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Articles by Guy Needham in international magazines and newspapers. Articles ARTICLES 29 Nov 2025 Viva Valencia Sunday Star-Times “Seriously man, what are you wearing?” My friend Fernando was jacket shaming me in the Valencia arrivals hall, not-so-subtly pointing out how hot it was. “What is wrong with you?!” With mock indignation I removed my jacket – and then proceeded to sweat profusely anyway. Read More 10 Oct 2025 The making of a pencil case Substack A pencil case, keeper of memories and three-way pens, lives in that no-mans-land of utilitarian nostalga and scholastic glory. In Lisbon, a city known for its leatherwork, a pencil case is much more than a convenient carrier; it’s a culmination of artisanal training, pre-cut patterns and naked flame. Read More 29 Sept 2025 Magical Māpua The Press We’d been in the village for less than half an hour before we were propositioned. Usually, I’m a little wary of strangers inviting me to their house but the tall man in the grey hoodie insisted. “It’s only three minutes away,” he said with a straight face and slight accent. “You should come.” So we slowly followed him down the road. Read More 23 Jun 2025 Opening up Angola The Post My guide turned to me. “I’m lonely,” he said. Oh OK, this is going to be an interesting trip. “No, no, that is my name. My Bantu name is Uliwa which means Lonely. I have no idea why my mother called me that, I have seven brothers and sisters!” And so began a weeklong friendship of Angolan stories and Afropop beats in the cabin of a Hilux. Read More 6 Jul 2024 Asia's overlooked Gem Copy Sunday Star-Times “The Pope, The Pope!” A construction worker was vigourously waving his arms and yelling at me. “The Pope, no entrada!” Seeing my obvious confusion, he came running over and introduced himself by way of tattooed name on his forearm. Pito explained that the attraction I had come to see, was closed, in preparation for a visit from the Pontiff. Read More 19 Mar 2024 Why Bluff is the New Hotspot you must Visit New Zealand Herald The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance. Bluff is one of the oldest settlements in New Zealand but rather than resting on its oyster laurels its quickly becoming a destination of its own. Read More 5 Mar 2024 Cruising down the Highway 35 New Zealand Herald I first saw it through a 1973 Holden Belmont station wagon’s smoke-stained window. Staring back at 11-year-old me was a blue and yellow sign: ‘Pig Dog Training School / Bookbinder’. Located just outside of Torere, Joshua Kauta’s iconic landmark still stands, symbolising the next 300 kilometres. Known yet mysterious, friendly yet wary, this is the East Coast. Read More 16 Feb 2024 Wayang Kulit Makers of Java The Jungle Journal Indonesia’s centuries-old shadow puppet-making tradition as practiced by artisans today Read More 24 Jan 2024 The Last Great Hunter Gatherers The Travel Almanac The leader reaches in between the freshly cut, drooping skin and through to the open organ cavity. Twisting his hand with a precision that only comes with age, he pulls out the bloody liver. The baboon dripping in front of him will be dinner, and perhaps breakfast, for the four families gathered under the ledge. Read More 14 Dec 2023 A Horim The Travel Almanac Deep in the Baliem Valley of Indonesia’s Papua region, size really does matter. The Dani tribe, first discovered by air in 1938 and still isolated in the mountains today, are known for a particular appendage: the horim. Read More 8 Nov 2023 A Spell in Salem New Zealand Herald “Salem has 400 years of history, yet all people want to talk about was the single worst year we ever had”. Our gregarious Witch City Walking Tour guide, Sean, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, introduced us to what put this Massachusetts town on the map – the Salem Witch Trials. Read More 1 Nov 2023 The Land of the Toraja Otago Daily Times As I left the room, I respectfully bowed my head and thanked my host, Tanjkeara. His wife, Francisca, who I had met at a cock fight had invited me into their home, impressing upon me that her husband spoke English, Dutch and Bahasa. As it was Tanjkeara didn’t say much - he hadn’t since he had died three years ago. Read More 25 Oct 2023 Falling for New England New Zealand Herald As the road softly curved under a canopy of maples, rusty reds and golden yellows tumbled to the ground. A solitary man, belt braces strapped over his checked shirt, stood out against the wall of crimson trees. Tailgate down on his Chevy pickup, twin American flags bookending his sign, his bottles of homemade liquid sweetness magnified the sun’s rays. Read More 9 Aug 2023 Hidden Gisborne New Zealand Herald The runway was approaching and we still didn’t have clearance. We’d reduced speed but the control tower was looming closer. Suddenly we got the green light. “There it is,” pointed Geoff, “Up in the tower”. Sure enough, a green light beamed back at us, permission to continue on the railway that cuts through Gisborne’s airport. Read More 22 Mar 2022 Palliser and Pinnacles New Zealand Herald “38!!” laughed Alison, when I asked her the population of Ngawi, the small fishing village we’d just set out from. We were aboard the fishing vessel Elan skippered by her husband Andrew, who had generously agreed to take me for ‘a spin around the point’. Read More 26 Jan 2020 Peru Navidad Sunday Star-Times Marden was ashen, it was obvious that the poison was starting to take effect. I knew what would happen next – the toxins making their way into his bloodstream, then his glands and finally hitting his central nervous system. With a small first aid kit there was nothing I could do. Not that he wanted me to. Read More 13 Oct 2019 Barcelona Nights New Zealand Herald “Li-ber-tat! Li-ber-tat!” The chant was sweeping across the square like a Catalan wave. The crowd ignored the soaring heat to remind the world that their pro-independence leaders were still in exile or jail. “Libertat-del-presos-politics!!” Read More 21 Aug 2019 Disappointing a Nun New Zealand Herald Vasillia gently touched my arm and leant in. “You are an Orthodox at heart,” she whispered, her eyes lighting up. “Yes, yes, I can see it inside you!” For the first time in my life I had to disappoint a nun. Read More 11 Dec 2018 Kenya's Lion Warriors New Zealand Herald "Um, aren’t we a little low?!” shouted my fellow passenger over the Cessna’s engine. She was right of course, we were only 50 metres above the ground and below us impala were scattering everywhere. “No, of course not,” I reassured her while secretly enjoying a personal ‘Out of Africa’ moment as she gripped the armrest. Read More 6 Apr 2018 Colour in the Streets Get Lost Magazine I was warned about getting shot in Colombia. The balaclava, reflective sunglasses and combat fatigues in the southern city of Pasto were a giveaway. I should have just run. Instead, I'm hit twice - not with bullets but with white foam shooting out of a canister by a 12-year old boy shouting “Viva Pasto!” Read More 25 