The New Zealand destinations I never tire of visiting

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Part of New Zealand’s great allure is that is has so many beautiful places, of such wide variety. Think of a landscape, and you can find it in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Beaches, forests, mountain peaks. Even glaciers, islands, and volcanic cones.

Between the North and South Islands — each unique in their own way — there’s a lot to explore. So much so, that no matter how many road trips I set off on, I still haven’t made my way through my very long wish list of hikes, camping spots, waterfalls, and sunrise missions.

I do find myself looping back to some of the same places over and over again, though. Each visit to the West Coast of the South Island, or the area around Queenstown, yields something new.

So, with this list of what I consider to be the most beautiful places in New Zealand, I have tried to highlight the locations I’ve been to multiple times (and in most cases, I’m already planning my next visit).

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Aoraki/Mount Cook — the cloud piercer — is New Zealand’s highest peak, at 3,724 metres (12,218 feet). The national park lying at the foot of Aoraki is quite possibly the single most beautiful place in New Zealand, a land of rock and ice. The sound of rock and ice falls is almost always present, and even in summer ice bergs drift in the glacial lake below Aoraki.

For somewhere so wildly and dramatically beautiful place, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is surprisingly accessible (although it’s worth noting that this easy accessibility and stunning scenery together make Mount Cook a very busy place). One day is all you really need for visiting Aoraki Mount Cook. There are a handful of walking trails to choose from, depending on your fitness and enthusiasm.

How to visit Aoraki/Mount Cook

Aoraki is typically a stop on a road trip between Christchurch and Queenstown. From here, you can head to Wanaka for hiking, or Lake Tekapo for lake views, depending on which direction you’ve come from.
I think Aoraki/Mount Cook is also worth the detour if you travel from Queenstown to Christchurch via the West Coast. That adds a few hours to your journey (even though the West Coast is directly across the Southern Alps as the crow flies) but the scenery in Aoraki is unlike anywhere else.
Visit on a two week South Island road trip

Activities

The Hooker Valley Track is 3 hours return
Sealy Tarns track is around 5 hours return.
Getting up to Mueller Hut and back takes around 7 hours return

Franz Josef and Fox Glacier

People wearing helmets and carrying ice axes climb through ice on Franz Josef glacier

Franz Josef and neighbouring Fox Glacier are highlights of the West Coast of the South Islands.

The eastern border of Westland Tai Poutini National Park butts up against Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Southern Alps; the east, the Tasman Sea. In between lie the twin glaciers of Franz Josef and Fox and their respective villages of the same names. The stars of this national park, the glaciers are distinctive for their proximity to the sea – they sit at 300m (1000 feet) above sea level and only 12 kilometres from the coast.

Although the West Coast glaciers are much smaller than they were a decade ago, this part of the South Island is still rich in rainforest and coastal lagoons, making it one of my favourite wilderness areas. The national park is home to forest that drips in bright green moss, obsidian lakes that mirror the mountains, and beaches where if you’re lucky, you might see the rounded fins of Hector’s dolphins.

One of my favourite things about this region is that many of these attractions lie just off State Highway 6, the only road running north to south along the west coast. Like the glaciers, adventure here is both wild and accessible.

How to visit Franz Josef

Visit on a one week South Island road trip
With two weeks in the South Island, the West Coast glaciers make a good stop on a loop around the south (back in the 70s and 80s, locals even called tourists “Loopies" becaue it was — and is still — common to do a loop of the island).
Queenstown to Christchurch via the West Coast glaciers.

Activities

Go heli hiking on Franz Josef glacier

Stay

A person dressed in a red jacket and wearing a helmet walks across glacier ice — ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHT

Heli hiking Franz Josef
Walking on a glacier is a surreal experience.

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Ōkārito

📍 West Coast, South Island

There are only 30 permanent residents in Ōkārito, a village bounded by dense forest, sea cliffs, a vast lagoon, and the wild Tasman Sea. There are no shops, no restaurants. There are only three small businesses in town; a boat tour, a kiwi tour, and a kayak rental. You can get a coffee at Okarito Kayaks, but that’s about it. Everything in this place feels slow, simple, wild, and wonderful. It’s a real treasure of the South Island, and one of the places that will always make my heart lift when I go back there.

