Read about and view pictures of New Zealand
towns and cities.
Destinations A - F | Destinations G - N | Destinations O - Z
One of the country's most stunning locations, you can do so much in this park between tramping (hiking), kayaking, swimming, strolling, boating, and more. Water taxi and kayak out from Kaiteriteri, tramping starts off from Marahau.
AkaroaAkaroa is a small town of a few hundred people sitting on one of the bays of Banks Peninsula, about 1.5 hours drive outside of Christchurch. There are many lovely bays on the peninsula, but Akaroa seems to be the one that has targeted tourism the most, and is a popular weekend destination for city dwellers.
The views as you drive into Banks Peninsula are absolutely stunning. You are seeing one such view in the picture on top. The town is very cute and tourist, it caters to that sector almost exclusively. The buildings are cute and attractively painted and there are great opportunities for tramping around on hikes that go straight up mountians in farming country, or you can go along the peninsula for a few hours beside the water.
AucklandContrary to what you might think, New Zealand's largest city of 2 million people (roughly the size of Denver) is not the country's capital city. But it is the capital of the business sector and the first stop for the vast majority of any tourist to the country. It's famous Sky Tower points straight up into the air to welcome you. There are many activities to do around Auckland, but it is wise to remember it is a city--with traffic and people and crowds and everything you would find in your own city. You will find several opportunities to get out of the city onto some of the islands nearby, such as Waiheke Island. The suburban neighbourhoods can be very good for boutique-y shopping. The central business district also has a great variety of shopping and people-watching.
The Bay of Islands is a region in Northland that has become very touristy in recent years. Don't get into your mind the kind of touristy you'd find in the U.S. or Europe, because it is far, far less than that. The key city in the area is Paihia which has wonderful views and plenty of accommodation--but that isn't enough for some developers who continue to build, build, build to make the place start to lose its charm. Seeing the Bay of Islands is easy if you base in Paihia or nearby, and ferry around to Russell, swim with dolphins or do any of the many water activities on offer. Driving to surrounding towns is a great way to spend a day, and if we remember correctly there is a marae nearby for learning more about Maori--although at the time we first visited we were not terribly aware of the cultural heritage and history of Maori, so we didn't stop.
There isn't too much special about Blenheim other than it is in the middle of the Marlborough Region--the wine capital of New Zealand (debatable, but in the top 2, we are biased). Staying in Blenheim is easy and cheap and all the dozens of wineries are very close. You can rent a bike to do your wine tour or take breaks to eat food because you will very well get drunk!
Cape Reinga is the absolute northernmost tip of New Zealand and you'll stand on the vast edge of this piece of land and see absolutely nothing but water. It is gorgeous scenery and there are little hiking trails all around for you to walk the cliffs and rocks.
Central Otago The Central Otago region is most renowned for its vineyards that make the lovely pinot noir variety. The region is made up of mountainous areas with dry valleys suitable to this particular grape - if you are on a wine tour you will definitely notice the difference between pinot noir in Central Otago and other places. Do a taste test in Marlborough and then come south, you'll definitely be able to tell.
Towns Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell are the most notable towns in the region. Small places like Roxburgh and Bannockburn are also on the main road and worth a stop. The areas in and around are included in photos here, all driven on a trip through Central Otago.
The photo above and to the right are of Alexandra, the city and its iconic bridge over the Clutha River. The one on the top right is just on the drive toward Clyde.
Driving to Bannockburn, we found this gorgeous scenery in the image to the left.
To the right, you see Lake Dunstan on the way to Cromwell. The lake was formed after the erection of the Clyde Dam.
Cromwell is charming and a much nicer place to base your Central Otago wine tour than, say, Queenstown or Wanaka. Those two locations are very touristy and expensive. If you want real New Zealand and to 
be in the centre of pinot noir country, Cromwell or Alexandra - but Cromwell is top rated - are the places to stay.
To the right is old town Cromwell, original buildings relocated to this historic bit on Lake Dunstan and now staffed with modern day shops and galleries.
Christchurch is New Zealand's second largest city, and the largest on the South Island. It is based pretty much midway on the Island on the east coast. What is striking about Christchurch is, in all the volcanic, mountainous landscape you will find across this entire country, the city is probably built up on the flattest piece of land found on either island. It's flat as a pancake and, as such, has a very suburban feel. We actually felt we could picture ourselves back in Denver driving down Wadsworth--sans the hills--for miles and miles of flat, flat development.
