Fodor's Essential New Zealand
Whether you want to explore Auckland, bungee-jump in Queenstown, or
...
From the Bay of Islands' pristine beaches in the north to the soaring pinnacles of Milford Sound in the south, New Zealand is a stunner. Glaciated mountains, steaming volcanoes, and lush forests give adventurers a vast array of ecological playgrounds to explore. While hikers retreat to 14 national parks, bird-watchers find their bliss on peaceful Stewart Island. But it's not all parks and rec. M?ori enclaves display deep native heritage, idyllic vineyards produce world-class wines, and vibrant dining and arts scenes thrive in cities like Auckland and Wellington.
Fodor's Essential New Zealand
Whether you want to explore Auckland, bungee-jump in Queenstown, or
...
Top Destinations
Top Destinations
Upper South Island and the West Coast
The South Island has been carved by ice, water, and tectonic uplift, all processes still rapidly occurring. Here, the mellow farmland greens and jumbled forest-covered...
Christchurch and Canterbury
With its vast food basket, water, and natural resources, Canterbury could be its own country. The expansive coast, fertile plains, and snow-lined Alps not only...
The Southern Alps and Fiordland
There are hundreds of glaciers locked in the Southern Alps, slowly grinding their way down to lower altitudes and melting into running rivers of uncanny...
Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty
Beautiful sandy beaches, lush native forests, and some steamy geothermal activity make the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty quite a departure from urban Auckland. Many...
East Coast and the Volcanic Zone
When you get to Rotorua, after a trip through the rolling, sheep-speckled fields of the Waikato and the wild Mamaku Ranges, the aptly named "Sulfur...
Wellington and the Wairarapa
Wellington has developed the lively, friendly, and infectious spirit of a city coming into its own. From the windswept green heights overlooking New Zealand's capital...
North Island's West Coast
The North Island's West Coast encompasses a diversity of landscapes: top surfing beaches; world-renowned limestone caves; and two national parks, one centered on a volcanic...
Auckland
Auckland is called the City of Sails, and visitors flying in will see why. On the East Coast is the Waitemata Harbour—a M?ori word meaning...
Otago, Invercargill, and Stewart Island
Otago Province takes up much of the southeast quadrant of the South Island and has two distinct regions, each a drawcard in its own right...
Christchurch
Earthquakes aside, the face of Christchurch is changing, fueled by both New Zealand residents drawn from other centers as well as immigrants, attracted by rebuild...
Wellington
Wellington, the seat of government since 1865, is between the sea and towering hillsides that form a natural arena with the harbor as the stage...
Northland and the Bay of Islands
Northland is the place to go when you seek more than great restaurants and shopping. You'll be best served on a trip here by taking...
Queenstown
Set on the edge of the glacial Lake Wakatipu, with stunning views of the sawtooth peaks of the Remarkables mountain range, Queenstown is the most...
Dunedin
Clinging to the walls of the natural amphitheater at the west end of Otago Harbour, the South Island's second-largest city is enriched with inspiring nearby...
Tauranga
The population center of the Bay of Plenty, Tauranga is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities. Along with neighboring town, Whakatane, this seaside city also...
Stewart Island
Stewart Island, home to New Zealand's newest national park, Rakiura, is the third largest and most southerly of New Zealand's main islands, separated from the...
Palmerston North
Palmerston North—or "Palmy" as the locals call it—is home to several major educational and research institutes. Thanks to these, students make up one-third of the...
Wanaka
On the southern shore of Lake Wanaka, with some of New Zealand's most striking mountains behind it, Wanaka is the welcome mat for Mount Aspiring...
Nelson
Relaxed, hospitable, and easy to explore on foot, Nelson has a way of always making you feel as though you should stay longer. You can...
Blenheim
Many people come to Blenheim (pronounced bleh-num by the locals) for the wine. There are dozens of wineries in the area, some with stylish cellar...
New Plymouth
New Plymouth serves one of New Zealand's most productive dairy regions as well as the gas and oil industries. This natural wealth translates into an...
Rotorua
Visitors tend to have a love-hate relationship with Rotorua (ro-to-roo-ah). Millions of them—both from New Zealand and abroad—flock in each year, sometimes embracing and sometimes...