Feb 2018 When Two Worlds Collide Sunday Star-Times “Smash it on the head” yelled Geranio, our guide. “Quick!” The freshly caught piranha was flip-flopping in a desperate attempt to get back to water, sharp teeth biting at air as I brought a rotting stick down upon its head. Minewa, a 60-year old local tribesman, added it to his string of dead fish and smiled at me. “Now you are a warrior!’”, laughed Geranio. Read More 24 Oct 2017 The Mentawai of Indonesia New Zealand Herald “Hold on, I just need to scrape something off…” My guide had removed his gumboot and was reaching for a knife. Slowly he sliced the blade down his leg to remove the blood sucking leech that had attached itself to him. “Welcome to Mentawai!” he said with a broad grin. Read More 12 Jun 2017 Guiding Principles New Zealand Herald Even the most ardent solo traveller at some stage will need a guide - someone who knows their cantons from their arrondissements better than you do. I’ve used more than 20 guides around the world, from well-known tour companies to random taxi drivers, so here are a few simple tips that might help you out. Read More 2 May 2017 Where the Ocean meets the Sky New Zealand Herald “In the olden days,” began Apinelu, a tone of longing in his voice, “it was never this hot. Never. Now everything has changed, not just the sea.” It was a very still 33° and my earlobes were sweating. Welcome to the small island nation of Tuvalu. Read More 3 May 2016 Deep in the Heart of Texas New Zealand Herald Y’all not from round here, are ya? Ain’t nobody drinks Budddd. This is Shiner Bock country, sir.” And with that the barman passed over a golden-labelled bottle of ale. I was in Luckenbach, Texas, population 3, a small town in the Hill Country west of San Antonio. Read More 2 Feb 2016 On Safari in the Masaii Mara Sunday Star-Times The lion was just metres away now. “Look, he’s trying to find some shade so the meat doesn’t rot quickly,” whispered my guide, Nicholas. In the big cat’s mouth was a Maasai calf, being unceremoniously dragged across the plain towards a desert date tree. It was nature at its primeval best in Kenya’s most famous game park. Read More 12 Jan 2016 Better than a Band Aid New Zealand Herald “Don’t worry ‘bout a thing, cause every little thing, gonna be al-riiight…” It seemed only appropriate that Bob Marley blared out the front of the pick-up as we bounced along the dirt road. After all, this was the country of Emperor Haile Selassie, recognised by Rastafarians as the Massiah of African Redemption and head of their religion. Read More 4 Jun 2015 Why Albania Let's Travel “Why Albania?” “Why not?” “What have they done to us?” “What have they done for us?” “Nothing….” “See, they keep to themselves. Shifty. Untrustable.” Read More 26 Apr 2015 The Strangest Town in Australia Sunday Star-Times We both looked up. It was a strange sound, obviously unfamiliar to my host. “When was the last time it rained here?” I asked. A pause. “Um… this is the first time this year. Might settle the dust though,” said Nick laconically. Perhaps a good omen to mark the centenary of what some would say is Australia’s strangest town. Read More 5 Feb 2015 Off-grid Ocean Journey New Zealand Herald “When the alarm goes you grab this,” Officer Cadet Dusan said as he pointed to my lifejacket. “And this.” An orange survival suit. “We muster on C Deck, starboard side.” I didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing that my welcome was bringing up Titanic-like thoughts. Read More 12 Feb 2013 Leap of Faith The Press Oh my god, he’s going to do it!” screeched the American teenager to my left. Sure enough with a quick wave to the crowd, a furtive glance downwards and a tuck of the pants, over he leapt. One of Mostar’s bridge-jumpers had just taken the plunge into the icy Neretva River below. I’d just witnessed something that wasn’t possible two decades before. Read More 17 Jan 2013 An Eye on Hvar Horizons Dominion Post A car’s side mirror on a plinth. Next to it, a mounted set of papier mache breasts. Between them, a hanging axe. I was standing in front of one of the world’s strangest – and strangely inviting – exhibitions. Read More 13 May 2011 Spires of Patagonia The Press Before you pull out the atlas, a word of warning: Patagonia isn’t officially a 'place' as such. Rather it’s the name given to an area spanning southern Argentina and Chile, and everything you have heard about it – barren, windswept, sparse and beautiful – is true. Read More 26 Apr 2011 Brazil Rediscovered Que Magazine We clap our hands for many things, but until this year I’d never actually applauded the sun going down – that is, until I was at Ipanema. Read More 11 Mar 2011 A Flying Visit Let's Travel It might not have been the largest plane in the world but it certainly was the friendliest. As we disembarked to the hot sticky tarmac, the pilot literally poked his head out of the cockpit to say “bye” to each of us, adding a cheery “Welcome to Gizzy!” Read More 28 Oct 2010 The Greatest Train Journey in the World The Press Platform 3, Beijing Railway Station. And there she was - the fabled Trans-Siberian, ready to take me on the longest train journey in the world. A surreal three countries, five time zones and 8300km of steppe, snow and stations lay ahead... but first of all there was Beijing. Read More 14 Apr 2009 Morocco in Focus New Zealand Herald When you're in Morocco colour is inescapable. The contrasts, hues and shades that make up this North African country are evident from the moment you land. Travelling through the country is an unbelievably vivid experience, an intoxicating blend of colours, photo opportunities mixed with spicy smells and the strange sounds of a foreign land. Read More 10 Feb 2009 A Date with Hizbollah Real Travel For years the name Beirut evoked images of a vicious civil war and a hotspot of clashing cultures. It’s been a while since tourists flocked to the ‘Paris of the Middle East’, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered a Lebanon of high class fashion, vibrant beauty, worldly citizens and some of the most amazing nightlife in the Middle East. Read More see tear sheets >

