Jetboating , another New Zealand invention, consists of high-speed boat trips in special power boats. It is available to people of all ages and popular on many of the country's best known rivers. Surf rafting invites visitors to accompany experienced rafters through crashing waves while simultaneously being offered a commentary on the coastline nearby. Zorbing involves being strapped into an inflatable transparent plastic ball, which is then rolled down a grassy hill or onto a river. Divers need to bring their diver's certification cards.
Many dive stores offer equipment rental and support facilities.
Charters with a skipper and crew can be hired to sail around the coast or as far as the Pacific Islands. Excursions to the remote maritime reserves in the Bay of Islands, Hauraki Gulf and Marlborough Sounds are also possible. Windsurfing is particularly popular around Wellington, Taupo, Auckland and the Bay of Islands while kayaking is widely practised on rivers throughout the country. New Zealand offers good skiing and snowboarding , with ideal conditions from June to October. Resorts tend to be less crowded than European ones.