Invercargill
Originally settled by Scottish immigrants, Invercargill has retained much of its turn-of-the-20th-century character, with broad main avenues (Tay Street and Dee Street) and streetscapes with...
Napier
The earthquake that struck Napier at 10:46 am on February 3, 1931, was—at 7.8 on the Richter scale—the largest quake ever recorded in New Zealand...
Rotorua Environs
The countryside near Rotorua includes magnificent untamed territory with lakes and rivers full of some of the largest rainbow and brown trout on Earth. From...
Thames
The peninsula's oldest town, Thames has evolved from a gold-mining hotbed in the late 1800s to an agricultural center. Locals have a saying that when...
Westland/Tai Poutini National Park
Westland/Tai Poutini is a place of extremes, from the highest mountains to most ancient rain forest, and certainly extreme precipitation. Try to allow more than...
Coromandel Town
Coromandel town became the site of New Zealand's first gold strike in 1852 when sawmill worker Charles Ring found gold-bearing quartz at Driving Creek, just...
Gisborne
The M?ori name for the Gisborne district is Tairawhiti (tye-ra-fee-tee), "the coast upon which the sun shines across the water," and Gisborne is indeed the...
Hawke's Bay
Bounded by the Kaweka and Ruahine ranges, Hawke's Bay is known as the fruit basket of New Zealand. You can't travel far without seeing a...
Taupo
The tidy town of Taupo is the base for exploring Lake Taupo, the country's largest lake. Its placid shores are backed by volcanic mountains, and...
Picton
The maritime township of Picton (population 4,000) is a popular boating spot and has two sizable marinas, the smaller at Picton Harbour and the much...
Kaikoura
The town of Kaikoura sits at the base of a peninsula that juts into the ocean from the east coast, and is backed by the...
Whanganui
A major gateway to Whanganui National Park, Whanganui is worthy in its own right. Its compact center has lively streets with shops and galleries, plus...
Greymouth
The town of Greymouth is aptly named—at first take, it's a rather dispirited strip of motels and industrial buildings stretched along a wild beach. It...
Whakatane
For yet another chance to laze on the beach, Whakatane (fah-kah-tah-ne) is indisputably the North Island's sunniest town. The harbor here was a landfall site...
Martinborough
The pleasant town of Martinborough embodies the changes that have taken place in the Wairarapa as a result of the burgeoning wine industry. The town...
Methven
Methven's main claim to fame is as a ski town. It's a one-hour drive from Christchurch and the closest town to Mt. Hutt, which has...
Akaroa and the Banks Peninsula
Sheep graze almost to the water's edge in the many small bays indenting the coastline of Banks Peninsula, the nub that juts into the Pacific...
Te Anau
Lake Te Anau (tay-ah-no), which is 53 km (33 miles) long and up to 10 km (6 miles) wide, is the largest lake in New...
Raglan
It's hard to think of a more laid-back, welcoming spot than Raglan. On the drive out, tune in to radio station Raglan FM 98.1 to...
Golden Bay and Takaka
The gorgeous stretch of coastline that begins at Separation Point, in Abel Tasman National Park, and runs westward past Takaka to Farewell Spit is known...
Waitomo
Waitomo is a busy little village located a short drive from the main highway. Above ground, the surrounding hills are a mix of native bush...
Hanmer Springs
People used to come to Hanmer Springs to chill out with quiet soaks in the hot pools and to take gentle forest walks, but things...
Paihia and Waitangi
As the main vacation base for the Bay of Islands, Paihia is an unremarkable stretch of motels at odds with the quiet beauty of the...
Mackenzie Country and Lake Tekapo
You will know you have reached the Mackenzie Country after you cross Burkes Pass and the woodland is suddenly replaced by high-country tussock grassland, which...
Kerikeri
Kerikeri is often referred to as the cradle of the nation because so much of New Zealand's earliest history, especially interactions between M?ori and Europeans...
Arrowtown
Arrowtown is tucked into a corner at the foot of the steep Crown Range. It’s a quaint village that takes pride in the history of...
