Few would deny New Zealand is a photogenic nation but, like all famous beauties, she looks better from certain angles.
Encounter her on a bad day in windy Welly, while stuck in Auckland traffic, or being buffeted by rain, hail and high winds on what is said to be our best day hike and it’s easy to wonder what all the fuss is about. Visit her beauty spots when the weather’s playing ball, on the other hand, and you’re bound to feel blessed.
It’s impossible to compile a list of Aotearoa’s most beautiful spots that doesn’t top tens of thousands of words, so we’ve drawn on suggestions from the Stuff Travel Neighbourly community and our own experience and research to provide a brief guide to must-see spots in each major region. It only scrapes the surface of what’s on offer though, so think of it as a starting point for wider exploration.
Northland: Bay of Islands
A subtropical scattering of 144 largely undeveloped islands set amid seas visited by dolphins, whales and seals, this aquatic playground is New Zealand at its coastal best. The best way to experience it is to get out on the water, whether it be by boat, kayak or scenic cruise, but the historic buildings lining the Russell waterfront provide plenty of eye candy too.
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Auckland: Tāwharanui Regional Park
New Zealand’s first integrated open sanctuary, this 588-hectare park boasts a white sand surf beach, rolling farmland, and native bush home to bellbirds, saddlebacks, red herons and North Island brown kiwi. The birds provide a stellar soundtrack to the two-hour ecology walk, while the four-hour north and south coast tracks feature panoramic views of Anchor Bay and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.
Waikato: Ruakuri Cave
Descend a spiral staircase to find yourself in a subterranean wonderland of giant stalagmites and sparkling glow-worms. Getting less foot traffic than its more famous neighbour up the road, Ruakuri Cave also offers a longer experience – the tour takes about an hour and a half. Along the way, you’ll learn about the fascinating, is slightly spew-worthy, life cycle of the glow-worm, and see fossils thought to be more than 20 million years old.
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The twin lagoons at Motuarohia (Roberton) Island are said to be the most photographed natural beauty spot in the Bay of Islands.
Bay of Plenty: Homunga Bay
Cooling off under a waterfall that cascades onto a pōhutukawa-hugged white-sand beach so secluded it’s often empty in the height of summer is the reward for completing the two- to three-hour trek from Waihī Beach to Homunga Bay. The coastal views continue to impress and Orokawa Bay, another sublime stretch of sand, makes a great rest stop.
Gisborne: Pacific Coast Highway
Winding its way through a string of unspoilt bays and settlements which appear to have found the secret to anti-ageing, this classic Kiwi road trip will take a good few days if you take advantage of all the photo ops. The East Cape Lighthouse at sunrise, lonely white church at Raukokore, and broad sweep of sand that is Tokomaru Bay are highlights.
Hawke’s Bay: Te Mata Peak
With views stretching across the Bay’s famous vineyards to Cape Kidnappers, the Mahia Peninsula and Ruapehu, this 399m peak will make you feel like you’re on top of the world. Part of Te Mata Trust Park, its hiking and mountain biking trails pass through forest and limestone valleys that help tell the story of how Te Mata, the leader of the Waimarama tribes, died eating his way through the hills between the coast and the plains so people could get through more easily.
Brook Sabin/Stuff
Mt Taranaki looms large over the region.
Taranaki: Te Papakura o Taranaki/Egmont National Park
Almost perfectly symmetrical, 2518m Mt Taranaki bears a strong resemblance to Japan’s famous Mt Fuji, but his history roots him firmly in New Zealand. Māori legend has it that Taranaki travelled to his current location from the Central Plateau after losing a battle over the beautiful Mt Pihanga to Mt Tongariro.
He’s a winner in the looks department though, distracting drivers across the region and drawing hikers keen for a challenge. The 14km hike to the summit, sacred to the tangata whenua of the area, offers the superlative views you would expect, but should not be attempted by the inexperienced. Other spectacular walks include the 19km Poūakai Crossing with its reflective tarns, and the 30-minute Kamahi Loop Track through a “goblin forest”.
