A small city with a large reputation, Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, both constitutionally and culturally. Its compact CBD vibrates with museums, theatres, galleries and boutiques, and it has thriving coffee and craft-beer scenes. Hemmed in by steep forested hills, punctuated by swathes of quaint Victorian houses, the city clings to the shore of its stunning harbor. It has a beautiful botanic garden and is home to New Zealand’s only funicular railway.

Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city and is frequently rated as one of the world’s top cities for quality of life and livability. Squeezed between two glistening harbors, Auckland’s narrow isthmus is home to one third of the country’s population – and for good reason. Known worldwide as the City of Sails, its center is a vibrant melting pot of style and culture, and its buzzing waterfront precincts are home to world-class dining and shopping experiences. A short helicopter or ferry ride from Auckland is Waiheke Island – the jewel of the Hauraki Gulf. On the island’s landward side, emerald waters lap at rocky bays, while its ocean flank is home to some of the region’s best sandy beaches. Blessed with a unique microclimate, Waiheke is home to around 30 boutique wineries, with many tasting rooms and top quality restaurants with breathtaking views.

Langs Beach is a picturesque beach with an expanding resident population but limited facilities for casual beachgoers. It is nevertheless a pleasant swimming and fishing spot and can be quite busy during the summer months.

Mangawhai, also known as Mangawhai Heads, is nestled between the Pacific coast and rolling farmland. You’re offered a choice of seaside experiences here – a surf beach on one side and safe harbour beaches on the other. On the far side of the harbour is a large sand dune area that's administered by the Department of Conservation. The dunes are home to fairy terns, Caspian terns, variable oystercatchers and New Zealand dotterels. Mangawhai Heads and the village of Mangawhai are linked by a picturesque causeway surrounded by native wetlands and bush.

Just a 45-minute flight north of Auckland is the stunning Bay of Islands, one of NZ’s top tourist drawcards. With its unspoiled coastline, beautiful sandy beaches, turquoise waters and 144 untouched islands, this region enjoys a subtropical climate, and so you can expect warm weather year round. The Bay of Islands Maritime Park is one of New Zealand’s best loved destinations, offering world-class diving and snorkeling, with an array of wildlife including, dolphins, whales, penguins and gannets. It also has great sailing, kayaking and big-game fishing. Not only is the region blessed with stunning natural beauty, it has enormous historical significance, as the site of New Zealand’s first permanent British settlement and the birthplace of European colonization in the country.
 

With its picture-postcard setting on the shores of the 240-square-mile volcanic crater lake from which it gets is name, Taupo (pronounced Toe-Pour) is one of the North Island’s premier resort towns. It has an abundance of great hikes, and is the jumping-off point for the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The impressive Huka Falls are nearby, which also has great nature walks. 
Located at the geographic center of the North Island, the region is one of the most pure, beautiful and unspoiled parts of the country and is home to some of New Zealand’s most dramatic and spectacular forests. It is also a magnet for fly-fishing, and is emerging as one of the country’s most popular cycling destinations, both road and off-road.
 

An hour’s flight southeast of Auckland is Hawke’s Bay, a region of diverse and magnificent landscapes, from mountains and hill country down to inland and coastal plains. Blessed with fertile, alluvial soils and a warm temperate climate, Hawke’s Bay is home to hundreds of farms, orchards and vineyards, making it New Zealand’s agricultural powerhouse. For the tens of thousands of visitors that flock to the region each year, it’s the food and wine that are the biggest draw cards, and with good reason, as the Hawke's Bay produces some of the best of both the country has to offer. On the coast, sits the town of Napier, one of New Zealand’s busiest commercial ports and host to a growing number of cruise ships. It’s also the country’s Art Deco capital, having been almost completely rebuilt in the Style Moderne after a devastating earthquake in 1931.

A small city with a large reputation, Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, both constitutionally and culturally. Its compact CBD vibrates with museums, theatres, galleries and boutiques, and it has thriving coffee and craft-beer scenes. Hemmed in by steep forested hills, punctuated by swathes of quaint Victorian houses, the city clings to the shore of its stunning harbour. It has a beautiful botanic garden and is home to New Zealand’s only funicular railway.

A small city with a large reputation, Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, both constitutionally and culturally. Its compact CBD vibrates with museums, theatres, galleries and boutiques, and it has thriving coffee and craft-beer scenes. Hemmed in by steep forested hills, punctuated by swathes of quaint Victorian houses, the city clings to the shore of its stunning harbor. It has a beautiful botanic garden and is home the New Zealand’s only funicular railway. 
Just a short helicopter flight to Wellington’s east, over the Rimutaka Ranges, is the Wairarapa, a region of spectacular coastlines, wide valleys and small towns, known for its vineyards, gourmet food, walking and cycling trails – all delivered with an off-the-beaten-track charm.
 