Otago Peninsula
The main items of interest along the claw-shape peninsula that extends northeast from Dunedin are an albatross colony and Larnach Castle. The road on the...
Masterton and Environs
Masterton is Wairarapa's major population center, and, like Martinborough to the south, it's in a developing wine region. There's not much to do in the...
Whitianga
As you descend from the hills on the Coromandel's east coast, you'll enter Whitianga township. Here you'll find Buffalo Beach, named for the British ship...
Murchison
Surrounded by high mountains and roaring rivers, this small town is in some big country. With Nelson Lakes National Park to the east, Kahurangi National...
Hokitika
Hokitika is one of the larger towns along the West Coast, with the pounding ocean before it and bush-covered hills behind. It's a place of...
Whangarei
The main center in Northland is the Whangarei (fahng-ar-ay) District; Whangarei Harbour was traditionally a meeting place for M?ori tribes traveling south by waka (canoe)...
Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman National Park is a stunning-yet-accessible swath of idyllic beaches and estuaries backed by a hinterland of native beech forests, granite gorges, and waterfalls...
Westport
One of New Zealand's oldest ports sits at the mouth of the mighty Buller River. Once a boomtown for two separate gold rushes, it's now...
Around Hahei
The beaches, coves, and seaside villages around Hahei make for a great day of exploring—or lounging. If you're craving a true beach vacation, consider basing...
Russell
Russell is regarded as the "second" town in the Bay of Islands, but it's far more interesting, and pleasant, than Paihia. Hard as it is...
Whanganui National Park
The Whanganui, the longest continually navigable river in New Zealand, flows through one of the country’s largest remaining areas of native lowland forest, much of...
Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park
Endless rolling hills, bungy jumps off high bridges, the glittering Skytower of Auckland . . . so you think you've experienced the grandeur of New...
Timaru
Timaru, whose name comes from the M?ori "Te Maru" (shelter), began life as two towns, one called Government Town and the other Rhodestown. The two...
Waipara Valley
Once known for its hot, dry summers and sheep farms, the Waipara Valley is now an established vineyard area. The local Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot...
Milford Sound
Fiordland National Park's most accessible and busiest attraction is Milford Sound; in some ways it's also the most dramatic. Hemmed in by walls of rock...
Lyttelton
Lyttelton, a sleepy port town, was the arrival point for many of the early Canterbury settlers. The Canterbury Pilgrims' landing place is marked by a...
Motueka
Motueka (mo-too-eh-ka) is a horticultural center—hops, kiwifruit, and apples are among its staples. As a major gateway to two national parks, Kahurangi and Abel Tasman...
Waihi to Paeroa
The southern Coromandel is bounded by the historic and scenic Karangahake Gorge and smaller, adjoining Waikino Gorge. State Highway 2 wends its way through the...
Egmont National Park
Rising 8,261 feet above sea level, Mt. Taranaki dominates the landscape of this national park. It's difficult not to be drawn toward it. The lower...
Mapua
Though Nelson's a bustling city, it retains a rural quality. Overlooking Tasman Bay and the foothills of the Bryant and Richmond ranges behind, open farmland...
Karamea
North of Westport, the coastline is squeezed between high mountain ranges and pounding surf. The highlight of the tiny settlements along this stretch is Karamea...
Hokianga and the Kauri Coast
A peaceful harbor moves inland into the Hokianga region. It's a quiet area with small towns, unspoiled scenery, and proximity to the giant kauri trees...
Tongariro National Park
Tongariro has a spectacular combination of dense forest, wild open countryside, crater lakes, barren lava fields, and rock-strewn mountain slopes. Its rugged beauty and convenient...
Geraldine
For years, this lovely town has been a favorite stop on the road to Aoraki/Mt. Cook; these days, it's becoming a magnet in southern Canterbury...
Katikati
The small town of Katikati was built on land confiscated from local M?ori after the 1863 land wars and given to Irish Protestant settlers by...
Whangamata
The Coromandel Ranges back Whangamata (fahng-a-ma-ta), another harborside town, with a population of around 3,500. Once a town of modest houses, it's been discovered by...
