Discover New Zealand

Charming towns frequented by friendly locals, immense landscapes inhabited by extraordinary wildlife and the powerful Mãori culture that still resonates today. New Zealand may be divided by north and south, but combine the two and you have the journey of a lifetime.

B

D A

Discover New Zealand Scenic° 55 BACK TO CONTENTS

The North Island The serene Bay of Islands attracts water lovers, from fishermen to sailing enthusiasts. Multicultural Auckland is the country’s largest city; it’s a place that demands you dig a little deeper to unearth the real charm of the region. In Wellington, the plentiful bars, cafés and museums are encircled by lookout hilltops and a craggy shoreline. Rotorua shies away from the metropolitan buzz, swapping modernity for authentic Mãori culture and substituting silver skylines with natural mineral pools, which are ideal for a relaxing Polynesian spa day.

The South Island In between the cities and towns where locals dwell, great mountains, glimmering waterways and ivory glaciers fill the gaps. One of the best ways to navigate this eclectic landscape is by boarding the TranzAlpine railway and journeying through the magnificent Southern Alps, or by taking to the many rivers and lakes for a tranquil (or exhilarating) boat ride. Peace and tranquillity is easily found on these bountiful lands.

A Indigenous flora and fauna B Milford Sound C Franz Josef Glacier D Geothermal activity, Rotorua

C

Walk on the wild side Rudyard Kipling once described Milford Sound as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’. Now, this fusion of spectacular treasures is an adventurer’s playground, perfect for rural hikes, diving, kayaking and everything else in between. The conveniently accessible Franz Josef Glacier is a modern-day slice of the ice age, easily explored with an expert guide. In Rotorua, orange-rimmed geothermal pools emanate clouds of hot steam. With so few people inhabiting this fertile land, so much of New Zealand remains perfectly unspoilt.