New Zealand Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

Auckland
A good starting point is the distinctive Sky Tower, which offers fantastic views of the city, its beaches, the coast and the mountain. It is also possible for the particularly brave tourist to abseil down the side of the building to the street (a drop of over 100m/328ft).

Maori culture
Auckland Museum (www.aucklandmuseum.com) is filled with Maori and Pacific Island collections. Otara Market, on Ponsonby Road has the country's finest expression of Polynesian culture and local foods, while Auckland's Karangahape Road is New Zealand's funkiest street. Also, in Rotorua's arts center, see how young Maori learn the skills of traditional bone, wood and greenstone carving. Visit a Marae (a Maori meeting house) and enjoy a concert of traditional songs, the haka (a Maori challenge usually witnessed before All Black rugby matches) and a hangi (a delicious feast cooked in an earth oven).

Thermal activity
The bubbling mud pools and performing geyser at Wai-O-Tapu are among the best of Rotorua's thermal attractions. Check out the volcanoes at Tongariro to see the explosive power of these eruptions.

Art deco Napier
Razed by an earthquake in 1931 and subsequently rebuilt in the art deco style of the time, the laid-back coastal town of Napier now boasts one of the world's finest collections of lovingly preserved art deco buildings.

Christchurch
The ‘Garden City' of Christchurch is filled with neo-gothic architecture reminiscent of an old English university town. Visit the Christchurch Art Gallery (www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz), which is home to an impressive collection of local, home-grown art.

Wildlife
Good birdwatching spots include Taiaroa Head (near Dunedin), known for colonies of royal albatrosses, and Stewart Island, where you might catch a glimpse of the illusive kiwi. Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay is home to the only gannet colony in the world. In Dunedin, in the Otago Peninsula, you may see rare yellow-eyed penguins and fur seals. Some of the world's oldest trees are in the forests of the Northland Forest Park, including the famous kauri, many of which date back centuries.

Wellington
The spectacular Te Papa Museum of New Zealand (www.tepapa.govt.nz), on the city's pretty waterfront, is Wellington's star attraction. Window shop and people watch on ‘alternative' Cuba Street, stroll through the Botanic Gardens and tramp up to the top of Mt Victoria for panoramic views.

Southern Alps
Around Aoraki Mt Cook, short walks repay the effort of steep climbs with outstanding views over alpine glaciers, snow-capped peaks and crystal-clear lakes. If that all seems like too much effort, take the TranzAlpine train and enjoy one of the world's finest rail trips, journeying coast to coast through the Alps.

Queenstown
New Zealand's main center for outdoor sports lies on the shore of stunning Lake Wakatipu, beneath giant craggy mountains. This is the perfect base for testing your nerves on any of the many adrenaline-fuelled activities on offer.

Fjords
Breathtaking fjords indent the lower west coast of the South Island. Cruise around Milford Sound in the shadow of iconic Mitre Peak or dive into its icy-cold waters to see red and black corals. Kayak around Doubtful Sound to escape the crowds and discover cascading waterfalls.

Top Things to Do

Adrenaline activities
This is the world's prime destination for bungee jumping. Famous jump-off points include the Kawarau River Bridge, the Nevis, the Pipeline, the Ledge (near Queenstown), Taupo and Mangaweka (North Island) and Hanmer Springs (South Island). Or try bridge swinging: falling then swinging along a gorge while harnessed to a cable. New Zealand is also the birthplace of zorbing, which involves being strapped into an inflatable transparent plastic ball, or diving into a zorb with a bucket of water, which is then rolled down a grassy hill or onto a river.

White-water rafting
Popular rivers for this thrilling sport include the Wairora (near Tauranga), the Mohaka (in Hawke's Bay) and the Kaituna (near Rotorua), which features the world's highest commercially rafted waterfall at 7m (23ft). Black-water rafting through underground caves is a rare opportunity to experience. Tackle the three- to five-day Whanganui River Journey to see some of North Island's finest scenery.

Diving
The Poor Knights Islands (near Whangarei) are particularly renowned among divers. For many more suggestions, contact New Zealand Underwater (www.nzunderwater.org.nz). Swim with dolphins in the Bay of Islands (north of Auckland), the Coromandel Peninsula, Kaikoura (South Island) and Whakatane. Stay dry but witness the marine life by whale watching on the eastern coast of South Island, with most sightings from April to August. Contact Whale Watch (www.whalewatch.co.nz).

Surfing
Some of the best breaks are located at Mahia Peninsula (near Gisborne), Murawai, Palliser Bay (near Wellington) and Piha. You can also ride one of the best left-hand breaks in the world at Raglan.

Sailing and Jetboating
Auckland (‘the city of sails') is a perfect spot for sailing and yachting. Cruise the harbor in tall ships or sailboats, visit vineyards on neighboring islands, or go further afield on an excursion to the remote maritime reserves in the Bay of Islands, Hauraki Gulf and Marlborough Sounds. Or for a faster pace, take a high-speed jetboating trip. These run on many of the country's best-known rivers, including Queenstown's Shotover River and on the Waikato River beneath the Huka Falls.

Caving
Waitomo Caves, where explorers can abseil into the ‘Lost World' cave, are the most visited, especially famous for their glow-worm grottos. You can also try cave rafting or tubing, where participants float through the cave system on custom-made tires keeping an eye out for glow-worms.

Fishing
Brown and rainbow trout are particularly popular. Salmon fishing is best in the Rakaia, Rangitata, Waimakariri and Waitaki rivers. For further information on seasons and permits, contact the New Zealand Professional Fishing Guides Association (www.fishingguides.co.nz).

Hiking
Tramp though stunning national parks and protected forest areas. Popular walks include the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, the Lake Waikaremoana Track, the world-famous Milford Track and the remote Rakiura Track. Contact the Department of Conservation (DOC) (www.doc.govt.nz) for more information.

Wintersports
The best time to hit the slopes for skiing, snowboarding and winter mountaineering is from June to October. On the North Island, the biggest ski areas are on Mt Ruapehu. There are excellent ski slopes in the South Island in the Southern Lakes region and at Mt Hutt. An alternative is to glacier ski and glacier walk in the Southern Alps.

Wine tasting
A great place to enjoy a tipple or three is the wine-growing region of Hawke's Bay. Around 70 wineries allow visitors in to sample the region's respected red wines, particularly Pinot Noir. The Marlborough province in the South Island also has world-class, new-world wineries producing white, sharp Chardonnay and crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Or for a more potent tipple, visit the South Island's whisky distilleries, including what is reputed to be the world's southernmost distillery at Timaru.