Spectacular and diverse, New Zealand (also known as Aotearoa) is one of the world's most memorable destinations.
From its inspirational indigenous Māori cultural experiences to its epic and otherworldly national parks, it can be hard to narrow down what to do. You can spend your days soaking in the urban energy of Auckland and Wellington, challenging yourself on outdoor adventures around Queenstown, cycling through Central Otago’s historic towns and big-sky landscapes or trying to spot the country’s iconic kiwibird on Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Craft your own southern hemisphere adventure from this list of the best things to do in New Zealand.
There are countless ways to engage with New Zealand’s indigenous Māori culture while exploring the country. You can expect to hear greetings in te reo Māori (the Māori language) frequently, but for a deeper dive, the Auckland Museum and Waikato Museum both have displays of centuries-old Māori taonga (treasures). Around Rotorua, families from the local Te Arawa iwi (tribe) entertain and energize visitors with cultural performances and experiences, including the opportunity to take part in a haka (a ceremonial war dance made famous by the country’s All Blacks rugby team) or experience a hāngī (a Māori feast cooked in the ground).
Detour: From Rotorua, travel one hour southeast to the isolated logging town of Murupara. Stays at the family-owned Kohutapu Lodge include excursions to catch tuna (endemic longfin eels), visits to historic Māori rock art sites, and hiking through the Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park, a spiritually significant site said to be one the world’s last prehistoric forests.
Framed by two harbors and built on the sprawling remnants of more than 50 long-inactive volcanoes, Auckland is New Zealand's most diverse and cosmopolitan city. Visit the weekly Otara and Avondale markets to taste Pacific and Asian cuisine from communities drawn to Tāmaki Makaurau (the Māori name for Auckland). Or time your visit to experience popular cultural events including Pasifika, Diwali and the Lantern Festival. Good beaches, nearby wine regions and a dynamic dining scene are other reasons why Auckland is consistently rated one of the world's most liveable cities.
Planning tip: Join Auckland’s most passionate fans while taking in a match featuring the New Zealand Warriors (a rugby league team) or the Auckland Blues (a rugby union team).
Hiking (known as “tramping”) is one of New Zealand’s most popular pastimes, with well-established wilderness tracks, shelters (called “huts”) and campsites throughout the country. Highlights include the meandering forest trails of the Rakiura Track on compact Stewart Island/Rakiura, and the beach-fringed Abel Tasman Coast Track
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You’ve spent all that money on plane tickets getting to the bottom of the southern hemisphere. Now you want to make the rest of your travel fund stretch as far as possible. The good news is that affordable travel in New Zealand is possible – if you plan carefully.
New Zealand is famous for its stunning scenery, and immersing yourself in nature is the best way to experience its remarkable landscapes up close. "Tramping" (that's Kiwi for "hiking") is a popular activity with locals and visitors alike in New Zealand, with hundreds of exceptional trails throughout the country. From the iconic Great Walks to overnight hikes and short walks, there are options for all ages and levels of ability.
Auckland has enough to fill even the most demanding traveler’s itinerary – but New Zealand’s largest city isn’t the cheapest place to visit. Dining out and cultural activities are often on the pricier side, yet Auckland has a wealth of natural beauty including parks, beaches and native forests that are all free to visit.
New Zealand is one of those destinations best explored by car or campervan. Public transport is limited outside cities, and so much of what you'll want to see and do is off-the-beaten-track, immersed in New Zealand's incredible natural environments. Road tripping means touring at your own pace, stopping for stunning walks, cycle rides, wild swimming or wildlife spotting.
White sand beaches, swaying palm fronds, colorful coral reefs: for many, the allure of Fiji is in its landscapes. Yet, this South Pacific archipelago is as much an experiential indulgence as it is a visual one.
While I was born and bred here in New Zealand – or Aotearoa, the country's Māori-language name – I’ve spent enough years away to understand how it’s a destination that can feel comfortingly familiar and completely strange to visitors all at once.
With a population of around 1.6 million, Auckland is New Zealand’s only big city. Despite its size, it is a generally safe and surprisingly easy-going place to visit.