Latest news and updates from Guy Needham. LATEST NEWS 8 Jan 2026 2006 for the Vatwa 2026 has been a big year for the Vatwa of Angola already - appearing in Rome and Boston - and now getting ready for Melbourne in April Read More 29 Nov 2025 Jacket-shaming in Valencia In today's Sunday Star-Times you can read all about how Valencia is once again the hot place to travel in Spain - full of modernism, tradition, siestas and art. Read More 28 Oct 2025 Kanamutico meets Boston A portrait of Kanamutico of the Vatwa tribe will be on display in the US for the first time, as part of the Griffin Museum of Photography's Winter Solstice exhibition. Read More 21 Oct 2025 Behind the scenes in Lisbon In Lisbon, a city known for its leatherwork, a pencil case is much more than a convenient carrier; it’s a culmination of artisanal training, pre-cut patterns and naked flame... Read More 14 Oct 2025 Ciao Vatwa The Vatwa will be popping up in Rome at the Galleria Arte Roma Design in early January 2026. Read More 6 Oct 2025 The Vatwa go to Melbourne Melbourne's Ladder Art Space will be showing the Vatwa exhibition as part of their 2026 programme, bringing to Australia one of Angola's most intriguing tribes. Read More 28 Sept 2025 Māpua Magic This week The Press featured my article on Māpua, a pocket of paradise on the Waimea Inlet 30 minutes from Nelson, that blends natural encounters with artisan flair and friendly style. Read More 23 Sept 2025 Exposição os Dani Guy Needham's inaugural exhibition in Portugal, Os Dani, opened in Lisboa this weekend hosted by PsiRelacional and Incubator Photo Gallery. Read More 6 Sept 2025 The Dani go to Portugal Guy Needham's first exhibition in Portugal brings The Dani of Papua to Lisbon, courtesy of Incubator Gallery Read More 19 Aug 2025 Lubango Local chosen for Athens An image of a just-emptied train carriage at a railway station on the outskirts of Lubango, Angola, has been selected for a global travel exhibition in Athens, Greece. Read More 8 Jul 2025 Thinking clouds Fieldfare - a print journal celebrating our connection to place with a longer, slower read - recently published its favourite reader travel photos on Substack. Mine was one of them... Read More 20 Jun 2025 Opening up Angola This week in The Post is my story about the new Angola - a country made rich by oil, gas, gold and diamonds, that has a tumultuous recent history and is now on a path to attract more tourists... Read More 2 Jan 2025 First Rodeo in the World This week Guy Needham went along with thousands of others to watch the first rodeo to be held in the world each year, the Warkworth Rodeo... Read More 3 Aug 2024 More in Timor-Leste Today's Sunday Star-Times features my latest travel article, this one on Asia's youngest country. From fish on a stick to preparing to the Pope, read about what makes this country between Indonesia and Australia so special. Read More 5 Jul 2024 Working with Red Cross CVTL Last week Guy Needham joined Bin Sar of On Shoot Timor-Leste in the Timorese region of Covalima to deliver a three-day photography and communications training session to Red Cross CVTL Timor-Leste... Read More 4 Mar 2024 Not the Bluff you think you know Pick up a copy of the New Zealand Herald's Travel magazine for my latest story on Bluff. The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance... Read More 3 Jan 2024 Yellowstone meets Warkworth The Warkworth Rodeo, held north of Auckland New Zealand, didn't disappoint with its annual gathering of cowboys and cowgirls. Read More 22 Dec 2023 The Last Great Hunter-Gatherers "The leader reaches in between the freshly cut, drooping skin and through to the open organ cavity. Twisting his hand with a precision that only comes with age, he pulls out the bloody liver." Read More 4 Dec 2023 Java's sacred Shadow Puppets The Jungle Journal has just published Guy Needham's photo essay on the wayang kulit, Indonesia’s centuries-old shadow puppet tradition. Read More 10 Nov 2023 NZ Camera 2023 Lokop Mabel, one of the elders of the Dani tribe in Papua's Anemoigi village, features in NZ Camera 2023. Read More 24 Oct 2023 Falling for New England Want to know the best way to sell maple syrup in Vermont? Or where to go for the annual pumpkin' chuckin' contest? Read More 27 Sept 2023 The Dani come to Auckland In Guy Needham's first New Zealand show in three years, The Dani is now showing at The Grey Place in Auckland. Read More 17 Sept 2023 On show in Barcelona Europe's first showing of The Dani is now live at Barcelona's Fotonostrum Gallery, accompanied by background on the tribe itself. Read More 10 Sept 2023 Lokop Mabel wins Portrait Award Lokop Mabel of The Dani tribe has won another award, this time the Portrait category in the international Shoot The Frame competition. Read More 20 Jul 2023 The Huli at Webb's Webb's upcoming Material Culture auction, a celebration of the mastery and skill of indigenous artists and their craft, will feature images from The Hull of Papua New Guinea. Read More 9 May 2023 Domi Logo goes to Athens An image of Domi Logo, one of the elders of the Dani tribe, has been selected for an international Portraits exhibition in Athens, Greece. Read More 9 Mar 2023 Photographers for Ukraine Guy Needham and a number of photographers worldwide have joined together to raise funds for UNICEF Ukraine via Portugal's Incubator Gallery. Read More 30 Nov 2022 Yunita Mabel wins Bronze Fresh off winning the Portrait award for Shoot The Frame, and ashowing at the Indian Photography Festival, this image of Yunita Mabel has just won Bronze at the Budapest International Foto Awards. Read More 15 Nov 2022 From Papua to Boston Boston's Griffin Museum of Photography will be the first United States gallery to feature one of the Dani tribe from Indonesia's Papua region. Read More 11 Sept 2022 Aman Ipai honoured in Vienna A monochromatic portrait of Aman Ipai, one of the Mentawai of Indonesia, has been selected for the Vienna International Photo Awards. Read More 5 Sept 2022 Two Dani in Scotland Two images of Dani elders taken outside their pilamo or men's hut, have been selected for the Glasgow Gallery of Photography's Portraits exhibition. Read More 30 Aug 2022 Hadzabe Girl wins Silver Hadzabe Girl has won Silver at the prestigious 2022 Prix de la Photographie de Paris in France. Read More 8 Jul 2022 Yunita Mabel wins Shoot The Frame A portrait of a young Dani woman, Yunita Mabel, from the Papua region of Indonesia has won the Portrait Award for Shoot The Frame. Read More 14 Jun 2022 The Dani go to the USA An image of a Mika Logo, a boy from the Dani tribe in the Papua region of Indonesia, has been selected for Praxis Gallery's international Portraits exhibition. Read More 22 Mar 2022 Palliser & Pinnacles Check out the cover story of today's Herald Travel section to read all about New Zealand's only red-and-white striped lighthouse, the country's biggest fur seal colony... Read More 8 Dec 2021 Carnaval in Suitcase Magazine The latest issue of travel + culture magazine SUITCASE features a photo essay of images Guy Needham took at the Carnaval de Blancos y Negros. Read More 25 Sept 2021 6th Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography December sees The Hadzabe of Tanzania continue its world tour in Barcelona, as part of the 6th Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography. Read More 13 Sept 2021 La Mercè selected for US exhibition La Mercè, an image taken for a New Zealand Herald article, has been selected for Praxis Gallery's International Juried Photography Exhibition. Read More 7 May 2021 Opening Night in Melbourne Last night saw the opening of The Hadzabe of Tanzania in Melbourne, Australia, where guests found out about the Hadzabe's traditional nomadic lifestyle of dirt, baboons and clicks. Read More 23 Apr 2021 Six Tribes donates to Barcelona Following its inaugural showing at Atelier Güell, a limited number of Six Tribes prints will be on show in Barcelona from April 24 to May 15 at the