Places to visit in New Zealand
The regions most trips are built around, north to south. Use them to choose where to spend your nights, then see how they fit together in a route.
- North Island — Gateway City
Auckland
New Zealand's largest city, framed by two harbours and 48 volcanic cones. Waiheke Island wineries, Hauraki Gulf islands, west coast surf beaches, and a strong food and coffee scene.
Auckland NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - Northland
Bay of Islands
Subtropical waters dotted with 144 islands. Sailing, dolphin swimming, deep-sea fishing, and the birthplace of modern New Zealand at Waitangi. Warm beaches all summer.
Northland NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - North Island — East Coast
Coromandel
White-sand beaches, Cathedral Cove, the famous Hot Water Beach, and gentle bush walks. A favourite holiday region for locals — best explored slowly with a rental car.
The Coromandel (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - Central North Island
Rotorua & Taupō
Geothermal wonderland — geysers, mud pools, hot springs, and rich Māori culture. Lake Taupō (a collapsed super-volcano) sits at the centre of the island, ringed by trout streams.
Rotorua NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab)Love Taupō (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - Lower North Island — Capital
Wellington
Compact, walkable capital famous for craft coffee, world-class restaurants, Te Papa museum, and the Weta Workshop film studios. Gateway to the Cook Strait ferry crossing.
Wellington NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - Top of the South Island
Nelson & Marlborough
Sun-drenched corner of NZ — Abel Tasman National Park's golden coves, the Marlborough Sounds by water taxi, and the Sauvignon Blanc wineries that put NZ wine on the map.
Nelson Tasman (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - South Island — West Coast
West Coast Glaciers
Wild, untamed coastline. Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers descend from the Southern Alps almost to sea level — heli-hike on the ice, then walk through ancient rainforest the same afternoon.
West Coast NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - South Island — East Coast
Christchurch & Canterbury
The 'Garden City' is the South Island's main hub. Gateway to the TranzAlpine train, Akaroa harbour, the Banks Peninsula, and the road north to whale-watching at Kaikōura.
ChristchurchNZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - South Island — Alpine Heart
Mt Cook & Mackenzie
New Zealand's highest peak rises above turquoise glacial lakes Pukaki and Tekapo. A certified International Dark Sky Reserve — among the best stargazing on the planet.
Mackenzie NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - South Island — Southern Lakes
Queenstown & Wānaka
The adventure capital. Bungy jumping, jet boats, and luge by day; lakeside dining and Central Otago Pinot Noir by night. Wānaka offers the same beauty with a quieter pace.
Queenstown NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab)Wānaka NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - South Island — South-West
Fiordland
Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, and the Milford Track Great Walk. Sheer rock walls, waterfalls plunging into deep fiords, and some of the wettest, most pristine wilderness on earth.
Fiordland NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab) - South Island — Lower East
Dunedin & Otago Peninsula
Scottish-heritage university city with the world's steepest street and a wildlife-rich peninsula — royal albatross, yellow-eyed penguins, fur seals, and sea lions all within 30 minutes.
Dunedin NZ (official tourism site, opens in a new tab)
