5 of the Greatest Sights New Zealand Has to Offer

The untouched beauty of New Zealand’s landscape made it the perfect place to shoot the Lord of the Rings films, and it’s been a hugely popular draw for tourists ever since. While it’s every bit as epic as the movies would have you believe, there’s much more to this special chain of green islands. Read on for five unique destinations you might want to start with:

Auckland

The country’s largest urban area offers everything you’d expect from a modern metropolis – except this one’s surrounded by stunning scenery. From black sand beaches to extinct volcanoes, a short journey beyond the city limits will show exactly why the first inhabitants chose to build here. The winding paths around Mount Eden, in particular, provide panoramic views of the harbour and the sea.

Back in the city’s streets, visitors will find a wealth of impressive cultural institutions – from the comprehensive collection of the Auckland Museum, to art galleries and theatres. There’s also the chance to see local animals such as kiwis, tuatara (spiny lizards) and weta (giant flightless crickets) at Auckland Zoo.

A little further out, you can find ferry rides and shopping experiences ranging from sophisticated and bohemian shopping districts to farmers’ markets. There are also boutique vineyards and wineries – and even an oyster farm (offering guided tours) to round off the region.

Rotorua

New Zealand’s most active geothermal area, Rotorua offers a collection of strange but charming locations for the tourist looking to experience all the country’s many faces.

Te Puia hosts geysers (which provide eruptions daily), and it also plays host to traditional Maori carving and weaving schools, where you can see students craft authentic artefacts. Hikers will make a beeline for the adjacent redwood trails – also featuring bridges between the centuries-old trees. Meanwhile, the chance to partake in a steam-cooked Maori banquet is something you won’t see (or taste) elsewhere.

Waitomo Caves

Going underground is not everyone’s idea of fun, but this cave system offers many surprises. From the largest cavern – known as the Cathedral for its distant ceiling – adventurers board a boat which takes them into the dark. And here they’ll find themselves witnessing a galaxy of glow worms in their natural habitat.

On another note, the acoustics of the caves are so magical that both choirs and opera singers have given concerts here. Other features include underground waterfalls and intricate limestone structures, built gradually over the ages.

Milford Sound

New Zealand’s fjords are one of its lesser-known features, but unfailingly popular with natives. The towering inlets of Milford Sound were even described by Rudyard Kipling as ‘the Eighth Wonder of the World’.

Today’s tourists can enjoy them in various ways – boat cruises provide luxury, kayaks allow the chance to see them close up, while small plane flights offer a different perspective. There’s even an underwater observatory where the marine life which makes the area’s black coral its home can be seen deep in clear waters.

Fox Glacier

Demonstrating yet another facet to the range of environments found across the islands, the Fox and Franz Josef Glacier are among the most accessible in the world.

Stretching all the way from mountain tops to just short of sea level, intrepid travellers are guided across the frozen landscape, marvelling at its beautiful blue ice. The ski resorts here are well worth visiting – but it’s always essential to make sure you’re covered before you engage in any winter sports. To experience the higher reaches of the glaciers, both helicopters and ski planes are on hand to share a part of the world few ever see.