gallery. Read More 21 Apr 2021 Tales of the Unwritten Nashi Boy, as featured in Metro magazine and the Royal Photographic Society's The Decisive Moment, has been selected for a street photography book and exhibition in Italy. Read More 9 Apr 2021 Hadzabe Girl at Center for Photographic Art Fresh on the back of winning silver in the 2020 SGIPA International Photography Awards, Hadzabe Girl has been selected from amongst 2000 submissions to be part of the Center of Photographic Art's 2021 Juried Exhibition Read More 16 Nov 2020 Hadzabe Girl wins Silver Hadzabe Girl, a Dickenesque portrait taken in the Laye Eyasi district of Tanzania, has been announced as one of the winners in the 2020 SGIPA International Photography Awards. Read More 19 Oct 2020 Samburu Opening Night Hundreds of people made it along to the inaugural showing of the Samburu of Kenya on the Opening Night and throughout Auckland Artweek. Read More 3 Oct 2020 The Samburu on RNZ National On RNZ National Guy Needham joins Colin Peacock to discuss his work and the intimate portraits he created of the Samburu tribe in northern Kenya. Read More 2 Oct 2020 Aman Ipai overlooks Florida Aman Ipai, also known as 'The Mentawai Smoker' is being shown as part of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts' exhibition this month. Read More 19 Sept 2020 The Hadzabe in Portrait Magazine Portrait Magazine, a digital publication dedicated to portrait photography, has chosen The Hadzabe of Tanzania to be featured in its latest issue amongst six other photographic projects. Read More 21 Aug 2020 Flowers for Basel A select group of images from "There are always flowers (for those who want to see them) - Henri Matisse" will be making an appearance in a virtual exhibition in Basel, Switzerland. Read More 20 Aug 2020 New Zealand Camera 2020 Hadzabe Girl has been included in the just-released 2020 New Zealand Camera Book. Read More 4 Jul 2020 Lake Tekapo X Los Angeles A photo taken at sunrise at New Zealand's Lake Tekapo has been selected for the upcoming The Golden Hour exhibition at the Auburn Art Gallery in Los Angeles. Read More 2 Jun 2020 Hadzabe Kudu in F-Stop magazin Online photography magazine F-Stop has included two of the Hadzabe series in its June issue - Hadzabe Boy and Hadzabe Kudu. Read More 14 Apr 2020 Goroka Boy goes to the United States Goroka Boy, an image taken in the central Highlands of Papua New Guinea, has been selected for Praxis Gallery's international juried Portraits exhibition. Read More 3 Apr 2020 There are always flowers "There are always flowers (for those who want to see them) - Henri Matisse" is a series designed to bring light to the dark days of Coronavirus. Read More 20 Jan 2020 Jaguars in the Jungle In this coming weekend's Sunday Star-Times you can read all about how I helplessly watched on as my guide was slowly poisoned... Read More 4 Dec 2019 LA Center of Photography Member of the Month Guy Needham has been selected as LACP's Member of the Month for his Tribal series. Read More 16 Nov 2019 Hadzabe Girl in Budapest Next week Hadzabe Girl appears as part of a group exhibition to be held at Budapest's Ferencvárosi Művelődési Központ. Read More 5 Nov 2019 Kilts meet Kudu Two of Guy Needham's indigenous portraits, Hadzabe Smoker (wearing a kudu skin) from the Hadzabe of Tanzania series, and Final Touches from The Huli of Papua New Guinea, will go on show for the first time in the UK. Read More 8 Oct 2019 Tower to the People "Squinting up, we could make out a young girl in a red helmet scrambling towards the top. The crowd was told to shush. Plaça de Sant Juame fell silent as we held our collective breath..." Read More 28 Sept 2019 First Place win in Florida Hadzabe Girl has taken away 1st Place in the People & Portraits category at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. Read More 19 Sept 2019 Six Tribes opens in Barcelona On the back of its first showing in Athens, Six Tribes opens in Barcelona tomorrow night in the historic Raval area. Read More 18 Aug 2019 Castles in the Sky If you want to read about why I disappointed a Nun while gazing out from ancient monasteries perched atop towering pinnacles of rock in Meteora, Greece, pick up a copy of this Tuesday's New Zealand Herald. Read More 30 May 2019 Shoot The Frame book out now Two of Guy Needham's portraits - Aman Teutagougou and Hadzabe Smoker - grace the pages of the latest Shoot The Frame photobook. Read More 29 May 2019 The Hadzabe opens in Auckland The sixth instalment of Guy Needham's tribal series opened in Auckland last night to a packed Grey gallery. Read More 23 May 2019 Monochrome in Hungary Aman Ipai, one of the lead images in The Mentawai of Indonesia series, has been selected as part of a group Monochrome exhibition to be held in Budapest next month. Read More 17 Apr 2019 Der Letzte Schliff geht nach Berlin Final Touches, from The Huli of Papua New Guinea series, is making an appearance at Berlin's Jarvis Dooney gallery throughout April. Read More 15 Apr 2019 Judging for Crete Guy Needham has been selected as one of the international jury for the upcoming Chania International Photo Festival. Read More 23 Feb 2019 Auckland Festival of Photography Guy Needham's The Hadzabe of Tanzania has been selected for the Core programme of this year's Auckland Festival of Photography. Read More 9 Feb 2019 Greece welcomes Éxi Fylés Last night Éxi Fylés (six tribes) opened at the Blank Wall Gallery in Athens, with a show-and-tell opening night. Read More 19 Jan 2019 First Peoples in D-Photo magazine Pick up a copy of the latest D-Photo magazine to read the feature article about my time with the Hadzabe of Tanzania Read More 11 Dec 2018 Pride of Kenya If you want to know about drinking goat's blood and tracking lions, pick up a copy of today's New Zealand Herald. Read More 4 Dec 2018 The Hadzabe go to the US Hadzabe Smoker, the lead image of The Hadzabe of Tanzania series, will have its US debut next month in the SE Center for Photography. Read More 26 Sept 2018 The Hamar in Vermont Vermont's PhotoPlace Gallery has selected one of Guy Needham's Hamar of Ethiopia images for its upcoming Travel exhibition. Read More 14 Jul 2018 PhotoKina Germany Final Touches, the lead image of Guy Needham's The Huli of Papua New Guinea series, will be on show at PhotoKina in Cologne, Germany this September. Read More 27 Jun 2018 LA meets Siberut Aman Ipai, one of the feature images of Guy Needham's The Mentawai of Indonesia series, has been selected by the Los Angeles Centre of Photography for a group exhibition. Read More 26 Jun 2018 Urban 2018 Photo Awards Guy Needham's Shades of Otara has been chosen as a Selected Series in the dotArt Urban 2018 Photo Awards out of 4,460 photos and 272 portfolios from around the world. Read More 25 Jun 2018 Chania International Photography Festival Two of Guy Needham's images from his Mentawai tribal series will be part of the inaugural Chania International Photography festival in Crete. Read More 5 Jun 2018 Huli Boy in Dutch exhibition This walking dichotomy of a young Huli boy - is he