Havelock
Known as the Greenshell mussel capital of the world (Greenshells are a variety of green-lipped mussel), Havelock is at the head of Pelorus and Keneperu...
Cambridge
For many travelers, Cambridge provides a good lunch break on their way elsewhere. But this cute town, with its historic buildings and rural English character...
Stratford
Sitting under the eastern side of Mt. Taranaki, Stratford is a service town for surrounding farms. Its streets are named after characters from Shakespeare's works...
Tairua
Tairua is one of the larger communities along the coast, and one of the prettiest, nestled beside an estuary, harbor, and hills, with an ocean...
Te Urewera National Park
New Zealand's fourth-largest national park protects the biggest area of native forest remaining on the North Island. The ancestral home of the Tuhoe people, its...
Twizel
A service town to its core, Twizel was built in 1968 as a base for workers constructing a major hydroelectric power plant. When the hydroelectric...
Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park
Paparoa National Park extends from the forest-covered Paparoa Range inland, to the coast. With steep bluffs, limestone basins, canyons, caves, and fluted rock, it's a...
Kahurangi National Park
New Zealand's second-largest national park, Kahurangi is 1.1 million acres of marbled mountains with fluted rock forms, arches, shafts, and sinkholes (featured in the Lord...
Palliser Bay and Cape Palliser
This, the most southerly part of the North Island's coast, can be a wild and desolate area in winter. But the lighthouse and seal colony...
Arthur's Pass National Park
Established in 1929, Arthur's Pass was the South Island's first national park. Follow in the footsteps of ancient M?ori hunters, 1860s gold rushers, and 1990s...
Colville and Beyond
To reach land's end in the very north of the Coromandel Peninsula—with rugged coastline, delightful coves, and pastures—take the 30-minute drive from Coromandel up to...
Nelson Lakes National Park
Spread around mountains and two spectacular glacial lakes, Rotoroa and Rotoiti, the Nelson Lakes National Park also extends to high alpine passes and rocky peaks...
Warkworth
A sleepy town on the banks of the Mahurangi River, Warkworth was established in 1853. With lime mined from the local river, it became the...
Oamaru
In Oamaru's port district New Zealand's best-preserved collection of historical landmarks still gleam with ornate, limestone Victorian facades. During the second week of November the...
Kapiti Island
Paraparaumu is the departure point for one of Wellington's best-kept secrets: Kapiti Island. A protected reserve since 1897, the island is a fantastic place to...
Lake Manapouri and Doubtful Sound
Just 20 minutes south of Te Anau, Lake Manapouri has long had the reputation as one of New Zealand's prettiest lakes. The lake is hemmed...
Whakaari (White) Island
With its billowing plumes of steam, the active volcano of Whakaari (White) Island makes for an awesome geothermal experience. The island is New Zealand's only...
Hawera
This quiet country town, a hub for the farming community, provides a close look at the local history and way of life. Brush up on...
Maketu
About halfway between Tauranga and Whakatane is the small seaside village of Maketu, one of the area's least-developed places and one of the first points...
Mount Aspiring National Park
Roads only skirt the edge of this huge park, which compels you to hike, boat, and fly to see it. Only a winged, hoofed super-creature...
Nga Motu–Sugar Loaf Islands
About 17,000 seabirds nest in the Nga Motu–Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Protected Area, located just off shore from the Taranaki Port, near New Plymouth. Shearwaters...
Auckland
Auckland is called the City of Sails, and visitors flying in will see why. On the East Coast is the Waitemata Harbour—a M?ori word meaning...
Christchurch
Earthquakes aside, the face of Christchurch is changing, fueled by both New Zealand residents drawn from other centers as well as immigrants, attracted by rebuild...
Wellington
Wellington, the seat of government since 1865, is between the sea and towering hillsides that form a natural arena with the harbor as the stage...
Queenstown
Set on the edge of the glacial Lake Wakatipu, with stunning views of the sawtooth peaks of the Remarkables mountain range, Queenstown is the most...
Dunedin
Clinging to the walls of the natural amphitheater at the west end of Otago Harbour, the South Island's second-largest city is enriched with inspiring nearby...
