In April, I had the pleasure of vacationing in New Zealand for two weeks. The times I spent living there with my best friend and her family were amazing. When most people think of New Zealand, they think of Lord of the Rings...do me a favor get out of the house. New Zealand is not just something out of a movie, but it so unique.

You have to experience it for yourself to believe it’s real. I stayed in Wellington, Auckland, and Davenport Island. I traveled through Maori land on plane, foot, by boat, and by sleeper bus. Yes, a bus with bunk beds, it’s a thing. New Zealand is the best place on earth. Here are 5 reasons why you need to visit New Zealand now:

The people a.k.a. “kiwis” are friendly to travelers.

Kiwis are beautiful people. Their hospitality is warm and accepting. Backpackers are welcomed. There are many hostiles located in Wellington that invite people from all over the world. I found their hospitality to resemble people from Savanah, Georgia but more spiritual. Besides their kindred-like spirit, they dress like they are living in the 90s; I felt like I was hanging out with Monica from Friends.

I was taken aback by the variety of different ethnicities and cultures in Wellington. I met people from Samoa, Indonesia, Australia, and the Pacific Island. They refer themselves as brown people. It was clear from their different background that the kiwis were part of a culture that was very rich, - as well as closely connected to their history. The people make New Zealand, well, New Zealand.

The best food I have ever had.

There are no GMO crops in New Zealand, and their produce is high-quality. In Waiwera, I ate a feijoa fruit, New Zealand’s national fruit. Instead of restaurants, the locals eat at cafes that serve a large selection of hot tea. Every single food item I ate, was full of flavor, delicate, and fragrant. I had chicken hand pie, King Koko (Samoan hot chocolate), fish and chips (yum), and chop suey.

The best dish I had was Roti Canai, a Malaysian dish with thinly sliced bread dipped in a warm broth. Bomb. If you go to Auckland, you must check out Milse, a dessert bar located at Britomart 31 Tyler Street. Milse, has an ice cream popsicle better than Magnum--Passion fruit ice cream hand-dipped in white chocolate and covered in meringue. You’ve got to try it.

*The best thing about eating out in New Zealand, you do not tip the waiters*

Did someone say chocolate?

If you knew me on a personal level, you would know I will spend heaps (A kiwi term) on chocolate. I’ll drop 30 dollars in the Godiva store and not think twice. Chocolate in New Zealand is serious; KIT KAT and Milka bars come in many flavors. Their Chocolate bars are the size of a foot. Whitakers chocolate is like Willy Wonka on steroids, wrapped in gold, and delicious. The coolest thing is they call candy in New Zealand lollies --how whimsical is that?

The scenery is amazing.

If you love beaches, if you love mountains, if you love hiking, if you love back roads, if you love sight-seeing, get your bum to New Zealand. However, I would suggest wearing sneakers or hiking boots when walking in New Zealand, because the roads are steep. In Wellington, I had the pleasure of viewing the Mount Victoria Look-out located near downtown Wellington. I also took pictures at Fort Balance, a historical landmark on Point Gordon on Wellington’s Miramar peninsula.

The forts, which were installed in the late 1800s, provided shelter to withstand attacks from enemies and administrate attacks from the land in War World I and II. At Davenport Island, which is off the shore of Auckland, I climbed Mount Victoria, one of the highest extinct Volcanoes in the North Island. Everywhere you go, you’ll find symbols and signs of the Maori, an indigenous group in New Zealand. The scarcity of Maori culture makes New Zealand even more special.

New Zealanders loves sports.

Rugby is God in Wellington, I saw the National Team play, the atmosphere was like an NFL playoff game. After the game, fans line up for autographs-- including me--bombarding the team like crazy. Besides rugby, there are many unique sports played in New Zealand, such as cricket, squash, and net-ball. I would say netball is the most interesting. Netball is pretty similar to basketball aside from the fact the players cannot dribble and the net has no backboard.

The sport is dominated by women; the men do not get paid- how different is that, compared to America? That being said, the kiwis also love basketball; a growing number of kids watch the NBA. I got a chance to play basketball with a couple of club teams and a high school team. Unlike American basketball, they are extremely fundamental, everyone can shoot, and they play team ball. Shoutout to the Wellington East’s Girl’s College. It was a pleasure playing with you.

So where will you be traveling next summer?