What to See and Do in New Zealand

New Zealand is a country comprising of two large Islands – the North and South Islands and is surrounded by a number of smaller islands. The indigenous Māori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, which is commonly translated as ‘land of the long white cloud.’

 

New Zealand is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and surprisingly varied landscape. Most visitors come to New Zealand to take full advantage of the natural environment and the great outdoors. Whether your idea of leisure involves the beach, mountains, forests or enjoying the wondrous geothermic areas of New Zealand you will never be short of something to do here.

Read more about the Seasons and Climate of New Zealand

The South Island:

The larger Southern Island is the more mountainous Island and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps. There are 18 peaks over 3,000 metres the highest of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3,754 metres (12,316 ft). The top of South Island contains areas of forest in the Kahurangi and other national parks. The south-western corner of South Island is Fiordland, an area of high mountains cut through with steep fjords. Highlights of the South Islands include:

Queenstown:

This is an adrenaline junkie’s dream location - Skydiving, bungy jumping, jetboating, canyon swinging, whitewater rafting, parapenting and heli-skiing to name a few of the activites found here. Yet this wonderful town is nestled amongst some of the most spectacular scenery in the World and has an assortment of more sedate activities for the less adventurous. Find more information on exactly what is on offer in Queenstown . A typical Car journey from Christchurch to Queenstown takes just over 7 hours.

The Milford Sound:

Is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world's top travel destination in an international survey (the 2008 Travellers' Choice Destinations Awards by Trip Advisor and is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist destination. Rudyard Kipling had once called it the eighth Wonder of the World. Almost all tourists going to the sound also take one of the boat tours which usually last between 1–2 hours. They are offered by several companies, departing from the Milford Sound Visitors' Centre. There is also the option of extended overnight cruises on Milford Sound. By car, Milford Sound is 295 km from Queenstown and 279 km from Invercargill (about four hours' drive)

 

Franz Josef and Fox Glacier:

These are the two huge glaziers located on the West Coast of the South island. The Franz Josef is a 12 km long glacier and together with the Fox Glacier 20 km to the south, it is unique in descending from the Southern Alps to less than 300 metres above sea level, amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest. The glacier area is one of the main tourist attractions of the West Coast, with around 250,000 visitors a year and up to 2,700 per day .There are a number of guided walks available up to and onto the glaciers. The latter require some specialised equipment, namely ice axes and crampons that latch onto a sturdy boot.
The Franz Josef and Fox Glacier townships are little service villages just off State Highway 6 they both have numerous tourist accommodation options and a number of restaurants and shops.

Christchurch:

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast
Christchurch is known affectionately as the Garden City due to its spectacular gardens and public parks particularly the Botanical Gardens. The Festival of Flowers is held in February each year and the Ellerslie International Flower Show is held each March. Other Christchurch highlights include Lyttelton, Sumner, Akaroa and the Banks Peninsula. Christchurch is a thriving cosmopolitan city which has lively arts and entertainment scene, boutique shopping and all with easy access to beaches and mountains.
On 4 September 2010, a major 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch causing an estimated total cost of NZ$4 billion in damage. The epicentre was located approximately 40 kilometres west of the central city, 10 kilometres south-east of Darfield.

Nelson:

Located in the Northern part of the South Island Nelson is a centre for arts and crafts, and each year hosts popular events such as the Nelson Arts Festival. The annual Wearable Art Awards began near Nelson and a museum, World of Wearable Art, is now housed close to Nelson Airport showcasing winning designs.
As the major regional centre, the city offers many hotels and other forms of accommodation, restaurants, and unique speciality shopping such as at the Goldsmiths where "The One Ring" in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was designed.
Nelson has a vibrant local music and arts scene and is known nationwide for its typically New Zealand styled crafts – note there is a very popular weekly arts and crafts Market held every Saturday where you can buy direct from the local artists.
Nelson is surrounded by mountains on three sides with Tasman Bay on the other and the region is the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, Kahurangi National Park, Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa in the Nelson Lakes National Park. It is a centre for both ecotourism and adventure tourism and has a high reputation among caving enthusiasts due to several prominent cave systems around Takaka Hill and Mounts Owen and Arthur, which hold the largest and deepest explored caverns in the southern hemisphere.
Not only is Nelson noted for its arts but also for beautiful beaches and a sheltered harbour making it a wonderful destination for tourists and New Zealanders alike.
Nelson is located approximately 2 hours drive from Picton. For travel between the North Island and Nelson Tasman region there are Inter-island ferry services from Wellington and Picton.