turning his back on a traditional way of life, or walking towards his future - has been selected by Rotterdam's Galerie Sehnsucht as part of its Wanderlust exhibition. Read More 15 May 2018 Resting at London Photo Festival The feature image of the Shades of Otara series is on show this week at the 2018 London Photo Festival. Read More 9 May 2018 Viva La Fiesta! The featured 'Postcard' in the latest Lonely Planet Traveller is a shot taken by Guy Needham at Colombia's Carnaval of The Blacks and Whites. Read More 8 May 2018 The Mentawai opens in Sydney The third of Guy Needham's tribal series, The Mentawai of Indonesia, is now on show in Sydney as part of Australia's Head On Photo Festival. Read More 16 Apr 2018 A Different Aspect of Reality Two of the images from The Mentawai will be shown in Athens, Greece this month as part of an international group Portraits exhibition. Read More 9 Mar 2018 Otara in the Royal Photographic Society Journal One of the most defining images of the Shades of Otara series is spotlit in this month's Royal Photographic Society's Journal. Read More 25 Feb 2018 Warriors with wi-fi The lead travel story in today's Sunday Star-Times is my experience of meeting the Waorani tribe in the Ecuadorian Amazon - and what I did not expect. Read More 25 Jan 2018 Carnaval in the Bogota Post Colombia's Bogota Post has selected an image taken by Guy Needham at the recent Carnaval de Negros y Blancos for its front page. Read More 16 Jan 2018 Colours of Colombia "All the fun of the fiesta in Latin America" is captured on the cover of the latest New Zealand Herald travel magazine. Read More 12 Jan 2018 Head on Photo Festival The third of Guy Needham's tribal series, The Mentawai of Indonesia, will be shown as part of the Head On Photo Festival in Australia this year. Read More 12 Dec 2017 The AFAR Guide to Auckland Want to know more about visiting New Zealand's 'City of Sails'? Check out this guide on AFAR.com that I locally edited, to find out the best places to stay, where to eat & drink, what to do, and of course, where to shop. Read More 24 Oct 2017 Living with the Mentawai If you'd like to know what it's really like living with an ancient tribe in the equatorial rainforest check out my latest article in the New Zealand Herald to find out about coping with leeches, rotting wood, poison arrows and medicine men. Read More 13 Sept 2017 Royal Photographic Society meets Otara The Royal Photographic Society, one of the world's premium photography institutions, is featuring a gallery of Shades of Otara on their website. Read More 19 Jul 2017 The Mentawai in D-Photo Magazine In an exclusive interview with D-Photo magazine Guy Needham talks about the lengths he went to to get the shots for his upcoming exhibition, The Mentawai of Indonesia. Read More 4 May 2017 Digital Photo Magazine's photo of the Day One of the images in the upcoming exhibition, The Mentawai of Indonesia, has featured in the US magazine Digital Photo as their Photo of the Day. Read More 2 May 2017 That Sinking Feeling “It’s fair to say that Tuvalu is unlike any other islands you’re likely to visit: small, isolated, beautiful, sleepy and sinking." Read More 15 Oct 2016 Colour Nature II released Guy Needham's latest project, a departure from his tribal work, has just been released for sale as Colour Nature (II). Read More 5 Aug 2016 The Hamar opens in Auckland The Hamar of Ethiopia opened last night in Auckland with Guy Needham sharing stories about Ethiopia and talking about the concept behind the exhibition. Read More 3 May 2016 Lone Star State of Mind “Y’all not from round here, are ya? Ain’t nobody drinks Buuuud." Ever wondered what it's like in a true cowboy town in southern Texas? Read More 14 Apr 2016 On cultural awareness Last night Guy Needham spoke at the North Shore Photographic Society about his travel photography experiences and his recent Shades of Otara exhibition. Read More 19 Jan 2016 Here to Help Guy Needham's latest article about voluntourism in Ethiopia is the cover story of the New Zealand Herald's travel section. Read More 23 Oct 2015 Issues around Permission Last night Guy Needham spoke at the Auckland Photographic Society about his travel photography experiences and his recent Shades of Otara exhibition. Read More 21 Oct 2015 Goroka selected for UK Portrait Salon The UK Portrait Salon has accepted ‘Goroka’ by Guy Needham, into the 2015 exhibition to be held in London in November. Read More 8 Jul 2015 Winner of National Geographic Traveller Competition An image taken in the highlands of Papua New Guinea by Guy Needham has won National Geographic Traveller magazine's "Colour My World" photography competition. Read More 4 Jun 2015 Why Albania “Why Albania?” “Why not?” “What have they done to us?” “What have they done for us?” “Nothing….” “See, they keep to themselves. Shifty. Untrustable.” Read More 1 Jun 2015 Shades of Otara opens Guy Needham's latest solo exhibition, Shades of Otara, opened this week at Studio One in Auckland. Read More 13 May 2015 Interview with The Photographers' Mail Adrian Hatwell of D-Photo magazine and The Photographers' Mail sat down to discuss Guy Needham's upcoming solo exhibition, Shades of Otara. Read More 26 Apr 2015 The Strangest Town in Australia We both looked up. It was a strange sound, obviously unfamiliar to my host. “When was the last time it rained here?” I asked. A pause. “Um… this is the first time this year. Might settle the dust though,” said Nick laconically. Perhaps a good omen to mark the centenary of what some would say is Australia’s strangest town. Read More 26 Apr 2015 The Strangest Town in Australia Guy Needham's latest travel article has featured in the Sunday Star-Times, about Australia's Strangest Town. Read More 5 Feb 2015 Off-grid Ocean Journey “When the alarm goes you grab this,” Officer Cadet Dusan said as he pointed to my lifejacket. “And this.” An orange survival suit. “We muster on C Deck, starboard side.” I didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing that my welcome was bringing up Titanic-like thoughts. Read More 3 Feb 2015 Off-Grid Ocean Journey Guy Needham's latest photo expedition, on a freighter across the Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean has featured in the New Zealand Herald's travel section. Read More 14 Nov 2014 Shades of Otara to show at Studio One Studio One in Ponsonby has confirmed that Shades of Otara - a documentary series three years in the making - will be exhibited from 25 May next year. Read More 19 Oct 2014 Photographers Meet Up group Last night Guy Needham shared his tips on safety, planning, gear and marketing with 25 other photographers at the Image Centre Meet Up group. Read More 7 Sept 2014 Someone Else's World Guy Needham's tips on preparing for overseas photoshoots is part of this month's D-Photo Magazine article on "Someone Else's World". Read More 14 Jul 2014 Colour Nature opens Guy Needham's next exhibition, Colour // Nature will be hosted by Auckland's Grand Rendezvous Hotel. Read More 1 Jul 2014 Dalmatian Cultural Society's Open Day Guy Needham's People of The Balkans exhibition is having its second showing, this time at the Dalmatian Cultural Society's Open Day in September 2014. Read More 4 Jun 2014 Opening Night for The Huli Last night saw the opening of The Huli of Papua New Guineaas part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. Read More 27 May 2014 Splendid Isolation in D-Photo magazine Guy Needham was recently interviewed by D:Photo Magazine. Read More 20 May 2014 Presentation on the Huli On Tuesday 3rd June at 6pm Guy Needham, will be talking at the opening of his latest exhibition, The Huli of Papua New Guinea. Read More 1 May 2014 Story of the Creative Some of Guy Needham's images marking the 20th anniversary of the 90s wars in the Balkans recently featured in a New York City digital exhibition, The Story of The Creative. Read More 14 Apr 2013 People of the Balkans Guy Needham's People of The Balkans solo exhibition opened yesterday at The Photographer's Gallery in Napier. Read More NEWS

