Discover the Best of New Zealand
New Zealand has long been recognised for its magnificent scenic attractions, with visitors from around the world inspired by the country’s incredible features.
Mighty snow-capped peaks, majestic fjords, giant glaciers, bubbling mud pools, tranquil lakes, dense forests, and lush farmland; all in one small country tucked away in the South Pacific.
North Island
Have a look at the amazing destinations and things to do on the North Island of New Zealand.
Auckland
Situated in the North Island, Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city. Its Māori name, Tāmaki Makau Rau, literally translates to ‘City of Many Lovers’, and you will surely fall for its irresistible charms.
Boasting two harbours, punctuated by volcanic cones, surrounded by west coast beaches and farming land, Auckland is not only heaven for outdoor activities but also offers the best of the urban environment.
Experience superb cuisine with fresh local produce, shop New Zealand best designers and unique boutiques, and get the best entertainment!
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is one of these magical places that leaves you in awe, not only by its infinite beauty but also with its rich history, and that will capture your imagination.
This breathtaking collection of 144 islands with picturesque secluded beaches and turquoises waters is the place of one of the first Maori settlements about 700 years ago, then became the first European mission in 1814 and the host of the signature of the Treaty of Waitangi, the New Zealand founding document was signed in 1840.
Take a cruise out to the famous “Hole In The Rock”, go sailing or kayaking, swim with the dolphins, dive to one of many diving wrecks, or play a round of golf. The choice is yours!
Coromandel
The Coromandel Peninsula is renowned for its misty rainforests, its endless pristine golden beaches, and its mountainous interior.
This untouched, rustic and rugged landscape is home to the famous Hot Water Beach, where the sand holds hot water underneath and where you can build your own spa, meters away from the sea.
Drive along the peninsula’s spine that rises to nearly 900 metres, creating a different landscape on either side.
Rotorua
Shooting geysers, natural hot springs, and bubbling mud pools make Rotorua a geothermal wonderland. Surrounded by mountains, rivers, native forests and no less than 18 freshwater lakes.
Rotorua is heaven to unwind and reconnect with nature. With a rich and warm Maori, Rotorua is the best place to experience the traditional Hangi feast and performances.
Taupo
Lake Taupo was created nearly two thousand years ago by a volcanic eruption and is the largest freshwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere.
Situated in the centre of the North Island, it is the home to the magnificent Huka Falls, where more than 220,000 litres of water thunder over the cliff face every second, the walking tracks alongside the river and the different viewing platforms, allows you to take in the falls from all angles.
Taupo is also a picturesque town on the shore of the lake known for its lovely cafes, restaurants, shops & local crafts.
Napier
After the devastating earthquake of 1931 when the vast majority of buildings in the commercial centre of Napier were destroyed.
Napier started its reconstruction immediately in the architectural styles of the times: Art Deco, Spanish Mission and Stripped Classical.
The result is spectacular. This coastal city is like a time capsule, stroll around the perfectly preserved facades, step back in time and enjoy a glass of Pinot Gris the region’s signature wine.
Wellington
Wellington, a sophisticated centre of arts & culture, is the capital of New Zealand. Nestled between the stunning harbour & picturesque bush-clad hills.
The city is compact & easy to explore on foot. Wellington boasts over 400 restaurants, cafes & bars, and is home to New Zealand’s national ballet, orchestra, opera & International Arts Festival.
The city is divided into 4 quarters – Willis, Courtenay, Lambton & Cuba. Take a stroll through the Willis Quarter & browse through the boutique & lifestyle shops, visit the commercial & shopping heart of Lambton Quarter, and explore Cuba Quarter, the city’s famous slice of Bohemia, culinary & creative soul.
Discover why Wellington has been named ‘The Coolest Little Capital of the World’.
South Island
Have a look at the amazing destinations and things to do on the South Island of New Zealand.
Marlborough Sounds
The Marlborough Sounds are truly one of the earth’s most beautiful water landscapes. They consist of a maze of peaks, bays, beaches and watery reaches, formed when the sea flooded deep river valleys after the last ice age.
Marine life including 5 species of Dolphin, Orca, Hump Back whales (visits), Fur Seals, Blue Penguins, Rare birds including New Zealand’s very rare and endangered Saddleback, and other beautiful animals call the Malborough Sounds their home.
The locals call the Marlborough Sounds paradise and once there you will know why.
Picton
Nestled at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, Picton is possibly New Zealand’s most pretty seaside town. Boasting one-fifth of New Zealand’s coastline at its door and the best climate in New Zealand.
The waterfront has one of the world’s best water views known for its ever-changing colours and its marinas are a stunning testament to the importance of boats to this charming waterside village.