The North Island

 

The North Island is characterised by a massive volcanic plateaux in the centre of the island, some active volcanoes and associated geo-thermic activity such as geysers, hot water springs, mud baths and steam vents. It is generally warmer and drier than the South Island but the weather can be changeable. Highlights include:

Auckland:

Auckland, although not New Zealand’s capital city, is the largest and most densely populated city in New Zealand with 31% of the population living here.  It is affectionately known as ‘the city of sails’ due to the high number of boats in the harbour which is more per capita than any other city in the world.  Auckland is a sprawling cosmopolitan city which is actually larger in size than London. Auckland is actually more like a number of smaller towns linked together than one large city with an actual city centre. Its population is culturally diverse which leads to a melting pot of influences when it comes to cuisine and entertainment. Wherever you are in Auckland you will be able to find great shopping, fine wining and dining and beautiful sandy beaches.  Due to the sheer size of Auckland it is recommended that in order to fully experience all that it has to offer, hire a car and get out of the city limits. One of the lingering images of Auckland is the Sky Tower, located in Central CBD. At 328 metres, it is the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand and offers breathtaking views for up to 80 kilometres in every direction.  Travel up in the glass-fronted lifts to one of the three spectacular viewing platforms, or for more thrills and excitement, SkyWalk round the pergola at 192 metres up or SkyJump off the Tower.
Auckland’s landscape is littered with volcano cones – the largest and youngest is set just off the East coast, Rangitoto and is one of the most distinctive iconic landmarks in Auckland.  Sightseeing tours of Rangitoto Island are available by Fullers ferries, which can be booked from Auckland Viaduct.  Auckland is surrounded by numerous beaches.  On the west coast is the Tasmin Sea, characterised by distinctive black sand beaches which is a combination of volcanic sand and magnetic iron oxide ash. The coastline in the West is definitely wild and rugged.  Auckland’s West Coast beaches are known for some of the best Surf in New Zealand – notably Piha and Muriwai Beaches (however these are not recommended for novice surfers due to the wild conditions of the surf).  On the East coast Auckland has a line of beaches and bays which stretches north of Auckland city centre, from Devonport to Long Bay. In total the coastline is 120km in length.

Wellington:

Wellington is New Zealand's centre of government and the world's southernmost capital city. It is also the country's cultural capital and the third most populous urban area in New Zealand. In 2010 Wellington was voted the "coolest little capital in the world" by Lonely Planet placing it fourth, behind New York, Tangier in Morocco and Israel's Tel Aviv. Not to be missed is a visit to the New Zealand’s National Museum Te Papa , The Beehive – home to New Zealand’s Parliament or to the Weta Cave  where you can see displays of costumes and models from the many movies Weta Workshops have been involved in creating including Lord of the Rings and King Kong. 

The Coromandel:

This is the summer holiday destination of choice for many kiwis.  Famous for its stunning Hot Water Beach  where you can dig your very own natural hot pool in the sand, as well as sweeping golden beaches that are surrounded by lush forests and Pohutakawa trees. The Peninsula coastline is dotted with smaller Islands accessible by boat. The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed – ideal for visitors to unwind and enjoy the spectacular scenery.

Napier:

Located at the south of the Hawkes Bay, just 20 minutes out of Hastings, Napier is known as the Art Deco city – Napier has the largest collection of inner city art deco buildings in the world due to the large scale reconstruction in the 1930s following a massive earthquake which levelled most of the city. Thousands of visitors flock to Napier every February for the Art Deco Weekend event, a celebration of its Art Deco heritage and history.  

Taupo:

Taupo is a popular resort town, nestled on the banks of Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake . Taupo activities include fishing, boating, walking, whitewater rafting and jet boating.
The powerful beauty of the volcanic landscape, geothermic activity and natural hot springs that surrounds Taupo provides a dramatic backdrop to everything you do here.

Rotorua:

Rotorua is New Zealand’s number one tourist destination for overseas and domestic visitors. Nicknamed the Sulphur City due to the hydrogen sulphide emissions it gives the city a ‘rotten eggs smell’.  Thermal activity is at the heart of much of Rotorua's tourist appeal. Geysers and bubbling mud-pools, hot thermal springs and the Buried Village so named after it was buried by the 1886 Mount Tarawera eruption— are within easy reach of the city. So whether seeking to experience Maori culture, geothermal earth forces, spa rejuvenation, thrills and adventure, or any of the other natural assets such as 16 lakes, some of the world's best mountain biking trails, fantastic trout fishing and myriad forest walking tracks – Rotorua has it all

The Bay of Islands:

The Bay of Islands region located in the Northern part of the North Island has the finest maritime park in New Zealand with the 144 Islands and secluded bays. The Bay has an abundance of marine life and is renowned for its big game fishing. Paihia is a perfect, centrally located base to explore the Bay of Islands.
The Bay of Islands was the site at which the earliest contact between the indigenous population and European settlers took place. Visit Waitangi Treaty House where New Zealand’s founding document was signed by Maori and Pakeha leaders and Russell, once the bustling capital of New Zealand, today maintains a lively and casual island feel due to its isolation from the mainland.