Guy Needham is an international photographer noted for his work with indigenous tribes, who primarily draws on themes of culture, identity and place. The vatwa of angola The vatwa of angola The vatwa of angola The vatwa of angola

< Back A Different Aspect of Reality 16 Apr 2018 Two of the images from The Mentawai will be shown in Athens, Greece this month as part of an international group Portraits exhibition. Curated by Blank Wall Gallery, the show is designed to "express a different aspect of reality" and features a select number of images from around the world. It will be on display from April 20th though to May 3rd. < Previous Next >

A car’s side mirror on a plinth. Next to it, a mounted set of papier mache breasts. Between them, a hanging axe. I was standing in front of one of the world’s strangest – and strangely inviting – exhibitions. < Back An Eye on Hvar Horizons Dominion Post 17 Jan 2013 A car’s side mirror on a plinth. Next to it, a mounted set of papier mache breasts. Between them, a hanging axe. I was standing in front of one of the world’s strangest – and strangely inviting – exhibitions. Zagreb’s Museum of Broken Relationships wasn’t quite the Croatia I was expecting when I set out to discover how the country had fared since the Balkans wars. It had been 20 years since the former Yugoslavia imploded and I was keen to understand the changes to Croatia’s people, culture and outlook from that tumultuous time. Although the country didn’t suffer the destruction wrought on Bosnia it still bore signs of conflict, including where we began our journey, Dubrovnik. “The jewel of the Adriatic” is indeed a picture perfect city. Dubrovnik, with its whitewashed walls, melt-between-the-toes sand and boats bobbing on a crystal harbour, is a camera-magnet. The UNESCO-protected city was shelled indiscriminately during The Homeland War (as it’s known in Croatia) for no real strategic reason; today it’s the shiploads of tourists who pose the most danger. Far from being overwhelmed, the locals handle it well, catering to the masses with a gelato bar on every corner and postcards for sale within arm’s reach. Determined to be in central Dubrovnik we rented an apartment just off the main Stradun. It wasn’t hard to live like locals: drying washing on the pull-line above the narrow street and ducking out to grab a bottle of Grk when supplies got low. Nights were spent eating whole fish; days exploring the city’s galleries. Walking the old town walls was a must-do (hint: go in the morning before the masses arrive), and looking down from Mt Srd at sunset gave me a new appreciation of renaissance architecture. For my friend who preferred liquid meals, the Buza bars on the walled cliffs were the highlight. For me it was the War Photo Limited exhibition put on by a New Zealander, Wade Goddard – a moving record of what Croatia went through between 1991-1995. Dubrovnik is the gateway to Croatia’s hundreds of islands, the most legendary party one being Hvar. Little touched (or troubled it seems) by past history, Hvar is one of the few places in the world where you can order breakfast cocktails and then not move until midnight. The town’s buzz was nearly palpable with a cacophony of calls from the marketplace. “You English, You English” beckoned the smiling mouth with the gold teeth, her hands dangling a lace creation. After the customary exchange, it was Hvala (thanks) then off to her next customer. Moving on ourselves, we started the climb to Hvar’s Citadel and were rewarded with a fantastic view of the harbour. The castle itself built in the 1500s is a permanent reminder that peace has never been easy for this part of the world. Hvar is one of the few places in the world where you can order breakfast cocktails and then not move until midnight. If there was one city that reflects how many times Croatia has been invaded, conquered, pillaged and annexed, it would be Split. Spalato (as the Italians called it when it was theirs) was built on resilience. With the ruins of Roman Emperor Diocletian’s palace forming the centre of the town, Split’s slower pace is the counterbalance to Dubrovnik’s franticness. We found the people more welcoming, less harried and, dare I say it, prouder of their city and its history. Not that they dwell on the past; the locals were quick to point out that Split is now known for its gourmet food. In this town where al fresco on the Riva is a rite of passage, roasted mushrooms dripping with balsamic atop a seabed of rice seemed only right. For all of Split’s epicural delights though, it was natural beauty that beckoned us. A few hours north of Split are Plitvice Lakes, a world heritage park of impossibly-coloured lakes criss-crossed by wooden boardwalks. Fed by hundreds of falls and scattered with autumn leaves, the lakes presented a surreal Monet-esque vista. We spent four hours exploring the park – which is so large it has its own ferries and tourist trains – and that wasn’t long enough. Protected by man for the enjoyment of others, Plitvice was a literally a breath of fresh air on our journey to the capital, Zagreb. Far from Tito’s socialist dream Zagreb today is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. If food rules in Split, then coffee is king in Zagreb. Black, strong, pure and not for the fainthearted. Only a town drip-fed on caffeine could have a Monday night like this one: the pedestrianised Tkalciceva street throbbing as bands competed with DJs to capture the fickle crowd. As we watched teenagers pile off the urbanised tram system in the city’s main square I realised many of them hadn’t lived through what we’d seen on the TV news every night. Zagreb too was touched by war and yet there was little sign that it had ever happened. If anything, the independence that followed gave them permission to celebrate their unique past. New galleries, statues, theatres and museums have all sprung up in the last two decades … including the novel Museum of Broken Relationships. Originally a travelling exhibition, the collection now includes the weird, the wonderful, the sad and the funny. In a way it is a metaphor for leaving the past behind them. So, has the country moved on since the war? Absolutely. Croatia’s islands are once again attracting the hordes; the country is going out of its way to protect its natural beauty; and its people are amongst the most welcoming in the Balkans. It is telling though, that you still can’t exchange Croatian Kunes for neighbouring Serbian Dinars. Sometimes 20 years just isn’t long enough, even after a broken relationship. Original publication: Dominion Post < Previous Next >