I would happily go just to walk the walking trails through the forest and along the coast, but for more visitors, the main draw is the lagoon. Part of Westland Tai Poutini National Park, Ōkārito Lagoon is New Zealand’s largest unmodified wetland. It’s easy to see what a rare and special thing that is. More than 76 species of birds thrive on the lagoon, including the eerily beautiful kōtuku/white heron.

To fully appreciate the lagoon, you have to get out on the water (only a small part of it is visible from dry land). Paddling around on the lagoon, with reflections of the mountains and the many birds, is one of my favourite memories from the South Island.

A white heron perches on a log in okarito lagoon

How to visit Ōkārito

Stop by Ōkārito on your way down the West Coast of the South Island (better suited to itineraries of two weeks or more)
With few places to stay and nowhere to eat, it can be easier to stay in Franz Josef and visit Ōkārito as a day trip.

Activities

Kayak the lagoon
Walk the Trig track

Fiordland National Park

Laid out along the remote southwestern edge of the South Island, Fiordland National Park is rippled with forested valleys and mountain ridges. The coastline is crenellated with deep fjords gauged by glaciers of eons past.

Fiordland is a wilderness so vast and deep I have no doubt there are many parts of this millennia old ground that have never known the tread of human feet, and almost undoubtedly never will.

The place in Fiordland that does have a well-worn track leading to it is Milford Sound, where the dark pyramid of Mitre Peak rises above the water. Milford Sound is iconic, dramatic, and one of the most popular places to visit in the whole country.

The essential Milford Sound experience is a two hour boat trip around the fjord. Cruises show off waterfalls and wild scenery, but there is also the chance of seeing dolphins, seals, and Fiordland crested penguins.

A quieter alternative to Milford Sound is Doubtful Sound. Doubtful Sound is, like Milford, actually a fjord. Its Maori name is better – Patea, which loosely means ‘place of silence.’ It isn’t completely silent there; it’s only devoid of human-made noise, aside from the occasional boat motors. But even those go quiet from time to time.

Reaching 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the head of the fiord to the Tasman Sea, Doubtful is three times the length and 10 times the area of Milford. It’s also much less visited, which makes it – at least to me – a more beautiful experience. The overnight voyage includes snacks, meals, kayaking, and swimming, as well as commentary from an enthusiastic nature guide.

How to visit Fiordland

Although you can visit on a (very long) day trip from Queenstown, you’ll get much more out of the experience and see more of Fiordland if you base yourself in Te Anau. This does take up more time from your itinerary; ideally you would have at least two weeks in the South Island.

Another time efficient option is to go for an overnight cruise on either Doubtful or Milford Sound.

Activities

Go on an overnight cruise of Doubtful Sound
Go on a day trip to cruise Milford Sound
Go kayaking on Milford Sound
Hike the trails along the Milford Road

Stay

Milford Sound Lodge is the only place to stay in Milford Sound
Te Anau makes a good base for visiting Fiordland; stay at the Fiordland Lakeview Motel and Apartments

A sail boat cruises across the inky dark waters of Doubtful Sound — ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHT

Doubtful Sound overnight cruise
One of the most magical experiences I have had in New Zealand.

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Tongariro National Park

Tongariro National Park, the volcanic heart of the North Island, was New Zealand’s first national park and only the fourth in the world when it was established as a national park in 1887. It's one of New Zealand’s two mainland UNESCO sites (the other is Te Wahipounamu, covering Fiordland and Westland Tai Poutini National Park in the South Island).