Wanganui-Manawatū: Tongariro National Park
A dual World Heritage Site, New Zealand’s first national park looks like it belongs on another planet with its crater-like basins, hyper-blue lakes, steaming springs, and the blood-coloured stains of the volcanic violence that created it. Mt Ngauruhoe’s (aka Mt Doom’s) movie-star good looks add to the sense of drama, as do mounts Tongariro and Ruapehu. See them all on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, often said to be the country’s best day hike.
Visit Ruapehu
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is often referred to as New Zealand’s best day hike.
Wellington: Castlepoint Scenic Reserve
Shaped like the ruins of ancient castle battlements, this tiny protrusion into the Pacific feels like it’s at the edge of the world, despite being just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the capital. Walk to the lighthouse by following the boardwalk over the reef or taking the longer Deliverance Cove Track along the reserve boundary.
Nelson-Tasman: Abel Tasman National Park
With bush-clad hills sliding down to golden beaches lapped by calm, clear waters, New Zealand’s smallest and most popular national park is many people’s idea of paradise. Discover gorgeous hidden bays on the three- to five-day coastal track, or join a kayaking tour for close encounters with the likes of stingrays and seals. If flopping and dropping is more your style, catch a ferry from Kaiteriteri to Anchorage, Bark Bay or Totaranui and spread out your towel on the soft sand.
Marlborough: Marlborough Sounds
A maze of sunken river valleys formed during the last Ice Age, the Sounds account for 20% of New Zealand’s total coastline with loads of bush-backed inlets and bays to explore. One of the best ways to experience it is by hiking the multi-day Queen Charlotte Track, or on an overnighter on the quieter Nydia Track. If you’d prefer to save your calf muscles the strain, take a dolphin, whale and bird-spotting cruise with E-Ko Tours, or tag along on the world’s most picturesque mail run.
BROOK SABIN/Stuff
The cycle trail around Lake Pūkaki offers excellent views of Aoraki/Mt Cook.
Canterbury: Lake Pūkaki
Sure, it lacks the photogenic stone church of Lake Tekapo up the road, but the picture-perfect views of New Zealand’s highest peak arguably make it even more majestic. The largest of the Mackenzie’s three alpine lakes, Lake Pūkaki gets it milky blue hue from finely ground rock particles that have fallen into it from surrounding glaciers. Drink in the views along the cycle trail that hugs its shores, or pull up at the lookout between Twizel and Lake Tekapo for a perfectly framed photo of Aoraki/Mt Cook reflected in its mirror-like surface.
West Coast: Franz Josef Glacier
Like a 12km-high waterfall off the Southern Alps, this Ice Age-old glacier offers a stark reminder that beauty can be fleeting. While it goes through periods of growth and retreat, some scientists predict it won’t be seen from ground level within 100 years. The most eco-friendly way to experience it is to walk to the viewpoint, an easy, 90-minute return trek past waterfalls and giant boulders.
Otago: Roys Peak
The hike to the top of 1578m Roys Peak is no joke with its relentless series of switchbacks, but few would deny the views are worth it: It’s why visitors are willing to queue to get their photo taken at the Instafamous viewpoint. Look ahead and you have steely blue Lake Wānaka and the Lost World-esque mountains beyond. Turn right and you get a god’s-eye view of Wānaka. Left and you look out to a white-beached bay leading to a seemingly hidden valley. It’s the stuff 100% Pure New Zealand campaigns are made of.
123RF
Qualmark’s fee structure gives luxury and corporate tourism businesses a competitive advantage, which means “New Zealand’s international marketing will continue to focus on attractions” like cruises on Milford Sound (above), writes Timo Neubauer.
Southland: Milford Sound/Piopiotahi
Rudyard Kipling famously called it the “eighth wonder of the world” and, for most visitors, it lives up to the hype. The jewel of Fiordland National Park, part of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area, Milford Sound is a particularly pretty fiord surrounded by sheer-sided mountains.
Take a cruise to fully appreciate its scale and many waterfalls (after heavy rain it’s positively streaming with them). Keep your eyes peeled for the southern fur seals that hang out on aptly named Seal Rock and the tawaki (Fiordland crested penguins) that also call the place home. If you’re lucky, you may also spot dolphins and southern right whales.
Where have we missed? Let us know in the comments.
