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If you're a movie buff, you're probably familiar with the charming village in the famous blockbuster "The Lord of the Rings" - the fairytale land of the Hobbits.
The Hobbiton tourist area, or Hobbit Village, is located in Matamata, Waikato – a beautiful rural town in northern New Zealand, about a two-hour drive from Auckland.
Previously, this area was the Alexander family's farm, covering nearly 500 hectares.
In 1998, the "Lord of the Rings" film crew arrived in New Zealand hoping to find a setting similar to the novel's description: a tall, ancient tree near a small pond. During their search, director Peter Jackson spotted Alexander's family farm on the plane. The author was impressed by the farm's distinctive features, reminiscent of ancient England. The rolling hills of the farm seemed tailor-made for the Hobbits – perfectly suited for building a charming little village.
What the film crew didn't expect was that the film set, after the movie was completed, would become a popular tourist destination, attracting countless visitors from all over the world. Hobbiton Farm opened to visitors in 2002. The village's appeal to tourists is so great that more than 350,000 visitors come here each year.
There are a total of 44 houses nestled in the hillside for visitors to see; however, only a few are accessible, the rest are simply constructed for backdrop purposes.
To explore the entire film set, visitors will need to walk for more than two hours. If feeling tired, visitors can rest and refresh themselves at the "Blue Dragon" cafe. They serve drinks and light snacks to help them regain their energy after the tour.
The Hobbiton area is open to visitors year-round, however, the busiest time is from early May to early June when the leaves change color and are at their most vibrant. At this time, the area looks like a fairytale garden, leaving a lasting impression on tourists.
