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NORTHLAND back to
top Northland and the Bay of Islands is the region to the north of Greater Auckland. This sub-tropical region incorporates rolling and rugged countryside, tidal estuaries, sparkling bays and long beaches. The sub-tropical forest is a home to the giant kauris, which are among the largest trees in the world. It is a region of historical significance, and is the place where the Maori and Europeans signed the Treaty of Waitangi, that joined them as one nation. With 140 islands, the Bay of Islands is renowned for its water sports. What to do and see: |
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AUCKLAND back to
top Auckland is the main centre of commerce and industry. With a population of about one million, it is New Zealand's largest urban area. Auckland offers something for everyone - great beaches, a beautiful harbour, excellent shopping, and the nightlife and culture of a metropolitan city. Right on Auckland's doorstep is the magnificent Hauraki Gulf stretching in a great 250km sweep of coastline north and south of the city. It has been nicknamed the City of Sails. What to do and see: |
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COROMANDEL back to
top The volcanic hills of the Coromandel Peninsula still retain much of their original rainforests, including giant kauri trees. Visitors enjoy its spectacular coastline of sandy beaches, coves and harbours. There's even a beach with warm water bubbling up through the sand that allows bathers to dig out their own spa pools. The Coromandel's history is reflected in charming colonial architecture and historic buildings, which are found all around this region. What to see and do: |
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BAY
OF PLENTY back to
top This region has a mild climate,
some of the country's most popular beaches and an
abundance of orchards, especially kiwifruit. The main
centre, Tauranga, has all the amenities of a major city. Boat charters are available from Tauranga for big game fishing, snorkelling and dolphin watching. Out on the horizon is White Island, an active volcano usually identified by its trailing plume of steam. What to see and do: |
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THE
WAIKATO back to
top The Waikato region is a lush farming district. The main centre is Hamilton. Beneath the rolling green hills in the south are the Waitomo Caves, whose cathedral-like caverns attract sightseers and thrill seekers. What to see and do: |
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ROTORUA back to
top Geysers, bubbling mud pools and the Maori culture are some of the many experiences you will enjoy whilst visiting Rotorua. It is the best-known resort town in New Zealand, where generations of visitors have enjoyed its thermal waters, marvelled at its geothermal activity and experienced the region's unique Maori history and culture. From the moment you arrive, you will be greeted by a pervasive smell of sulphur. What to see and do: |
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EASTLAND
back to top The east coast is best known for its sunshine, stunning coastal scenery and glorious country gardens. An area of high Maori population, it is one of the best places in the country to discover Maori heritage. The region is also one of New Zealand's prime grape-growing regions, renowned for its Chardonnay wine. What to see and do: |
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TAUPO and RUAPEHU back to
top Hot springs appear in several places around the lake, which is actually a volcanic crater. Just north of Taupo, near the Wairakei International Golf Course, an underground steam has been harnessed for electricity generation. What to see and do: |
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TARANAKI back to
top The most striking feature of Taranaki is the near-perfect volcanic cone of Mt Taranaki that dominates the whole region. New Plymouth and surrounding districts are known for their glorious parks and gardens. What to see and do: |
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HAWKE’S BAY back to
top This region is known for its sunny climate and established vineyards. Napier, the main city of the region was razed by an earthquake and subsequent fire in 1931, and then rebuilt in the art deco style fashionable at the time. What makes Napier special is that it has one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco buildings in the world. What to see and do: |
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WANGANUI back to top Except for the rolling coastal lowlands around Wanganui, the hinterland is very rugged. A large part of the region is included in the Whanganui National Park, through which flows the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. What to see and do: |
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WELLINGTON