The three main volcanoes in the park – Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, and Ruapehu – are all still active. Flat-topped Tongariro (1967m) is the most modest of the trio; the roughly 100,000 people who hike the Tongariro Crossing each summer season are more likely to focus their gaze on the perfect cone of Ngauruhoe (2287m), which is so striking it served as Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings films. Sprawling Mount Ruapehu (2797m) is the highest mountain in the North Island, despite having a squat, flat top. Between these three mountains lies some of the most striking and unique landscapes in the country – volcanic cones, deep craters, rock-strewn desert and emerald-green lakes. This makes it the premier hiking destination in the North Island.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is the most popular day walk in the park, but there are plenty of other trails ranging from a short amble to half day hikes. On good weather days, it doesn’t matter too much which path you pick. The vast openness of the park (which is largely cloaked in alpine shrubs, plants, and tussocks) means sweeping views in all directions. When it’s clear, you can see all the way to Mount Taranaki in the southwest.

How to visit Tongariro

Stop by on an Auckland to Wellington road trip
Visit as part of a two week North Island itinerary
Stop off on a three-week, North to South itinerary

Activities

Hike the Tongariro Crossing (you’ll need to get shuttle transport)
Hike to Taranaki Falls or Tama Lakes
Go for a very cold dip in Tawhai Falls

Stay

There are a handful of small villages on the western edge of Tongariro National Park; Waimarino/National Park Village and Raurimu are the closest. You could also head further south to Ohakune, which has several places to stay, and from there you get some great views of Ruapehu.

Lake Tekapo

Tekapo is a small village alongside a lake of the same name. Although the village is small, busy, and expensive, the lake is beautiful, with turquoise blue water surrounded by tawny golden hills. Sunsets in Tekapo are particularly vibrant and colourful.

Another compelling reason to visit involves looking up, not out. Lake Tekapo sits within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, making this the epicentre of stargazing in New Zealand. You can, of course, look up at a pristine night sky in many parts of our largely unpopulated country, but in Tekapo you can do so with a guide explaining what it is you’re looking at.

How to visit Tekapo

Stop by on a Christchurch to Queenstown road trip

Activities

Join a star gazing tour at the Mount John Observatory
Hike the Tekapo Mount John Walkway

Stay

Expect accommodation in Tekapo to be much more expensive than in other parts of the country; it’s a small town that gets a lot of visitors, so demand is high. There are no other towns nearby (except perhaps Twizel, which is less scenic) so Tekapo is the best place to stop in Mackenzie country, even with the higher price for a room. Try and book in advance if you can.

Nelson Lakes National Park

Nelson Lakes National Park sprawls across the northern end of the Southern Alps in the South Island. Long, rocky ridgelines and alpine passes rise around the long, deep glacial-formed lakes of Rotoiti and Rotoroa. Thick beech forest plunges right down the hillsides to the water’s edge. Rivers run along the valley floors, through moss-cloaked native forest so thick the sun can barely filter through to the ground. Higher up, above the treeline, are alpine tarns of turquoise green; the deeper into the park you go, the more spectacular these lakes get, culminating in the surreal colour of Lake Rotomairewhenua/Blue Lake, said to have the clearest fresh water in the world.

Nelson Lakes isn’t the most accessible of New Zealand’s national parks, oriented more towards multi-day journeys rather than short day walks, but for well-equipped and fit hikers looking for adventure, it delivers.

Angelus Hut is one of the most spectacular hiking huts in the country, and the hike in (it can be reached as an overnight hike, or combined with other huts to form a three day loop) is just as good as any of the Great Walks of New Zealand.

How to visit Nelson Lakes National Park

St Arnaud, a small village at the northern end of Rotoiti, is the main gateway to the national park. There’s not much there; the DOC visitor centre, a couple of campsites, a single lodge, and a smattering of holiday cottages. If you’re travelling the South Island in a campervan, Kerr Bay Campsite is a beauty, right on the lakeshore. In the early mornings, mist rises off the deep, dark water.
If travelling to/from Kaikoura on the east coast, to Abel Tasman National Park, you can go via St Arnaud and Nelson Lakes instead of via Havelock.

Nelson Lakes highlights

Angelus Hut is a spectacular walk
The Mount Robert Circuit makes for an excellent day walk

Hahei and Cathedral Cove

Hahei on the Coromandel Peninsula is a small village spread out along a supremely beautiful beach, is an ideal base for exploring Cathedral Cove. Bordered by cliffs of pale limestone with pillars of the white rock rising from the surf and a large stone archway bisecting the beach, Cathedral Cove is one of the prettiest beaches in New Zealand.