Tauranga
The population center of the Bay of Plenty, Tauranga is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities. Along with neighboring town, Whakatane, this seaside city also...
Wanaka
On the southern shore of Lake Wanaka, with some of New Zealand's most striking mountains behind it, Wanaka is the welcome mat for Mount Aspiring...
Palmerston North
Palmerston North—or "Palmy" as the locals call it—is home to several major educational and research institutes. Thanks to these, students make up one-third of the...
Nelson
Relaxed, hospitable, and easy to explore on foot, Nelson has a way of always making you feel as though you should stay longer. You can...
Blenheim
Many people come to Blenheim (pronounced bleh-num by the locals) for the wine. There are dozens of wineries in the area, some with stylish cellar...
New Plymouth
New Plymouth serves one of New Zealand's most productive dairy regions as well as the gas and oil industries. This natural wealth translates into an...
Rotorua
Visitors tend to have a love-hate relationship with Rotorua (ro-to-roo-ah). Millions of them—both from New Zealand and abroad—flock in each year, sometimes embracing and sometimes...
Invercargill
Originally settled by Scottish immigrants, Invercargill has retained much of its turn-of-the-20th-century character, with broad main avenues (Tay Street and Dee Street) and streetscapes with...
Napier
The earthquake that struck Napier at 10:46 am on February 3, 1931, was—at 7.8 on the Richter scale—the largest quake ever recorded in New Zealand...
Thames
The peninsula's oldest town, Thames has evolved from a gold-mining hotbed in the late 1800s to an agricultural center. Locals have a saying that when...
Coromandel Town
Coromandel town became the site of New Zealand's first gold strike in 1852 when sawmill worker Charles Ring found gold-bearing quartz at Driving Creek, just...
Gisborne
The M?ori name for the Gisborne district is Tairawhiti (tye-ra-fee-tee), "the coast upon which the sun shines across the water," and Gisborne is indeed the...
Taupo
The tidy town of Taupo is the base for exploring Lake Taupo, the country's largest lake. Its placid shores are backed by volcanic mountains, and...
Picton
The maritime township of Picton (population 4,000) is a popular boating spot and has two sizable marinas, the smaller at Picton Harbour and the much...
Hawke's Bay
Bounded by the Kaweka and Ruahine ranges, Hawke's Bay is known as the fruit basket of New Zealand. You can't travel far without seeing a...
Kaikoura
The town of Kaikoura sits at the base of a peninsula that juts into the ocean from the east coast, and is backed by the...
Whanganui
A major gateway to Whanganui National Park, Whanganui is worthy in its own right. Its compact center has lively streets with shops and galleries, plus...
Greymouth
The town of Greymouth is aptly named—at first take, it's a rather dispirited strip of motels and industrial buildings stretched along a wild beach. It...
Whakatane
For yet another chance to laze on the beach, Whakatane (fah-kah-tah-ne) is indisputably the North Island's sunniest town. The harbor here was a landfall site...
Martinborough
The pleasant town of Martinborough embodies the changes that have taken place in the Wairarapa as a result of the burgeoning wine industry. The town...
Methven
Methven's main claim to fame is as a ski town. It's a one-hour drive from Christchurch and the closest town to Mt. Hutt, which has...
Te Anau
Lake Te Anau (tay-ah-no), which is 53 km (33 miles) long and up to 10 km (6 miles) wide, is the largest lake in New...
Akaroa and the Banks Peninsula
Sheep graze almost to the water's edge in the many small bays indenting the coastline of Banks Peninsula, the nub that juts into the Pacific...
Golden Bay and Takaka
The gorgeous stretch of coastline that begins at Separation Point, in Abel Tasman National Park, and runs westward past Takaka to Farewell Spit is known...
Raglan
It's hard to think of a more laid-back, welcoming spot than Raglan. On the drive out, tune in to radio station Raglan FM 98.1 to...
Paihia and Waitangi
As the main vacation base for the Bay of Islands, Paihia is an unremarkable stretch of motels at odds with the quiet beauty of the...
Hanmer Springs
People used to come to Hanmer Springs to chill out with quiet soaks in the hot pools and to take gentle forest walks, but things...