< Back Carnaval in the Bogota Post 25 Jan 2018 Colombia's Bogota Post has selected an image taken by Guy Needham at the recent Carnaval de Negros y Blancos for its front page. It's a rare honour for a foreign photographer covering a Colombian cultural event to be featured in this newspaper. You can see the image here . < Previous Next >

< Back From Papua to Boston 15 Nov 2022 Boston's Griffin Museum of Photography will be the first United States gallery to feature one of the Dani tribe from Indonesia's Papua region. Although thousands of years old, the Dani were unknown to the rest of the world until 1938. Today they still live a simple life and, while not isolated from the march of modernity, their traditions and values have endured. The portrait of Lokop Mabel, pensive while smoking and wearing a traditional horim (penis gourd), will be part of the Winter Solstice exhibition on show in Massachusetts from 9 December 2022 - 8 January 2023. < Previous Next >

PROJECTS Nature Global A collection of images off animals in the wild - from the plains of the Serengeti to the falls of Iguacu. Previous Next

The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance. Bluff is one of the oldest settlements in New Zealand but rather than resting on its oyster laurels its quickly becoming a destination of its own. < Back Why Bluff is the New Hotspot you must Visit New Zealand Herald 19 Mar 2024 The town known for those fat juicy you-know-whats, and the place where every New Zealand fundraising ride / walk / tour seems to end, is having a modern-day renaissance. Bluff is one of the oldest settlements in New Zealand but rather than resting on its oyster laurels its quickly becoming a destination of its own. So grab some cheese rolls, chase away the seagulls, start rolling your rrrs, and make plans to visit the most innovative town in Southland… The Bluffies “The demand never ceases to amaze me,” says Graeme White of Barnes Oysters, with a wry smile. Operating a number of Bluff’s oyster fleet, he’s already gearing up for what promises to be a busy season. Sustainability and health of the wild fishery is always top of mind, so scientific testing is regularly taking place. This year’s harvest is expected to outshine the last three. “The thing we hear the most from visitors? ‘These are the best I’ve tasted in the world’”. After a three year hiatus the iconic Bluff Oyster & Food Festival is back, having undergone somewhat of a revival. Expect to see those plump, succulent raw oysters freshly shucked by a pro, with just a squeeze of lemon or dab of vinegar added before being passed to eager hands. Once you reach peak oyster (can one even do that?), there’s all things oyster-adjacent to chow down on. The one day festival is scheduled for 25th May with tickets likely to be snapped up as soon as they go on sale. Don’t forget to pack a warm coat, hat and scarf, along with a decent appetite, and get that smooth, briny sweetness inside you. Kai with a twist Kaimoana from Te Ara a Kiwa / Foveaux Strait has been appreciated by local Ngāi Tahu long before the arrival of sealers, whalers and traders. Today Bluff is one of the few places where you can experience Māori cuisine with a contemporary twist. “We use sustainable indigenous ingredients all the time – I picked these this morning.” Haylee-Chanel Simeon was holding out bright pikopiko shoots that she’d foraged from Motupōhue / Bluff Hill just hours ago. Better known as Hayz, her eponymous restaurant Hayz @ The Anchorage is a full immersion experience. “We can tell you where the food came from, who brought it to us, and when they harvested it. It’s all about manaakitanga, treating those who come here with respect for sharing our love of the kai.” I looked at the menu. It was a toss-up between the tītī / mutton birds – a rich, gamey-flavoured delicacy only harvested in Rakiura / Stewart Island – and the blue cod. “If you don’t want to get food envy, this is the one to go for,” Hayz pointed helpfully. I didn’t want to get food envy. The Bluffie Board platter was spectacular: creamy pāua filling in a crispy wonton(!), salted tītī on toasted bruschetta with blueberry and balsamic glaze, freshwater whitebait fritters sourced from southland rivers, steamed Rakiura green-lipped mussels in a garlic sauce, the fresh beer-battered blue cod, all topped with those green pikopiko shoots. Gin Time A little further up the road is Ocean Beach, home to the country’s newest gin distillery and producer of Bluff Gin. The brainchild of local food entrepreneurs with the support of the wider community, it was officially opened by Sir Tipene O’Regan. Distiller Chris Fraser was there to meet me. Reaching behind the copper and stainless steel still, he handed me one of their signature bottles: a buoy-shaped cut-glass aqua-tinted vessel. “It’s a classic London Dry. Can you smell the juniper forward and citrus and spice? Goes best with East Imperial tonic. Plus it doesn’t have any seaweed or oysters!” he laughed. “We’re having it available here first ‘cause it’s all about Bluff, and then it’ll be available online and at your flash Auckland bars!” The distillery is the centrepiece of what will be a new hospitality venue looking out to Ocean Beach’s pounding surf and the silhouette of Rakiura – a bonus view as you take another sip of Bluff with a wedge of lime. Tours with bite Beyond that pounding surf lies the Northern Tītī Islands, their waters home to the great white shark. Foveaux Strait is one of only five places in the world where you can go cage diving to see these majestic predators close up, and Bluff’s Shark Experience is New Zealand’s sole shark cage diving operator. Never dived before? Not a problem says Shark Experience’s Nikki Ladd. “We’re not just for experienced divers – 90% of the people on our boat today are novices.” All the dive gear is provided and if you’re new to the underwater world you can learn how to use a regulator as part of a training session, so by the time the boat anchors you’re ready to go. You can even hire a GoPro to earn those Insta likes. Great whites are the most common sharks they see, with Mako and Blues joining in as well. So, what attracts these protected white pointers to the area? “We call it ‘amorous activites’,” says Nikki with air quotes and a broad smile. As we were leaving another two tourists came in and added their names to the waitlist, mesmerised by the close-up photos decorating the walls. Not your usual farm Bluff’s newest tourist attraction is a farm, but not the type you’d expect. Based out of the former Ocean Beach Freezing Works, Foveaux Pāua’s farm tour is a fascinating insight into Bluff’s land-based aquaculture industry. