New Zealand travel guide
GUIDES WRITTEN ABOUT NEW ZEALAND, BY A NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL WRITER
I’m here to help you discover the most beautiful places and best adventures in New Zealand. My ethos is one of less is more; sustainable where possible; and adventurous, always.
My love for New Zealand – beyond the regular fondness a person holds for their own country – was a slow dawning, rather than the quick clobbering most visitors experience when faced with the absurd beauty of this island nation.
Despite growing up in the Coromandel Peninsula, a place so beautiful people travel from around the world to see it, in my twenties I couldn’t wait to leave. I feel almost silly now (more so when I realise this is a story as old as books) that I had to spend years travelling to the farthest reaches of the planet before I came to fully appreciate my home.
After completing that circle, arriving back in New Zealand, it’s exactly as the T.S Eliot quote goes; “And the end of all our exploring, will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time.”
Since 2020, the year that forcibly made me contain my wanderings to within New Zealand’s borders, I have travelled the whole country from top to bottom. It was all there the whole time; the mountains, the glaciers, the crystalline rivers. All that adventure, waiting for me.
My explorations of Aotearoa have dovetailed neatly with my travel writing career; I feel incredibly fortunate that I get to channel my love of New Zealand into my work. I hope that in sharing my love for New Zealand, I help you fall in love with this country too.
20 of my favourite places and experiences in New Zealand
To jumpstart planning your trip, here is a collection of places and experiences in New Zealand I love the most.
Wineries, restaurants, and island vibes. What’s not to like?
1. Waiheke Island
Black water rafting – floating along underground rivers, staring up at caves lit by the electric blue light of glow worms – is one of the most unique adventures you can have in New Zealand.
2. Waitomo
My adopted home has fascinating geothermal landscapes and an ample supply of thermal hot springs.
3. Rotorua
The Tongariro Crossing might be the premier day walk in this park (and perhaps all of New Zealand) but even shorter options will let you see the impressive volcanic heart of the North Island.
4. Tongariro National Park
One of my favourite drives is setting a course all the way to the end of State Highway 1, at the northernmost tip of the North Island, to see towering dunes and the place where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean collide.
5. Cape Reinga
I never tire of driving the loop around the Coromandel; some of New Zealand’s best beaches are there, plus a quirky train through native forest, waterfalls, and remote hippie enclaves.
6. The Coromandel Peninsula
Although I usually prefer nature over cities, Wellington’s food and coffee are always fun to explore. .
7. Wellington
Between the laid-back coastal vibe (and excellent coffee that comes with it) and the hiking in the national park, I’m always excited to visit Taranaki – an awesome place to get off the beaten track.
8. Taranaki
Possibly the best thing I have ever done in New Zealand is an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound. Skip busy Milford Sound and choose to spend a night on the dark, remote waters of Doubtful Sound in Fiordland.
9. Doubtful Sound
Wanaka makes the ideal base for day hikes; Roy’s peak is the most famous, but Rob Roy Glacier is even more stunning.
10. Wanaka
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.
11. Franz Josef and Fox Glacier
Small coastal towns often rate among my favourite places; Kaikoura might be the best of the lot, with pebble beaches, a backdrop of mountains, and an incredible display of marine wildlife.
12. Kaikoura
The northern end of Abel Tasman National Park is a quieter alternative to the southern end, but go even further into Golden Bay and discover places like Wharariki Beach, mesmerising Te Waikoropupū Springs, and emerald rivers with secret swimming spots.
13. Golden Bay
Mou Waho Island, Lake Wanaka
New Zealand’s most unexpected small town, Oamaru is Steampunk capital and home to the most delightful blue penguin colony.
14. Oamaru
The most dramatic hikes in the South Island are in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, home to Aoraki, the Cloud Piercer – New Zealand’s tallest peak.
15. Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
The limestone rock formations, bottle-green rivers, and almost tropical-feeling forest of Paparoa National Park and Punakaiki make this one of my favourite stops on the West Coast.
16. Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park
The Routeburn Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, is possibly the best multi-day walk in the country. If you don’t have time for the whole thing, day walks at either end are stunning.
17. The Routeburn Track
Hiking a coast track where you get to throw off your pack and jump into the water at a moment’s notice. .
18. Abel Tasman National Park
New Zealand has several wonderful wine regions, but my favourite is Central Otago, near Queenstown.
19. Central Otago wine region
Marlborough Sounds, a collection of sea-drowned river valleys fringing the top of the South Island, have lake-calm waters and the ridges coated in regenerating native bush. Lodges and holiday homes are scattered throughout the Sounds, with some only accessible by water taxi. The Queen Charlotte Track links up some of these lodges on one of New Zealand’s most accessible multi-day hikes.
20. Marlborough Sounds
New Zealand’s regions
Getting your bearings with what’s where.
Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city, and for many travellers, the first and last place to stop. Whether you enjoy it depends on how much you like cities; Auckland’s centre is a thick, grey, concrete jungle. Although there are many excellent bars and restaurants (including an emerging cohort of chefs elevating Pacific cuisine) the best parts of Auckland are around the fringes. Karangahape and Ponsonby Roads are the best places to eat, drink, and shop, while to the west of the city, across the Waitakere ranges, are black sand beaches and beautiful walking trails. Out in the Hauraki Gulf, Waiheke Island is a gem of a destination, offering a neat package of beaches and wineries. With easy access by ferry, staying on laid back Waiheke is a nice alternative to downtown Auckland.