Waitomo
Waitomo is a busy little village located a short drive from the main highway. Above ground, the surrounding hills are a mix of native bush...
Kerikeri
Kerikeri is often referred to as the cradle of the nation because so much of New Zealand's earliest history, especially interactions between M?ori and Europeans...
Mackenzie Country and Lake Tekapo
You will know you have reached the Mackenzie Country after you cross Burkes Pass and the woodland is suddenly replaced by high-country tussock grassland, which...
Arrowtown
Arrowtown is tucked into a corner at the foot of the steep Crown Range. It’s a quaint village that takes pride in the history of...
Whitianga
As you descend from the hills on the Coromandel's east coast, you'll enter Whitianga township. Here you'll find Buffalo Beach, named for the British ship...
Murchison
Surrounded by high mountains and roaring rivers, this small town is in some big country. With Nelson Lakes National Park to the east, Kahurangi National...
Westport
One of New Zealand's oldest ports sits at the mouth of the mighty Buller River. Once a boomtown for two separate gold rushes, it's now...
Whangarei
The main center in Northland is the Whangarei (fahng-ar-ay) District; Whangarei Harbour was traditionally a meeting place for M?ori tribes traveling south by waka (canoe)...
Hokitika
Hokitika is one of the larger towns along the West Coast, with the pounding ocean before it and bush-covered hills behind. It's a place of...
Russell
Russell is regarded as the "second" town in the Bay of Islands, but it's far more interesting, and pleasant, than Paihia. Hard as it is...
Timaru
Timaru, whose name comes from the M?ori "Te Maru" (shelter), began life as two towns, one called Government Town and the other Rhodestown. The two...
Milford Sound
Fiordland National Park's most accessible and busiest attraction is Milford Sound; in some ways it's also the most dramatic. Hemmed in by walls of rock...
Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park
Endless rolling hills, bungy jumps off high bridges, the glittering Skytower of Auckland . . . so you think you've experienced the grandeur of New...
Motueka
Motueka (mo-too-eh-ka) is a horticultural center—hops, kiwifruit, and apples are among its staples. As a major gateway to two national parks, Kahurangi and Abel Tasman...
Lyttelton
Lyttelton, a sleepy port town, was the arrival point for many of the early Canterbury settlers. The Canterbury Pilgrims' landing place is marked by a...
Karamea
North of Westport, the coastline is squeezed between high mountain ranges and pounding surf. The highlight of the tiny settlements along this stretch is Karamea...
Hokianga and the Kauri Coast
A peaceful harbor moves inland into the Hokianga region. It's a quiet area with small towns, unspoiled scenery, and proximity to the giant kauri trees...
Whangamata
The Coromandel Ranges back Whangamata (fahng-a-ma-ta), another harborside town, with a population of around 3,500. Once a town of modest houses, it's been discovered by...
Geraldine
For years, this lovely town has been a favorite stop on the road to Aoraki/Mt. Cook; these days, it's becoming a magnet in southern Canterbury...
Katikati
The small town of Katikati was built on land confiscated from local M?ori after the 1863 land wars and given to Irish Protestant settlers by...
Cambridge
For many travelers, Cambridge provides a good lunch break on their way elsewhere. But this cute town, with its historic buildings and rural English character...
Havelock
Known as the Greenshell mussel capital of the world (Greenshells are a variety of green-lipped mussel), Havelock is at the head of Pelorus and Keneperu...
Tairua
Tairua is one of the larger communities along the coast, and one of the prettiest, nestled beside an estuary, harbor, and hills, with an ocean...
Stratford
Sitting under the eastern side of Mt. Taranaki, Stratford is a service town for surrounding farms. Its streets are named after characters from Shakespeare's works...
Palliser Bay and Cape Palliser
This, the most southerly part of the North Island's coast, can be a wild and desolate area in winter. But the lighthouse and seal colony...
Colville and Beyond
To reach land's end in the very north of the Coromandel Peninsula—with rugged coastline, delightful coves, and pastures—take the 30-minute drive from Coromandel up to...