Having said what bothers us about Christchurch, it has its charm for sure. The central business district and main city are worth the time to see the history of the city, the wonderful Avon river crawling through the city (or should we say the city crawling around the Avon), and various museums and galleries.
We have been told and have read that Christchurch is the most English city, based on its architecture and the punts going down the river, and it really does live up to that reputation. Yet, in so many other ways it is thoroughly Kiwi and very charming.
Collingwood is pretty much your last stop before you hit the western tip of Farewell Spit and the South Island. And, what you see in this picture is pretty much what you get. There are a couple of places to eat, you can fuel up, there are public restrooms and a few cutesy shops. We heard about an incredible chocolate shop but didn't find it, next time...
We finally made it to the Coromandel Christmas 2008 including New Year's Day. This description, quoted from The Lonely Planet guide to New Zealand, is completely true:
The spine of the Coromandel Peninsula is densely forested and mountainous, crisscrossed with hiking trails, around which narrow roads wind along the attractive coastline. Thames and Coromandel on the west coast retain a pioneer atmosphere...the east coast has rapidly expanding patches of holiday homes around some beaches, but most of the coast, particulary in the north, is much as it was when Captain Cook and his crew sailed by at the end of the eighteenth century.
Well, we cannot verify the Captain Cook part, but the two coasts are distinctly different from one another, and both have their own beauty. 
We loved driving the curvy coast road of the west coast (see right) from Thames upward toward Coromandel town, the views of the water and the mainland to the west were spectacular. 
We also headed inland, crossing one of the two gravel roads that connect the middle sections of coast (otherwise you have to make a big circle at either the top or bottom - longer for sure), and made our way up and down the east coast which has more farmlands, but many gorgeous white-sanded beaches. Cathedral Cove was a stunning spot, featured at top right.
Main towns are Thames, Whitianga, and Coromandel Town - all of which have large grocery stores, plenty of petrol availability, and tourism info. Otherwise, the Coromandel is sparsely populated, thankfully!
Favourite stops: Cathedral Cove, Hahei Beach (upper left photo), driving northward from Thames, Otama Beach and Opito Bay. Tairua was a great base location.
Doubtful Sound is getting more of a reputation as Milford Sound continues to receive all the tourism...on Doubtful you can peacefully see the beauty of Fiordland without the huge boats trolling by filled with tourists and without the busloads of people everywhere. Too bad you will still find sandflies--see Milford Sound for more on sandflies.
When we first visited in 2005, you could only reach Doubtful by going on a trek or kayak trip or if you have a boat. Now there are boat tours (it still takes as long to get there by crossing the Manapouri) on the sound, depressing! It might be possible to see it by helicopter or plane, but it is so much better to be on the water yourself, seeing the majesty of the fiord itself.
DunedinIn 2009 we made our way for the first time to Dunedin and all we heard about it - beautiful, picturesque, hilly, cold - was true. The city has about 110,000 people in and on various hills and valleys and is a lovely place.
Access to Otago Peninsula is easy and a drive worth doing regularly if you live there - the views must change year round. Plus there's great wildlife to be seen.
The city itself boasts the University of Otago, probably the best college on the South Island. It promotes itself to international students often. Students there also have quite the raucous repuation.
Probably the most worthless tourist trap in the region - stick to the natural beauty, please! - is Larnach Castle which is just really a glorified family home made of stone. The family history is very interesting, but you can read about that on the web.
So you have a taste of what New Zealand's only castle looks like, here you go. Now that's enough, thank us for saving you $25 per ticket for admission!
The absolute tip of Golden Bay and the South Island is Farewell Spit. Twenty six kilometers of bird sanctuary and protected wetland that is only accessible via a tour. Many short hikes at the base of the spit offer a peek into the unique landscape. This picture is taken from the east side of Farewell Spit and the views of sandy beach that go on all the way to the Abel Tasman.
A short hike over these green hills, through sheep pastureland and with a view to the ocean, takes you to the west coast and there you will find a hidden seal colony. Read our blog about our cutesy frolic with the baby seals.
see 
Milford Sound
The drive up the west coast of the South Island was fairly uneventful aside from the dramatic changed of scenery--you feel like you are in southeast Asia a lot of the time--and the two glaciers (pronounced here as glass-eee-ers hehe) Fox and Franz Josef. The glaciers are 25kms apart and Franz Josef has the larger town with accommodation available and is the busier location.
Destinations A - F | Destinations G - N | Destinations O - Z