From the silvery beaches of the East Coast to the jagged peaks of the Southern Alps, the Canterbury landscape is impossible to ignore. Big scenery is the order of the day—huge panoramas of ocean or mountains, great sweeps of pastureland, massive amounts of sky. The highest point of the region is the highest point of New Zealand – the spectacular Aoraki/Mount Cook stands at 3,754 metres (Aoraki is Māori for Cloud Piercer). At the other end of the scale, the submarine trenches off the coast of Kaikoura are thousands of metres deep, providing an ideal environment for the whales, dolphins and seals that live there permanently. Its largest city, Christchurch, is famed for its art scene and green spaces like the riverside Botanic Gardens. The north of the region is famed for its wineries, producing top quality Pinot Noir and Riesling varietals.

About two-thirds of the way down the South Island, in the middle of the Southern Alps, sits Lake Wakatipu, and on its shores, Queenstown. If ever a town deserves its reputation as the world’s adrenalin capital, surely this place does. You can bungee jump off bridges, or even out of a helicopter, take a jet boat ride through white-water canyons, heli-skiing in virgin powder snow, go extreme mountain biking, zip-line through valleys, and paraglide off mountains – you name it, you can do it in Queenstown. There is, however, a more gentle side to Queenstown – one that includes luxurious, world-class lodges, superb wineries, great restaurants and scenery to die for… and five international-standard golf courses. This picturesque lakeside town has it in spades, whatever the season, whatever the activity. It absolutely must be part of any itinerary when visiting New Zealand.

Just a 45-minute flight north of Auckland is the stunning Bay of Islands, one of NZ’s top tourist drawcards. With its unspoiled coastline, beautiful sandy beaches, turquoise waters and 144 untouched islands, this region enjoys a subtropical climate, and so you can expect warm weather year round. The Bay of Islands Maritime Park is one of New Zealand’s best loved destinations, offering world-class diving and snorkeling, with an array of wildlife including, dolphins, whales, penguins and gannets. It also has great sailing, kayaking and big-game fishing. Not only is the region blessed with stunning natural beauty, it has enormous historical significance, as the site of New Zealand’s first permanent British settlement and the birthplace of European colonization in the country.
 

Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city and is frequently rated as one of the world’s top cities for quality of life and livability. Squeezed between two glistening harbors, Auckland’s narrow isthmus is home to one third of the country’s population – and for good reason. Known worldwide as the City of Sails, its center is a vibrant melting pot of style and culture, and its buzzing waterfront precincts are home to world-class dining and shopping experiences. A short helicopter or ferry ride from Auckland is Waiheke Island – the jewel of the Hauraki Gulf. On the island’s landward side, emerald waters lap at rocky bays, while its ocean flank is home to some of the region’s best sandy beaches. Blessed with a unique microclimate, Waiheke is home to around 30 boutique wineries, with many tasting rooms and top quality restaurants with breathtaking views. For the more adventurous, there is kayaking, and there are plenty of scenic walking and biking tracks, and activities, such as clay pigeon shooting, surfing and quad biking.

An hour’s flight southeast of Auckland is Hawke’s Bay, a region of diverse and magnificent landscapes, from mountains and hill country down to inland and coastal plains. Blessed with fertile, alluvial soils and a warm temperate climate, Hawke’s Bay is home to hundreds of farms, orchards and vineyards, making it New Zealand’s agricultural powerhouse. For the tens of thousands of visitors that flock to the region each year, it’s the food and wine that are the biggest draw cards, and with good reason, as the Hawke's Bay produces some of the best of both the country has to offer. On the coast, sits the town of Napier, one of New Zealand’s busiest commercial ports and host to a growing number of cruise ships. It’s also the country’s Art Deco capital, having been almost completely rebuilt in the Style Moderne after a devastating earthquake in 1931.

A small city with a large reputation, Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, both constitutionally and culturally. Its compact CBD vibrates with museums, theatres, galleries and boutiques, and it has thriving coffee and craft-beer scenes. Hemmed in by steep forested hills, punctuated by swathes of quaint Victorian houses, the city clings to the shore of its stunning harbor. It has a beautiful botanic garden and is home the New Zealand’s only funicular railway. 
Just a short helicopter flight to Wellington’s east, over the Rimutaka Ranges, is the Wairarapa, a region of spectacular coastlines, wide valleys and small towns, known for its vineyards, gourmet food, walking and cycling trails – all delivered with an off-the-beaten-track charm.
 