Twizel
A service town to its core, Twizel was built in 1968 as a base for workers constructing a major hydroelectric power plant. When the hydroelectric...
Kahurangi National Park
New Zealand's second-largest national park, Kahurangi is 1.1 million acres of marbled mountains with fluted rock forms, arches, shafts, and sinkholes (featured in the Lord...
Oamaru
In Oamaru's port district New Zealand's best-preserved collection of historical landmarks still gleam with ornate, limestone Victorian facades. During the second week of November the...
Warkworth
A sleepy town on the banks of the Mahurangi River, Warkworth was established in 1853. With lime mined from the local river, it became the...
Hawera
This quiet country town, a hub for the farming community, provides a close look at the local history and way of life. Brush up on...
Maketu
About halfway between Tauranga and Whakatane is the small seaside village of Maketu, one of the area's least-developed places and one of the first points...
Upper South Island and the West Coast
The South Island has been carved by ice, water, and tectonic uplift, all processes still rapidly occurring. Here, the mellow farmland greens and jumbled forest-covered...
Christchurch and Canterbury
With its vast food basket, water, and natural resources, Canterbury could be its own country. The expansive coast, fertile plains, and snow-lined Alps not only...
The Southern Alps and Fiordland
There are hundreds of glaciers locked in the Southern Alps, slowly grinding their way down to lower altitudes and melting into running rivers of uncanny...
Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty
Beautiful sandy beaches, lush native forests, and some steamy geothermal activity make the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty quite a departure from urban Auckland. Many...
East Coast and the Volcanic Zone
When you get to Rotorua, after a trip through the rolling, sheep-speckled fields of the Waikato and the wild Mamaku Ranges, the aptly named "Sulfur...
Wellington and the Wairarapa
Wellington has developed the lively, friendly, and infectious spirit of a city coming into its own. From the windswept green heights overlooking New Zealand's capital...
North Island's West Coast
The North Island's West Coast encompasses a diversity of landscapes: top surfing beaches; world-renowned limestone caves; and two national parks, one centered on a volcanic...
Otago, Invercargill, and Stewart Island
Otago Province takes up much of the southeast quadrant of the South Island and has two distinct regions, each a drawcard in its own right...
Northland and the Bay of Islands
Northland is the place to go when you seek more than great restaurants and shopping. You'll be best served on a trip here by taking...
Rotorua Environs
The countryside near Rotorua includes magnificent untamed territory with lakes and rivers full of some of the largest rainbow and brown trout on Earth. From...
Greater Christchurch
Some of Christchurch's most popular attractions lie around the outskirts of the city. To the southeast, the Christchurch Gondola takes passengers from a terminal in...
Masterton and Environs
Masterton is Wairarapa's major population center, and, like Martinborough to the south, it's in a developing wine region. There's not much to do in the...
Otago Peninsula
The main items of interest along the claw-shape peninsula that extends northeast from Dunedin are an albatross colony and Larnach Castle. The road on the...
Around Hahei
The beaches, coves, and seaside villages around Hahei make for a great day of exploring—or lounging. If you're craving a true beach vacation, consider basing...
Waipara Valley
Once known for its hot, dry summers and sheep farms, the Waipara Valley is now an established vineyard area. The local Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot...
Waihi to Paeroa
The southern Coromandel is bounded by the historic and scenic Karangahake Gorge and smaller, adjoining Waikino Gorge. State Highway 2 wends its way through the...
Mapua
Though Nelson's a bustling city, it retains a rural quality. Overlooking Tasman Bay and the foothills of the Bryant and Richmond ranges behind, open farmland...
Greater Wellington
Located beside the airport, the movie-making town of Miramar sits 9 km (6 miles) southeast of Wellington. Extending north of the city, the Hutt Valley...
Lake Manapouri and Doubtful Sound
Just 20 minutes south of Te Anau, Lake Manapouri has long had the reputation as one of New Zealand's prettiest lakes. The lake is hemmed...
The 309 Road
Although named for a journey that used to (apparently) take 309 minutes, the 309 Road cuts right across the peninsula and is now the shortest...