Auckland
Northland is achingly beautiful in places; beaches of white silica sand so soft it squeaks underfoot, towering dunes alongside a beach so vast it doubles as a road, coastal campsites frequented by free roaming horses. Paihia and the Bay of Islands are where you’ll find the best tourist infrastructure and the historically significant Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but my favourite parts of Northland are in the Far North, a remote but culturally and historically rich area. If you have the time, driving all the way to Cape Reinga is an odyssey of sorts. Passing by the harbour where Polynesian explorers first landed 800 years ago is eye-opening. Greeting Tane Mahuta, the largest surviving kauri tree and lord of the forest, is mandatory.
Northland and the Bay of Islands
East of Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula is a craggy finger of land with beaches of soft white sand on its eastern side and rocky coves on the western edge. The most famous attractions are Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach, both of which can be overwhelmingly busy in summer. Even if you skipped both, the abundance of beautiful beaches and quirky, artistic characters that populate the Coromandel make it worth a visit.
The Coromandel Peninsula
Rotorua is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most popular tourist destinations, thanks to an impressive geothermal landscape of hot springs, bubbling mud, and colourful pools. Thanks to a deep Maori history in the area, it’s also the best place to see a Maori cultural performance, and try traditional hangi food. An hour south of Rotorua, Lake Taupo dwarfs all of Rotorua’s lakes. The relaxed town of Taupo is just as good a base as Rotorua for visiting geothermal parks and hot springs, and it’s also close enough to Tongariro National Park to serve as a jumping off point for the Tongariro Crossing, the full-day walk covering volcanic craters and emerald pools.
Central North Island (the volcanic plateau)
The Waikato region is an area of sprawling farmland stretching south of Auckland. Much of it is rolling pastoral hills and little else, but there are a few key attractions spread throughout the region. The Waitomo area is home to an extensive network of limestone caves. Whether you go for the glowworms or the black water rafting, the caves are one of the North Island’s most impressive stops. Tucked into green hills two hours east of Waitomo is Hobbiton; many people link both stops with Rotorua to hit the ‘golden triangle’ or North Island attractions.
Waikato and Waitomo
According to Maori legend, Taranaki was once married to Ruapehu, but she left him for Tongariro. Taranaki lost a battle to try and win her back, so he slunk off to the westernmost edge of the North Island, leaving Whanganui river in his wake. The almost perfectly symmetrical cone of Taranaki is a sight to behold, overlooking the coastline of wild black surf beaches. Surf Highway 45 loops around the coast; smaller roads branch off like spokes on a wheel, both to beaches on the coast and towards the mountain. Whanganui National Park, to the east of Mount Taranaki, is remote and difficult to access. The Whanganui River Journey is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks (although it’s undertaken by canoe) and the Forgotten World Highway is a long and dusty gravel road through the middle of nowhere.
Taranaki and Whanganui National Park
The North Island
Often overlooked in favour of the South, the North Island is where you’ll find delightful beaches, volcanic landscapes, and Maori culture.
A snapshot of the North Island
AUCKLAND
The Auckland region encompasses New Zealand’s largest city and beyond, from the rugged black sand beaches of the west coast to the pristine white-sand bays lining the coast north of the city.
NORTHLAND
Subtropical Northland — also called ‘the winterless North’ by locals — is famous for deserted beaches, Cape Reinga, and rich Maori history.
WAIKATO AND THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA
The Waikato is largely a farming region, but there are a few tourist highlights (Hobbiton and Raglan). The Coromandel Peninsula is a worthy road trip destination, famous for beaches like Cathedral Cove.
ROTORUA AND THE BAY OF PLENTY
Rotorua is the hot spot of the Bay of Plenty, literally — this is where you’ll find bubbling mud pools and natural hot springs. Other towns in the region include Tauranga and Whakatane, both of which are forgettable. But, the coast in between them is a delight.
TAUPO AND THE CENTRAL VOLCANIC PLATEAU
Lake Taupo is all that remains of a massive volcanic eruption. Other volcanoes still persist in Tongariro National Park — squat Ruapehu and the perfect cone of Ngauruhoe make the skyline near here unmistakeable.
TARANAKI AND THE WEST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND
A wild region ideal for surfers and hikers alike.
THE EAST COAST
Culturally rich, but economically deprived, the east coast is a place of rugged adventure. Don’t expect much in the way of tourist amenities out there; it’s best for people in campervans, equipped with a sense of discovery.
North Island destinations
IThe North Island is, dare I say it, more diverse than the South. Sure, it’s more populated and has less of the wild, rugged beauty of the South Island, but there are some very beautiful corners of the North Island. These are the beaches, camping spots, and coastal walks that fuel my ongoing love for the North Island
The South Island
Home to the Southern Alps, glaciers, fjords, braided rivers and vast areas of wilderness, the South Island is a sparsely populated and rugged land holding a powerful allure for adventurers.
A snapshot of the South Island
Christchurch, and Queenstown have international airports which are also well-connected domestically.
There’s a good chance you’ll start your South Island trip in one of those towns and finish in the other. That gives you a loose framework for a road trip, whether that’s a shorter trip through the centre of the South Island, or a longer itinerary touring around either the West or the East Coast.
The top of the South Island is also worth a look, with Abel Tasman and the Marlborough Sounds both providing coastal walks and excellent kayaking.
You can see a lot with five days in the South Island, but if you have two weeks up your sleeve you’ll be able to get a real sense of the diversity of the island.
South Island destinations
From the golden bays of Abel Tasman National Park in the north of the island, to the wilds of Fiordland bordering the Tasman Sea in the south, the South Island of New Zealand is nothing short of spectacular.