In summer, Cathedral Cove is swarmed with people. Go in the early morning for the best chance of a peaceful beach walk (and sunrise), otherwise be prepared for crowds. DOC (who manage the track to Cathedral Cove) even suggest going at low tide – not only because it’s easier to walk through the rock arch at that time, but because there’s more space on the beach when the tide is out.

If you want to visit a beach that is almost as beautiful as Cathedral Cove, but has nowhere near the vast numbers of visitors, check out Lonely Bay. It’s only a short descent down some steps to the bay, then when you’re there you feel tucked away from the world.

The other famous beach in the area is Hot water beach; for two hours either side of low tide you can dig your own hot pool in the sand. The water is heated by geothermal activity and gets surprisingly hot.

The area where the thermal springs are is also usually sardined with people lying side by side in shallow pools. But, the whole of Hot Water Beach is lovely for a walk (although not for swimming, the currents there are strong).

Activities

Stay

Castlepoint

Castlepoint is one of the North Island’s best off-the-beaten track destinations. The remote location – 2.5 hours from Wellington, on a rugged stretch of coastline – means it gets few visitors. Fishing boats sit pulled up onto the sandy shore. Occasionally, someone bobs past on a horse (and once a year in March, riders thunder down the beach during the Castlepoint Beach Races, an event that has been running for more than 150 years). Other than a local shop, which also serves as a coffee place and takeaway joint, there’s not much here other than old-school baches (simple holiday homes) hunkering against the hills.

Watching over the small settlement is Castlepoint Lighthouse, a monolith atop a craggy limestone knoll lashed by waves. First lit in 1913, it's the tallest lighthouse in the North Island and one of the last two remaining lighthouses in New Zealand with a rotating beam. A boardwalk scales the fossil-studded ridge of the headland to reach the lighthouse, then climbs beyond to an epic lookout (about 30 minutes return).

For an alternative vantage point, follow the Deliverance Cove Walking track from the carpark. It curves along a pine-covered ridge above the beach, eventually leading to the mighty Castle Rock. Scramble up through golden grass and until you reach the lofty peak (although there are sheer drops and crumbling cliffs, so do so at your own risk – I stayed many metres back from the edge). At 162 metres high, it looms over the coast and gives impressive views in all directions. Walk back to the carpark along the half moon of the lagoon, where surfers catch waves rolling in through a narrow gap in the rock. The loop takes around 90 minutes.

How to visit Castlepoint

The main place to stay in town is the Castlepoint Holiday Park, making this the ideal campervan destination.
Or, stay at Le Gra Vineyard, a lovely bed and breakfast (with wine and platters) located an hour’s drive from Castlepoint.

Kaikoura

Kaikoura is one of the best places to go in New Zealand for wildlife watching.

There are few other places where you can swim with both dolphins and seals, see penguins, albatrosses, petrels and other sea birds, and see spot whales all year round.

The small coastal town, located around 2 and a half hours north of Christchurch, is famous for whale watching.

A population of sperm whales means you can go whale watching any time of year, while migrating humpback whales provide other opportunities to see the great beasts during the winter months.

You don’t necessarily have to take a boat tour to see wildlife, though — head to the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway for spectacular cliff top views of the sea, with a seal colony lying at the feet of the rocks.

The seals here are so active that when I visited one evening, I saw one heaving itself through the carpark.

Visit Kaikoura on a 14 day tour of the South Island.

Punakaiki

The section of road just north and south of Punakaiki is possibly the most scenic bit of highway in New Zealand. At points, the road is so close to the water’s edge it seems in danger of crumbling onto the driftwood strewn beach.

Punakaiki itself is a perfect little microcosm of what makes the region special. Caught between Paparoa National Park and the wild Tasman Sea, Punakaiki is famous for the pancake rocks and blowholes the waves have carved out of soft limestone.

The Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes walk is a 20 minute loop around a well-maintained track.

The rocks have been weathered in such a way they resemble stacked pancakes. Set against the backdrop of the forested West Coast, these rock formations are an impressive sight.

