In all my travelling, across dozens of countries, I had shamefully never been to New Zealand. Like everyone, I'd drooled over pictures and always listened attentively when friends returned, shouting about how it's the most beautiful place on earth and bragging about having jumped off somewhere very high — 'here, would you like to see a video?'

I didn't want to see a video. And I don't particularly like jumping. But the idea of a plane trip that took just three hours and somehow delivered me to an entirely different country which offers a rare blend of nature, richness of culture and people known for their warmth, sounded unmissable. 

So I enlisted my toddler and my mum (no convincing needed) for a long weekend in Hamilton (Kirikiriroa), New Zealand, which is just a one and a half hour drive south of Auckland.

Here is my very honest recap. 

My two-year-old Luna, my mum and I boarded an early morning flight from Sydney and were in Hamilton, New Zealand, by lunchtime. We checked into our accommodation, Novotel Tainui Hamilton, which was, to date, the best place I've ever stayed in with a toddler. We stayed in a suite with one king bed, which meant that when I put Luna to bed or down for a sleep, I could close the adjoining doors and watch television, have a shower or read my book. Breakfast was included, and every morning Luna awoke shouting 'HOBBY', which I took to mean 'lobby', and she attacked the buffet. An absolute win.

But back to day one. We were very keen to visit Hamilton Gardens, which was a nine-minute drive from the hotel. The gardens are a world-renowned attraction, and it's easy to see why — we were absolutely blown away.

Featuring 18 distinct gardens, we explored different concepts of 'paradise' including Japanese, Italian Renaissance, Ancient Egyptian and my personal favourite, the Surrealist Garden, which played with perspective through moving trees, giant gardening tools and a lawn that curved upwards at the corners like a piece of paper.

The Surrealist Garden, Hamilton Gardens. Image: Supplied.

It was this bizarre hybrid between a park and an interactive art gallery, and while I was fascinated by the Alice in Wonderland feel of the space, Luna could run around and play. The whole experience was like entering a fantasy world that my daughter could enjoy as much as mum and I did. We watched locals meditate in some gardens, tourists picnic in others, and people of all ages settle into the serenity and other-worldly beauty of this botanic garden. 

Hamilton Gardens with my toddler. Image: Supplied.

The Renaissance Garden. Image: Supplied.

By the time we'd finished, it was time for dinner, so we ducked into a local Italian restaurant which was phenomenal, and settled in for an early night. Tomorrow, we were going to a Luna-sized town — the Hobbiton™ Movie Set.

This is the part where I confess that I have never watched The Lord of the Rings despite being utterly obsessed with movies. I have no excuse and will not be taking any questions. Despite this, I was so excited to visit the largest movie set in the world, which includes 44 Hobbit Holes (houses), The Green Dragon Inn and a stunning lake. 

Only accessible via a guided tour, we arrived just before midday, before boarding a bus that shuttled us to the set. I had been slightly nervous about bringing a pram, but the entire tour was incredibly accessible, with only a handful of stairs. The scale of the set was mind-blowing, and we could not have gone during a more perfect time of year (November).

Hobbiton™ Movie Set. Image: Supplied.

I've never seen grass that green or a sky that blue. Highlights included the 'Venture Beyond The Door' experience, where we got to go inside a furnished Hobbit House, and the ridiculously friendly tour guide encouraged Luna to climb, lay on the tiny beds and play with the toys.

Luna sitting at a perfectly sized desk, inside a Hobbit House. Image: Supplied.

We also loved The Green Dragon Inn, which had one of the yummiest scones I've ever tasted, as well as a bespoke range of brews made and served only in Hobbiton™. I can confirm you do not need to have seen The Lord of the Rings to appreciate the record-breaking movie set, and the two-hour walking tour was the perfect length for us adults and the toddler.

Hobbiton™ Movie Set. Image: Supplied.

This brings us to day three, which was an opportunity to learn more about Māori culture and immerse ourselves in over 130 years of natural history.

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves are New Zealand's brightest glowworm cave experience, about an hour and 15 minutes south of where we were staying. A Māori guide met us at about 5:40 pm and began leading us through the mouth of the cave, explaining the deep Māori significance of caves as ancestral land and sacred sites. In fact, it was a local Māori leader, Chief Tane Tinorau, who first guided a European explorer through the caves in 1887, and ever since there has been enormous emphasis placed on Māori connection to and understanding of the space.

The acoustics of the cave are world-famous, and our guide explained that musicians from Katy Perry to Sting have performed inside the Waitomo Caves' Cathedral Cavern. He then sang a traditional Māori song for our tour group, which was deeply moving.

It was at this point that we were ushered onto a small boat, and silently we edged deeper into the cave, enveloping us all in darkness. Then we looked up. The ceiling appeared to be covered in thousands of stars. There was something serene, almost spiritual, about the natural wonder we were sitting within, tiny glowworms emitting a blue-green bioluminescent glow. It was nothing short of magic.

As we drove home, we reflected on how surprised we were that a long weekend away (with a toddler) could leave us feeling 100 per cent fulfilled. The diversity of the experiences, the warmth of the people and the stunning natural beauty made this trip utterly unforgettable — and one we haven't stopped recommending since we returned.

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