back to top Wellington, New Zealand's capital, is set on the shores of a deep harbour and surrounded by a natural amphitheatre of rolling hills. It is New Zealand's weekend destination and has vibrant entertainment, where you can find some of the best bars, cafes, restaurants and theatres. The city is home to Te Papa, New Zealand's national, leading edge museum. Just 45 minutes by car or rail from Wellington, Kapiti Coast is the recreational playground for the lower North Island, with both beaches and mountains readily accessible. What to see and do: |
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| SOUTH ISLAND |
NELSON back to
top Nelson, named after Admiral Lord Nelson of Battle of Trafalgar fame, is the main commercial centre for the region, whose main industries are forestry, horticulture, fishing and tourism. Abel Tasman, New Zealand's smallest national park, is a coastal wonderland of sea, rocky outcrops and golden beaches. The Nelson Lakes National Park is set amidst the mountains and glaciated valleys of south Nelson, and features beech forests and lakes. What to see and do: |
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MARLBOROUGH back to
top Sunny and dry, Marlborough is sheltered by hills and mountains, and is renowned for its vineyards, scenic boat cruising and forest walks. What to see and do: |
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WEST
COAST back to
top The West Coast is a rugged region with some of the most dramatic scenery in New Zealand. It is an area of large mountain peaks, impressive glaciers, tranquil lakes, white water rivers, lush rainforest and a magnificent coastline. Most of its natural environment is still intact and preserved in national parks under World Heritage Listing. The Coast's reputation for hospitality is legendary - "coasters" display a sincere friendliness and strength of character as unique as their surroundings. What to see and do: |
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CHRISTCHURCH back to
top The South Island's largest city and main international gateway is a vibrant, cosmopolitan place with exciting festivals, theatre, art galleries, great shopping and a host of activities. It has been judged one of the top 25 cities of the world by a leading travel magazine. It has all the amenities of a modern city, but is still very much a regional centre serving the rich rural hinterland, with a laid-back style of life. Its Gothic Cathedral, grey-stone nineteenth century buildings, tree-lined avenues and extensive parks have preserved the grace and charm of an earlier era. Sometimes referred to as the garden city, Christchurch's Botanic Gardens comprise 30ha of brilliant formal flowerbeds, interspersed with magnificent specimen trees tucked into a loop of the Avon River. What to see and do: |
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CANTERBURY back to
top The Christchurch hinterland of highly productive farmlands extends from the beaches of the east coast to the jagged peaks of the Southern Alps. Just over the hills from Christchurch, the regional port of Lyttelton has many fine examples of colonial Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Another Banks Peninsula town is Akaroa. Originally a French settlement, its ambience still reflects its Gallic origins. About 130km north of Christchurch is Hanmer Springs, the South Island's only thermal spa. On the coast to the north, Kaikoura is one of the few places in the world where it is possible to view sperm whales at close-range. West of Christchurch lies the small country town of Methven. In winter it is a vibrant ski resort for Mount Hutt, whose season usually runs from June to October. At the southern limits of the Canterbury Plains is Timaru, the main commercial centre and port for the southern part of the region. This is an area of fertile river valleys and gentle rolling hills, orchards and attractive country towns. Timaru has many elegant brick and stone Victorian and Edwardian buildings. What to see and do: |
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TIMARU Click
for Timaru graphics and information back to
top Each year 30,000 tonnes of fish are landed in the district, ranking Timaru and the nations second largest port. Top class-sporting facilities and grounds make Timaru the natural centre for South Island competitions. International standard all-weather tennis courts, and an international motor raceway and the Community Trust Sports Centre are special attractions. Timaru is well known for the Victorian and Edwardian architecture which graces its downtown area. What to see and do: |
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MOUNT COOK and MACKENZIE COUNTRY
back to top At 3754m Mount Cook (its Maori name is Aoraki) is New Zealand's highest mountain. It towers above a massive snow-capped range that make up Mount Cook National Park. Aside Mt Cook is the mighty Tasman Glacier, a 30km giant and one of the longest outside the Himalayas. The church of the Good Shepherd sits on the shores of Lake Tekapo and offers a spectacular view of the Southern Alps framed by its altar window. What to see and do: |