Tapu–Coroglen Road
The 28-km-long (17-mile-long), intermittently paved Tapu–Coroglen Road turns off State Highway 25 in the hamlet of Tapu to wind into the mountains. It's a breathtaking...
Westland/Tai Poutini National Park
Westland/Tai Poutini is a place of extremes, from the highest mountains to most ancient rain forest, and certainly extreme precipitation. Try to allow more than...
Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman National Park is a stunning-yet-accessible swath of idyllic beaches and estuaries backed by a hinterland of native beech forests, granite gorges, and waterfalls...
Whanganui National Park
The Whanganui, the longest continually navigable river in New Zealand, flows through one of the country’s largest remaining areas of native lowland forest, much of...
Egmont National Park
Rising 8,261 feet above sea level, Mt. Taranaki dominates the landscape of this national park. It's difficult not to be drawn toward it. The lower...
Tongariro National Park
Tongariro has a spectacular combination of dense forest, wild open countryside, crater lakes, barren lava fields, and rock-strewn mountain slopes. Its rugged beauty and convenient...
Te Urewera National Park
New Zealand's fourth-largest national park protects the biggest area of native forest remaining on the North Island. The ancestral home of the Tuhoe people, its...
Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park
Paparoa National Park extends from the forest-covered Paparoa Range inland, to the coast. With steep bluffs, limestone basins, canyons, caves, and fluted rock, it's a...
Nelson Lakes National Park
Spread around mountains and two spectacular glacial lakes, Rotoroa and Rotoiti, the Nelson Lakes National Park also extends to high alpine passes and rocky peaks...
Arthur's Pass National Park
Established in 1929, Arthur's Pass was the South Island's first national park. Follow in the footsteps of ancient M?ori hunters, 1860s gold rushers, and 1990s...
Mount Aspiring National Park
Roads only skirt the edge of this huge park, which compels you to hike, boat, and fly to see it. Only a winged, hoofed super-creature...
Stewart Island
Stewart Island, home to New Zealand's newest national park, Rakiura, is the third largest and most southerly of New Zealand's main islands, separated from the...
Kapiti Island
Paraparaumu is the departure point for one of Wellington's best-kept secrets: Kapiti Island. A protected reserve since 1897, the island is a fantastic place to...
Whakaari (White) Island
With its billowing plumes of steam, the active volcano of Whakaari (White) Island makes for an awesome geothermal experience. The island is New Zealand's only...
Nga Motu–Sugar Loaf Islands
About 17,000 seabirds nest in the Nga Motu–Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Protected Area, located just off shore from the Taranaki Port, near New Plymouth. Shearwaters...
All Destinations
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Upper South Island and the West Coast
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Blenheim
- Farewell Spit
- French Pass and D'Urville Island
- Golden Bay and Takaka
- Greymouth
- Havelock
- Hokitika
- Kahurangi National Park
- Kaikoura
- Karamea
- Mapua
- Motueka
- Murchison
- Nelson
- Nelson Lakes National Park
- Picton
- Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park
- Westland/Tai Poutini National Park
- Westport
Upper South Island and the West Coast
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Blenheim
- Farewell Spit
- French Pass and D'Urville Island
- Golden Bay and Takaka
- Greymouth
- Havelock
- Hokitika
- Kahurangi National Park
- Kaikoura
- Karamea
- Mapua
- Motueka
- Murchison
- Nelson
- Nelson Lakes National Park
- Picton
- Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park
- Westland/Tai Poutini National Park
- Westport
Upper South Island and the West Coast
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Blenheim
- Farewell Spit
- French Pass and D'Urville Island
- Golden Bay and Takaka
- Greymouth
- Havelock
- Hokitika
- Kahurangi National Park
- Kaikoura
- Karamea
- Mapua
- Motueka
- Murchison
- Nelson
- Nelson Lakes National Park
- Picton
- Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park
- Westland/Tai Poutini National Park
- Westport
Top Experiences
Top Experiences
Recent Forum Posts
Recent Forum Posts
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Advice for my 20 day New Zealand trip
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New Zealand where is this beach?
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New Zealand--Is it worth the effort (especially from the US)?
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Another NEW ZEALAND itinerary to critique -- 28 days for both North and South
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