Chatham Islands, New Zealand

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Chatham Islands, New Zealand

533 miles (860km) east of Christchurch is a remote group of islands known as the Chathams. Windswept and about as far off the beaten track as most tourists are likely to get, the Chathams are home
to a small community of fishermen and farmers. Most of the thousand or so islanders live on Chatham Island's 222,000 acres (90,000 hectares), the largest of the 10 islands in the group. The only other island that is inhabited is tiny Pitt Island where the population stands at around 50. A feature of the main island is the large central lagoon which, together with many shallow lakes, covers almost a quarter of its entire area.

Bird-watching and activities

But as fascinating as the mysteries of Moriori culture may be, the reason more and more people are beginning to visit the Chathams is to go bird-watching.

The rarest of the eighteen species of bird that are unique to the islands is the black robin. Once there were only five of these birds in the world, but successful breeding techniques have rescued them, for the moment, from the brink of extinction. On the other hand, introduced birds like black swans and wekas are so common that they feature in the local cuisine along with freshly caught seafood such as crayfish.

Other activities on the islands include horse-riding, diving and tramping. It is also possible to hire four-wheel drive vehicles on Chatham Island which, apart from walking, are the only way to get around as there is no public transport.

Getting there

Those who want to visit this tiny insular world of lagoons, peat bogs, rugged coastlines and deserted beaches should plan well ahead. Though there are weekly flights from Wellington and Christchurch, demand is high and seats are very limited.

From Napier, two shipping lines service the islands. Both these cargo ships carry a small number of passengers and require 36 to 40 hours for the voyage. There is also a ship that sails from Auckland. Otherwise another possibility is to join one of the cruises organised by Southern Heritage Expeditions. This company also specialises in trips to New Zealand's sub-antartic islands.

Useful background reading for visitors to the Chathams is Moriori- A People Rediscovered by Michael King and A Land Apart by Michael King and Robin Morrison. As Napier is a sister city to the Chathams, their tourist information will also be able to provide further details about the islands and how to get there.

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