm is a nice name for the fly maggots that glow with bioluminescence in the area, but still, they are a really beautiful sight to behold.

A close-up of the magical glowworms in Waitomo

The many caves in the area are also where Waitomo gets its name. In Maori, the language of the native New Zealanders here, Waitomo is a combination of two words: “wai” or water, and “tomo” or hole. According to the town’s official tourism site, the combining of these words literally translates to “stream which flows into the hole in the ground.” It is these streams that provide the unique environment needed for the glowworms to grow and thrive.

Oh, and because this is New Zealand there was also a hike involved. Here’s a look at some of the limestone rocks that line the Waitomo countryside, and are responsible for the caves in the area (Photo by Amiekay)

There are a number of companies that run glowworm tours in Waitomo, including one that allows you to go rafting through the caves. However, because I went sort of unplanned, we had to call around and really just go with whichever tour would take us. This ended up being Spellbound, a private tour company who has access to caves outside of the town center. For Spellbound’s tour, we took a bit of a lengthy car ride through town, parks, and eventually a private farm. During this time, our comedic tour guide asked us silly questions like “if you were a cake, what kind of cake would you be?” to pass the time. He also told us a bit of history about the area, including the opening of sinkholes that would often result in the deaths of cows.

The tour we were on included a boat ride through a wet cave and a walking tour through a dry cave. Both are interesting and informative, but the first cave is far more spectacular. During this tour, not only are you treated to your first look at the glowworms but also you are given plenty of time for your eyes to adjust before getting into the boat. This means you see more glowworms more clearly.

A picture of the raft we took through the cave.

I have to be honest, the whole thing really felt like a ride at Disney World. It seemed totally unreal and completely out of a storybook, and I found that I had to repeatedly remind myself it was in fact, not only real life but also a natural phenomenon. Sure, the lights were being made by maggots but they are beautiful. (Our comedic tour guide also told us that the glowworms sometimes fall from the ceiling, but luckily this did not happen on my trip.)

A look at the worms in the light

After the boat ride, our tour stopped off for coffee and biscuits before heading to the dry cave. The dry cave is a little more traditional and features the tour guide explaining the difference between stalagmites and stalactites. However, there were some only in New Zealand moments. Including a close up look at the skeleton of a Moa bird, an ostrich-like animal that was killed off when the Maori arrived on the island hundreds of years ago. (We also were shown cave wetas and a huntsman spider, but I was a little less thrilled about those things.)

The skeleton of a young Moa that experts believe fell into the cave and died
Another skeleton we were shown, which our guide told us is the “most photographed dead cow” in New Zealand. I think he was joking… (Photo by Amiekay)

Overall, I have to say the glowworm caves are a must-see for anyone visiting New Zealand. While there are glowworms elsewhere in the world, the ones here are larger and more plentiful than anywhere else. And the tours aren’t expensive, either. Our entire tour cost $75 NZD and was 2 hours long, but some of the other tours cost as little as $35 NZD. Much cheaper than Disney World.

A look at what the glowworms looked like to the naked eye (Photo by Amiekay)