Mangawhai, also known as Mangawhai Heads, is nestled between the Pacific coast and rolling farmland. You’re offered a choice of seaside experiences here – a surf beach on one side and safe harbour beaches on the other. On the far side of the harbour is a large sand dune area that's administered by the Department of Conservation. The dunes are home to fairy terns, Caspian terns, variable oystercatchers and New Zealand dotterels. Mangawhai Heads and the village of Mangawhai are linked by a picturesque causeway surrounded by native wetlands and bush.

Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city and is frequently rated as one of the world’s top cities for quality of life and livability. Squeezed between two glistening harbors, Auckland’s narrow isthmus is home to one third of the country’s population – and for good reason. Known worldwide as the City of Sails, its center is a vibrant melting pot of style and culture, and its buzzing waterfront precincts are home to world-class dining and shopping experiences.

Mangawhai, also known as Mangawhai Heads, is nestled between the Pacific coast and rolling farmland. You’re offered a choice of seaside experiences here – a surf beach on one side and safe harbour beaches on the other. On the far side of the harbour is a large sand dune area that's administered by the Department of Conservation. The dunes are home to fairy terns, Caspian terns, variable oystercatchers and New Zealand dotterels. Mangawhai Heads and the village of Mangawhai are linked by a picturesque causeway surrounded by native wetlands and bush.

About two-thirds of the way down the South Island, in the middle of the Southern Alps, sits Lake Wakatipu, and on its shores, Queenstown. If ever a town deserves its reputation as the world’s adrenalin capital, surely this place does. You can bungee jump off bridges, or even out of a helicopter, take a jet boat ride through white-water canyons, heli-skiing in virgin powder snow, go extreme mountain biking, zip-line through valleys, and paraglide off mountains – you name it, you can do it in Queenstown. There is, however, a more gentle side to Queenstown – one that includes luxurious, world-class lodges, superb wineries, great restaurants and scenery to die for… and five international-standard golf courses. This picturesque lakeside town has it in spades, whatever the season, whatever the activity. It absolutely must be part of any itinerary when visiting New Zealand.

An hour’s flight southeast of Auckland is Hawke’s Bay, a region of diverse and magnificent landscapes, from mountains and hill country down to inland and coastal plains. Blessed with fertile, alluvial soils and a warm temperate climate, Hawke’s Bay is home to hundreds of farms, orchards and vineyards, making it New Zealand’s agricultural powerhouse. For the tens of thousands of visitors that flock to the region each year, it’s the food and wine that are the biggest draw cards, and with good reason, as the Hawke's Bay produces some of the best of both the country has to offer. On the coast, sits the town of Napier, one of New Zealand’s busiest commercial ports and host to a growing number of cruise ships. It’s also the country’s Art Deco capital, having been almost completely rebuilt in the Style Moderne after a devastating earthquake in 1931.

Just a 45-minute flight north of Auckland is the stunning Bay of Islands, one of NZ’s top tourist drawcards. With its unspoiled coastline, beautiful sandy beaches, turquoise waters and 144 untouched islands, this region enjoys a subtropical climate, and so you can expect warm weather year round. The Bay of Islands Maritime Park is one of New Zealand’s best loved destinations, offering world-class diving and snorkeling, with an array of wildlife including, dolphins, whales, penguins and gannets. It also has great sailing, kayaking and big-game fishing. Not only is the region blessed with stunning natural beauty, it has enormous historical significance, as the site of New Zealand’s first permanent British settlement and the birthplace of European colonization in the country.
 

With its picture-postcard setting on the shores of the 240-square-mile volcanic crater lake from which it gets is name, Taupo (pronounced Toe-Pour) is one of the North Island’s premier resort towns. It has an abundance of great hikes, and is the jumping-off point for the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The impressive Huka Falls are nearby, which also has great nature walks. 
Located at the geographic center of the North Island, the region is one of the most pure, beautiful and unspoiled parts of the country and is home to some of New Zealand’s most dramatic and spectacular forests. It is also a magnet for fly-fishing, and is emerging as one of the country’s most popular cycling destinations, both road and off-road.
 

Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city and is frequently rated as one of the world’s top cities for quality of life and livability. Squeezed between two glistening harbors, Auckland’s narrow isthmus is home to one third of the country’s population – and for good reason. Known worldwide as the City of Sails, its center is a vibrant melting pot of style and culture, and its buzzing waterfront precincts are home to world-class dining and shopping experiences. A short helicopter or ferry ride from Auckland is Waiheke Island – the jewel of the Hauraki Gulf. On the island’s landward side, emerald waters lap at rocky bays, while its ocean flank is home to some of the region’s best sandy beaches. Blessed with a unique microclimate, Waiheke is home to around 30 boutique wineries, with many tasting rooms and top quality restaurants with breathtaking views. For the more adventurous, there is kayaking, and there are plenty of scenic walking and biking tracks, and activities, such as clay pigeon shooting, surfing and quad biking.