New Zealand Travel Guide

The majority of flights go into and out of Auckland, so that’s a good place to start your New Zealand adventure. Many airlines, especially Air New Zealand, also offer the ability to tack on a free stopover in Fiji, Tahiti or the Cook Islands on the way, which is a great way to hit up another destination without the extra airfare to get there.

Since the country is divided into two distinct parts — the North Island and the South Island — you may have to limit your visit to one or the other if you’re short on time. There is plenty to see and do on each Island, so I would recommend splitting it into two trips, but you can also easily fly between the islands if you want to explore both.

For such a small island, New Zealand is packed with things to do. The diverse landscape offers up a little of everything, from hiking through the vast wilderness, exploring natural wonders, taking a tour of Hobbiton and wine tasting in some of the world’s most beautiful vineyards.

Since the country is divided into two distinct parts, the North Island and the South Island, you may have to limit your visit to one or the other if you’re short on time. There is plenty to see and do on each Island, that I would recommend splitting it into two trips, but you can also easily fly between the islands if you want to explore both.

On the North Island, you’ll want to start in Auckland, the largest city in Polynesia. View the city from the Sky Tower, take a ferry out to Waiheke Island for wine tasting and amazing views of the city, walk along the waterfront and hang out in a local pub.

Rent a car, or a camper van to save money on hotels, and drive south to Hobbiton in Matamata (because you can’t go to New Zealand and not go there!).

Take a tour through the hobbit village and see where the films The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were filmed. Continue your drive over to Rotorua, known for its geothermal activity and adventure tourism.

Here you can take a look at thermal fields with spouting geysers, roll down a hill in an Orb and ride a luge down a mountain. Next, float through a cavern filled with glowworms at Waitomo Caves and explore the underground labyrinth of nearby Aranui Caves.

For wine tasting, there are some fantastic locations throughout the North Island to visit. The largest is and most prolific is Hawke’s Bay on the east coast. It’s known for its Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Auckland has more than 100 wineries, including the picturesque Waiheke Island wineries, which are known for rich Bordeaux style blends. Gisbourne is another wine-producing region on the east coast of the North Island that produces rich, buttery Chardonnays.

On the South Island:

• A good place to start is Christ Church, the South Island’s largest city. Spend a day exploring the historic, yet contemporary city and all its quirky charm. What you do next depends on your intended goal.
• Traverse the Great Alpine Highway to see incredible mountain scenery. You can get there by car or by train, which may prove to be the more relaxing.
• Take a drive north through the country’s fastest-growing wine region of Canterbury, passing through rolling hillsides and vineyards, where there are dozens of places to stop for some wine tasting or a picnic lunch. Then continue on to Hanmer Springs, which is situation at the base of the Southern Alps and is a mecca for alpine activities like soaking in thermal pools, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.
• Another option is to fly into Queenstown and journey north toward Christ Church, passing by the South’s biggest lake Te Anau, and enjoying a cruise on Milford Sound to experience the area’s abundant wildlife

Wine tourism is a bid draw for New Zealand, and for good reason. Vineyards spread throughout the country, so wine is a major industry, and it’s relatively easy to visit the wineries and sample their wines.

The biggest and most well-known wine region in New Zealand is Marlborough, in the northern part of the South Island, which produces more than half of all the wine in the country.

Some of the best Sauvignon Blancs come out of Marlborough. Nelson and Canterbury are also fantastic regions to visit with smaller, idyllic wineries.