WORDS AND PHOTOS BY BEN MACK

A journey to Wellington, New Zealand is filled with thrills to soothe, and excite the senses.

We bank right, and drink in the view – rolling green hills spill into blue sea, sparkling like a sapphire. Dotting the wrinkled hills are white windmills, turbines spinning lazily. Beyond, miniature buildings hug cosy bays and coves – it’s like looking at a model village. It’s a beautiful day for flying, and my girlfriend has a wide grin as she controls our small, four-seater plane.

Flying around the city and Cook Strait – the body of water separating New Zealand’s North and South Islands – is among many thrilling activities on offer in Wellington. Open to anyone, a lesson’s as simple as calling the Wellington Aero Club or booking online – an example of the Kiwi capital’s famously laid-back culture.

A flight’s one way to become acquainted with the city, where there’s an incredible sense of calm and possibilities. Keen for diving in waterways where penguins and seals live? Dive Wellington caters to all experience levels.

A behind-the-scenes tour at Wētā Workshop, who created the props for movies like The Lord of the Rings (largely shot and produced in Wellington)? It’s as simple as popping into their facilities by the airport in Miramar, surrounded by cute, brightly coloured wooden houses.

What about an up-close encounter with New Zealand’s famous flightless birds? Zealandia’s a huge, tree- and babbling brook filled wildlife sanctuary within the city limits offering day and night tours.

An opportunity to slow down, breathe and find inspiration – Wellington has long been a hub for artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers – comes by traversing forested paths east of the city centre on the Miramar Peninsula, lined by leafy green ferns and towering native pōhutukawa. Sacred to the Indigenous Māori, the trees have flowers as red as rubies. As the cries of sea birds mix with rustling boughs, the crisp air borne by the salty breeze is a balm for the soul.

So, too, are the tastes – after, we pop into nearby Scorch O Rama for hot tea, flat white coffee, and freshly-baked cheese scones. The light-filled, relaxed seaside café is one of many – with more cafés and eateries per capita than New York or London, Wellington revels in its status as a foodie destination.

The diversity of its food also provides a feeling of possibility and discovery.

Tucked in Hannah’s Laneway – a former shoe factory – in the city centre is Shelly Bay Baker, a cosy café known for tasty, fresh sourdough bread, creamy, chocolate mochas, and sweet croissants with gooey almond paste inside.

The queen of the dining scene, long famed for high-end Kiwi cuisine, is Logan Brown. Inside an old bank on Cuba Street – Wellington’s Bohemian heart, evident in the Bucket Fountain, which is exactly what the name suggests – the wild Fiordland venison practically melts in the mouth.

“An opportunity to slow down, breathe and find inspiration – Wellington has long been a hub for artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers – comes by traversing forested paths east of the city centre on the Miramar Peninsula, lined by leafy green ferns and towering native pohutukawa.”

There are also visual balms. Imagine a diamond, floating above a ring – it’s not fantasy, but a creation of The Village Goldsmith known as the “Floeting® Diamond”. Celebrated by Vogue and Women’s Wear Daily among others, its creators say Wellington itself is a muse. The glimmering shop – even the lights are handmade – near the waterfront is a work of art.

Then there are the scents. A ride up the iconic red cable car from Lambton Quay leads to Fragrifert. The scents at the Victorian parfumerie, with Francesco the master perfumer even dressing the part, are handmade. With cinematic views of city and sea below, one need only describe preferences and a signature, exclusive scent can be made.

There are further possibilities nearby.

A 20-minute helicopter ride from the waterfront soars over the city and across the water to Wharekauhau Country Estate. Beloved by celebrities and royalty including the Prince and Princess of Wales, buttery-soft bedsheets and the country-manor feel are a few appeals of the property set amid sprawling farmland, where – this being New Zealand – activities include helping to muster bleating, fluffy white sheep.

A helicopter can also head about six minutes north-west to Pipinui Point. Perched atop a grassy, 250-metre cliff overlooking the pounding blue Cook Strait, dolphins and whales can be seen frolicking below. Nature walks, cliff side golf, axe throwing, clay shooting, and driving a 4×4 across rugged terrain are a few activities to satiate even the most adrenaline-hungry appetites.

Reservations are for the entire, two-bedroom cabin, including a fully stocked kitchen. While it’s possible to bring your own food, there’s a serene excitement leaving responsibilities to chef Vic Hughes, a veteran of Michelin-starred London restaurants who prepares dinner using local ingredients.

But perhaps the most soul-stirring experience comes when soaking in the cliff-side hot tub set amid native bush. Waves crash below, while sunset turns the sky pastel shades of pink, lavender, orange, and red as a golden glow fades. Then, twinkling stars emerge, so many the swirls of the Milky Way are visible.

The cabin, with king beds and rustic décor emblematic of New Zealand’s understated luxury, is steps away – but in the moment, there’s only a thrill.