The blowholes are fun too — at high tide, water surges through the rock caverns and bursts upwards into the air.

Another highlight of Punakaiki is the Porari River Trail.

The track follows the boulder-studded river through thick nikau forest. It’s a gorgeous walk, and you can stop and swim at a number of points.

Queenstown

Queenstown is one of the top destinations in the South Island, not only for the beauty of the town itself, but thanks to the number of day trips you can do in the area.

Marlborough might be the wine region that gets the largest share of the spotlight, thanks to the legendary production of sauvignon blanc, but Central Otago is my favourite wine region.

There are dozens of excellent vineyards around Cromwell and the Gibbston Valley area near Queenstown.

You can hire bikes and cycle between cellar doors, or take a wine tour. I can say that cycling while drunk isn’t the most fun I’ve ever had, so either pick a couple of spots close together or arrange transport.

Note that Gibbston Valley is a vineyard within the Gibbston area - it’s not the only one in the valley and it’s far from being the best to visit, in my opinion. I prefer the smaller cellar doors, like Mt Rosa Wines or Kinross.

Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman National Park is one of the very best places to go in the top of the South Island.

The Abel Tasman Coastal Walk is one of the best hikes in New Zealand. You’re not limited to exploring Abel Tasman National Park on foot, though.

From Marahau, you can catch boats to different parks of the coast and either kayak or walk back to the starting point.

The calm bays with pristine water are perfect for swimming. If you’re hiking along the Abel Tasman, you’ll be tempted strip off and jump into the sea at every opportunity.

To reach the lesser-visited end of the park, head over the Takaka Hill and explore the park from Golden Bay.

Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island — called just “Waiheke” by locals — is only a 40-minute ferry from the centre of Auckland city.

You wouldn’t know it, though.

Waiheke operates on true island time, so once you’ve escaped the bustle of the ferry terminal, you’ll be almost obliged to slow down and indulge in vineyards, beaches, and restaurants with sea views.

Visiting the island makes for a relaxing day trip from Auckland. The many holiday homes on the island mean it’s also easy to stay overnight to really soak up the island vibes.

If you’re aiming to explore the vineyards, the easiest way to get around is to book a wine tour. I recommend going with Kiwi Connect, a small local company, because they like to strike a balance between seeing wineries and scenic places.

You can also catch public buses around the island, by just tapping on and off with your credit/debit card. They go past many of the more popular vineyards, like Tantalus and Te Motu, so you can visit one or two vineyards (there are several clustered together so you can easily walk between them) and stop for a lavish lunch somewhere.

Northland and the very Far North

It’s unfair of me to hand you a whole region and say ‘go explore,’ but there are just so many beautiful places to visit in Northland.

I find it hard to pick just one, so instead I’ll encourage you to go on a road trip all the way up to Cape Reinga, far from the tourist crowds and to some of the most raw and perfectly beautiful parts of New Zealand.

On the way there’s Whangarei Heads, with the fantastic coastal walk along Bream Head.

A little north of that is Matapouri and Woolley’s Bay, with serene Whale Bay in between them.

Keep going and eventually you’ll reach Matai Bay on the Karekare Peninsula, a perfect arc of white sand around calm blue water.

And all the way at the very north, the Far North as we call it, in a part of the country where they have signs warning you to fill up your petrol tank because there’s no petrol for miles, and where wild horses sometimes burst out of the trees and run across the road, where there are almost no towns — up there is where you’ll find Rarawa Beach, with it’s white silica sand, Spirits Bay with it’s divine campground, and Cape Reinga itself.

The Catlins

The Catlins is a rugged and remote corner of the South Island. It’s an ideal campervan destination, as there isn’t much here apart from deserted beaches and stunning campgrounds.

Purakaunui Bay is a trek down a gravel road, but it’s one of my favourite places to camp in the South Island.

You can see sea lions here.

Further along the coast, the Lost Gypsy Gallery is an absolute gem of a stop, showcasing quirky creativity at its best.

Starting from Christchurch, you can loop through the Catlins and back up to Queenstown in around 8 days.