Blenheim
The sunniest city in New Zealand is located in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. With over 600 growers and 24,000 hectares under vine, this internationally acclaimed wine region offers more than 142 wineries, 40 cellar door sales & tastings that will tantalise your palate.
Try a liqueur or olive oil made from locally grown fruit, or drop in at one of the region’s microbreweries.
Close by is the Marlborough Sounds, a collection of ancient sunken river valleys filled with the waters of the Pacific Ocean where the abundant bird & marine life shelter in the many inlets & coves of Queen Charlotte, Kenepuru & Pelorus.
Kaikoura
The seaside settlement of Kaikoura is located halfway between Christchurch and Picton on the rugged east coast. Waves lap at its toes and huge mountains stretch away from its shoulders.
Chief among them is the marine bounty – several breeds of whales, dolphins, seals, and thousands of seabirds can be easily spotted.
Fox & Franz Josef Glacier
Located amongst the dramatic and wild scenery of New Zealand’s isolated West Coast lies two of the country’s most popular tourist attractions, the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
Not only are these ancient glaciers unique because both end amongst lush temperate rainforest only 300 meters above sea level, they also have the added fortune of being two of the most accessible glaciers in the world! This means that with only a short walk along the length of the glacial valleys, the terminal face of each glacier can be viewed from the ground, right up close when travelling as part of a guided group.
Located only half an hour from each other, both glaciers have small villages nestled nearby with plenty of comfortable accommodation and sightseeing operators that offer guided walking tours, helicopter ice landings, sightseeing flights and hiking tours, all designed to allow tourists to get up close and personal with the prehistoric glaciers themselves.
Christchurch
As the gateway to the South Island, Christchurch is equally as vibrant as elegant. The several earthquakes that shook and destroyed some major buildings saw Christchurch re-emerged as a vibrant, ever-changing “pop-up city”.
The city is home to many pop-up cafes, restaurants & bars, with an exciting new retail & cafe precinct – the ReStart Mall – featuring over 30 shops built in fashionably presented shipping containers. Take a walk or tour around the city centre to see how the city has evolved.
Mt Cook
New Zealand’s highest mountain dominates the Southern Alps amongst the many spectacular, snow-capped peaks of Mount Cook National Park.
Encompassing 70,111 hectares, the park’s exceptional landscape of ice tipped mountains, rocky outcrops, turquoise lakes & glaciers is classified within the Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area.
At night, stars literally wrap around the whole sky offering one of the best stargazing experiences in New Zealand.
Wanaka
Wanaka has been a popular holiday destination for local New Zealanders since 1867, and with its pristine natural beauty and relaxed small-town atmosphere, it isn’t hard to imagine why.
Primarily a resort town, Wanaka is nestled along the shores of the vast reaching Lake Wanaka and framed by a stunning backdrop of rising hills and colossal mountains, meaning the unspoilt vistas really couldn’t be any more dramatic or breathtaking.
Queenstown
Located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, the town is in a truly idyllic setting, framed by the dramatic alpine ranges on one side and crystal blue waters on the other.
Queenstown is home to the ultimate adventure thrill-seekers, if you are not into jet boating, rafting or bungy jumping there are plenty of mellow options available.
Experience one of the many walking and hiking trails, sightseeing tours, gondola ride or indulge yourself with spa treatments, boutique shopping and excellent food and wine.
Te Anau
The little resort township is built around the foreshore of Lake Te Anau, the largest of the South Island lakes.
It is the hub of Fiordland National Park, a magnificent 1.2-million-hectare (3-million-acre) World Heritage Site filled with scenic wonders, serenity, mystery, and some of the best walking tracks in the world.
Fiordland
New Zealand’s largest National Park is an isolated and natural wilderness covering 1.2 million hectares.
The park delivers a spectacle of dense forests, glacier-carved fjords, granite cliffs, snow-capped peaks, peaceful lakes & coastal inlets, and is home to abundant birdlife & a collection of more than 700 plants species found nowhere else in the world.
A magnificent drive along Milford Road through the Eglington, Hollyford Valleys and the Homer Tunnel will take you to the most famous & most accessible of the grand glacier-carved fiords on the South Island’s; Mitre Peak’s. This majestic glacier’s steep sides rise up from the depths of the fiord and with an entire area surrounding it is dedicated as a marine reserve.
Dunedin
Known as the Edinburgh of the South, Dunedin is proud to exhibit its Scottish Heritage. Surrounded by dramatic hills and at the foot of a long, picturesque harbour, Dunedin is one of the best-preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere.
Magnificent architecture and buildings such as the University of Otago and the mysterious Larnach castle testify to its timeless beauty.
The city is easy to get around on foot and is filled with interesting shops, eateries, neo-Gothic buildings and stately homes.