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LAKE
WANAKA back to top Hemmed in by the Southern Alps, Wanaka is Otago's second resort after Queenstown. The crystal-clear waters of New Zealand's fourth-largest lake reflect the snow-capped peaks of the Mt Aspiring National Park World Heritage Area. The highlight of the attractions at Wanaka is the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum at Skyshow Centre, with the largest collection of airworthy World War Two fighters in the Southern Hemisphere. These 'old warbirds' take to the skies every other Easter, attracting admirers from far and wide. What to see and do: |
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QUEENSTOWN back to
top Queenstown is New Zealand's year-round alpine destination, where you can be as active as you like or just soak up the beautiful scenery. A recent count found that Queenstown and Arrowtown offer a choice of over 100 restaurants and cafes. Shopping is Queenstown's specialty, and souvenir shops are as good as any you will find. Queenstown is the home of bungy jumping. In winter, pristine powder ski runs are just over the hills. There are four world-renowned ski fields within easy reach to ski and snowboard. Cruising Lake Wakitipu, the vintage TSS Earnslaw a beautifully restored Steam Ship takes visitors on daily trips. What to see and do: |
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CENTRAL
OTAGO back to top Otago is often called the golden country due to its goldmining associations, vivid autumn colours and apricot orchards. The Central Otago region is the only one to experience a continental climate, having the hottest summers and coldest winters in New Zealand. Old trails that provided access for thousands of miners in the gold rush of the 1860s can still be seen winding over the hills, along with cottages, engineered water channels, mines and machinery of the gold rush days. What to see and do: |
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DUNEDIN and COASTAL OTAGO back to
top Dunedin, is the South Island's second-largest city and the commercial centre for the Otago region. Its name is the old Gaelic one for Edinburgh - appropriate since the city was established by Scottish Presbyterians. It is a gracious city whose numerous grand nineteenth century and its Edwardian buildings are unrivalled anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. Dunedin's architectural heritage has provided the city with some notable buildings, including the train station, town hall, university and many churches. There are also special former private residences worth noting including Olveston, a Jacobean-style family home. Neo-Gothic Larnach Castle represents the finest of nineteenth century architicure. Nature and wildlife tour companies run daily excursions to view fur seals, endangered yellow-eyed penguin, cormorants and albatross. Further north on the Otago coast is Oamaru, known for the grand white stone buildings of its old harbourside precinct. On Moeraki Beach, about halfway between Oamaru and Dunedin are the unique, perfectly round Moeraki Boulders, which weigh up to four tons each. What to see and do: |
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FIORDLAND
back to top Te Anau is the gateway to the world-famous Fiordland National Park, a World Heritage Area covering almost 1.2 million hectares. Fiordland represents nature on a grand scale, where waterfalls tumble thousands of metres into pristine, forested valleys, and glacier-carved fiords indent its coastal boundaries. The road to Milford Sound, is said to be one of the finest alpine drives in the world. Arriving at Milford, visitors are confronted by the well known Mitre Peak. As roads provide access to only a small area of Fiordland, so flightseeing is one of the best ways to really see this vast wilderness. Taking the road one way and flying the other is recommended by most visitors. Fiordland National Park also contains five of the country's best-known hiking trails, ranging from 1½-day nature walks to three-day walks on well-established tracks. Milford Sound is the most famous of the fiords, but Doubtful Sound - the deepest - is also easily accessible. Visitors to this vast, remote area, practically untouched, are often overwhelmed by the solitude. What to see and do: |
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SOUTHLAND back to
top Southland's lush, green pastures are among the richest in the country, a contrast to dry Central Otago to the north. The region's largest urban centre is Invercargill, with many elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings, gardens and landscaped parks. Like Dunedin to the north, Scots also settled Invercargill. Unspoilt in its isolation, Stewart Island across Foveaux Strait is the third largest island making up New Zealand. For anyone seeking peace and tranquillity, Stewart Island is the ultimate spot. There are superb bush walks and great launch cruises around some of New Zealand's most beautiful coastline. What to see and do: |