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the tour from Foveaux Pāua director Blair Wolfgram. “This is the only place in the world you can tour a 100 year old meat works that’s been turned into a pāua, whitebait and seaweed farm!”, he grinned. The tour starts by paying homage to the site’s past life, passing through the old Working Men’s tunnel and walking by faded signs of stock kill numbers. On the mezzanine level, Blair patiently explained what was happening in each of the pāua tanks, from larvae through to fully grown adults. No question seemed too dumb and as we reached the ‘touch tank’ he spoke of the importance of pāua to not only Māori but also other indigenous peoples who know it as abalone. The best thing about the tour launching soon? At the end of it you can buy some pāua to take home to eat. The Heritage While the old freezing works is more recent history, it’s been 200 years since the first European was granted permission from local Māori to settle at Motupōhue / Bluff Hill - a man by the name of James Spencer who was a veteran of Waterloo (the Napoleonic one, not the ABBA one) and a survivor of two New Zealand shipwrecks. Of course, Motupōhue / Bluff Hill has always held a special place for Ngai Tahu, which was recognised with a statutory acknowledgement in the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act and also granted Tōpuni status (a legal recognition of its importance) in 2020. From the top of the hill you can look down to another slice of history – ‘Rotten Row’. This ships graveyard is a ccessible from SH1 via a 15 minute walk along a palm-fringed boardwalk to Green Point, where at low tide you can see the remains of scuttled ships left to rot on the mudflats. Former Norwegian, New Zealand, Samoan and Australian ships of the Bluff oyster fleet rest there, with viewing panel descriptions such as ‘accidentally sunk by explosives’ and ‘known for its uncomfortable crossings’. Made for walking Most people know that Bluff’s Stirling Point is the start – or end – of New Zealand’s 3000km Te Araroa trail, but lesser known are the short walks, bush walks, coastal walks, and hill walks throughout the surrounding area. After you’ve got your mandatory photo of the Stirling Point sign (all directions, all the time), why not give the coastal track a go? It’s a good 50-60 minutes one way but an easy grade with coastal scenery. If you’re after something more challenging take the Tōpuni Track – a little steeper so wear good hiking shoes – and make your way up to the 360 ° panoramic view at the top. With a little luck you’ll come across kereru and tui amongst the native rimu and rata. History bluffs (see what I did there) will be drawn to the Bluff Heritage Trail centred around historic sites associated with the town’s most famous son, former Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward. Along the way you’ll learn about the role whaling, oystering and farming played in the development of the township. The full trail is 20km long but if you’ve got easily-distracted kids you can do it in bite-size chunks. Take in Morrison Beach on the way to the Bluff-granite War Memorial, before venturing to the Bluff Maritime Museum, and visiting the statue dedicated to the messenger boy who became Prime Minister. Street Art When you think ‘Bluff’, art might not be the first thing that comes to mind – but it will be the first thing you see. Bright, lively, site-specific murals have given the town a ‘glow up’ thanks to South Sea Spray, Southland’s mural and street art movement. Street artist Deow is the creative mind behind the community initiative and his Kaua e mate wheke, mate ururoa (Don’t die like the octopus, die like a shark) is one of the most vibrant sights on Gore St. The whole collection of aerosol artworks is stunning: works by Flox & TrustMe, Dcypher and Shane Walker, and my personal favourite, Bring the History to the Future by artist Koryu, featuring an old fisherman looking out past a rusty whaling ship to his next destination. The Pace The next destination for over 20 international cruise ships this season has been… Bluff. Now that the secret is out the town is more than just a day trip from Invercargill. Accommodation options have increased recently with new Air BnBs joining the line-up of holiday homes, local hotels, the camping ground, and the Bluff Lodge backpackers - run by the indomitable Kay Cowper. “Why wouldn’t you want to stay if you’ve come all the way to Bluff?!” she exclaims with mock indignation. It’s an enthusiasm shared by others. “There’s no need to rush your visit,” Tammi Topi of the Bluff Community Board told me, “We’re all about the people, the place and the pace. You can really slow down and enjoy it here.” It’s true that staying overnight gives you a great insight into the community, and enough time to meet some of the town’s unique characters. Thanks to Great South, there’ll soon be Bluff Ambassadors in place to welcome you and share insider knowledge of the must do’s and must see’s - no matter how long you decide to slow down for. Do it for Burt Speed more your thing? Legendary racing motorcyclist Burt Munro, whose record-breaking exploits were celebrated in The World’s Fastest Indian, is honoured every February with the classic Bluff Hill climb. Part of Southland Motorcycle Club’s five day Burt Munro Challenge, riders from all over the country race for the honour of lifting the Fastest Time Trophy. They need to be quick though: this year’s winner took out the 1.4km climb in 44.09 seconds. The crowd certainly gets behind them (and the safety barriers) as the bikes roar round the bends, weaving their way to the top. At $20 a spectator ticket it’s a bargain for some only-in-Bluff high-octane cheering. MTBing It’s not just motorbikes that love Motupōhue / Bluff Hill. Long popular with members of the Southland Mountain Bike Club, and past venue of the National MTB Event Series, the hill is about to become even more of an MTB mecca. Work is currently underway to create new trails as well as upgrade the existing ones , and when the new Bluff Hill Motupōhue Active Recreation Precinct opens in July it’ll consist of 11km of world class mountain biking trails. Catering to total beginners like me (Grade 2) up to the super experienced pros (Grade 4 and 5), there’ll be enough squiggly lines to keep any rider happy no matter what your age, skill or fitness level is. On ya bike then! Details Bluff is 25km southeast of Invercargill on State Highway 1 by self-drive/ride. Air New Zealand operates non-stop flights to Invercargill from Auckland (2 hours), Wellington and Christchurch. Discover more Bluff Tourism Bluff Oyster Festival South Sea Spray murals Hayz @ the Anchorage Bluff Gin Shark Experience Foveaux Pāua Burt Munro Challenge Southland Mountain Bike Club Original publication: New Zealand Herald < Previous Next >