New Zealand, attractions, things to do and places to visit, the definitive travel guide

Open the definitive travel guide for New Zealand and your holiday is sorted. BEST BITS travel guide explains things ...

New Zealand journey planner; a selection of NZ pre-prepared itneraries, ready to go trips

Let’s get you started on how to map out and plan the holiday to New Zealand. Where to start the journey and the ...

New Zealand holiday budget preparation 6 tips for success

Excitement, new places, adventures and a raft of experiences all become possibilities. Your holiday plans are ...

Top 11 places to experience Maori heritage & culture in Aotearoa New Zealand

Integral to the identity of Aotearoa New Zealand is Maori culture, heritage and history. There are a number of ...

Top 12 adrenaline adventures in New Zealand

Adventure is what the country does best. Those mountains, the surging white rivers and the culture of ‘give it a ...

Amazing 12 Aotearoa New Zealand unmissable attractions

Top things to see and do in Aotearoa New Zealand are answered from, ‘What’s the best place to go for waterfalls?’ ...

Itineraries, touring routes in New Zealand, facts and FAQ

Itineraries, touring routes and road trip information for a New Zealand holiday. Find out about New Zealand road ...

New Zealand driving conditions & getting around

New Zealand roadie, blasts of fresh air and where you pick the schedule. Choose when to stop and linger or simply ...

NZ wetlands South Island best places to visit, things to do

Pupu Springs, Nelson are a visitor firm favourite and must-go destination while Otago has the hidden gem of Sutton ...

NZ wetlands best North Island places to visit, things to do

Goblins live here, the stuff of mystery as the earth replenishes itself. Wetlands are magical places. The flat ...

New Zealand wetlands places to visit, things to do

And no it’s not a swamp. Wetlands are the lungs of the world. Wetlands are an endangered land type in New Zealand ...

Auckland outdoors, wildlife, conservation stories

Discover Auckland’s outdoors. Places to go from wetland restoration to heritage preservation where volunteers and ...

Wildlife, conservation, responsible holidays in Northland, New Zealand

Want a holiday that is sustainable and supports conservation? Northland has places to visit where visitors will ...

Top 15 sustainable travel experiences in New Zealand

Discover tours where the wildlife are protected and cherished. Sustainable tourism, responsible guides are part and ...

NZ Department of Conservation Volunteers, Weeds and Work

Discover the benefits of a holiday when it’s about weeding and labour. Visitors, holiday makers get involved in ...

Sustainable Holidays

Discover a place where you are important. It is about you; not about mass tourism. Aotearoa New Zealand issues an ...

NZ, Wellington kiwi towns places to go for selfie & scenic lookouts

Discover Wellington, a cool little capital city and nearby small towns in our KIWI TOWNS series.

Otago quirky cool collections, oddities, museums places to go

Otago is home to garden boosting over a thousand teapots, a hidden gem of the Otago Museum with a tropical ...

Taranaki quirky cool collections, oddities, museums places to go

Taranaki is home to a collection devoted to single toy manufacturers, agricultural machinery for jobs you didn’t ...

Waikato quirky cool collections, oddities, museums places to go

Discover a fascinating location for a cafe nestled amidst 1950’s memorabilla celebrating the hayday of petrol ...

Northland quirky cool collections, oddities, museums places to go

Discover cool collections from clocks, boat building tools, whaling fleshing knives to beautifully woven Maori ...

NZ, Southland kiwi towns places to go for selfie & scenic lookouts

Discover amazing places to photograph and create your own special portfolio of memories. Beautiful cool climate ...

NZ, Bay of Plenty small kiwi towns places to go for selfie & scenic lookouts

Discover quintessential New Zealand spirit in the small towns of the Bay of Plenty. Find great places for a photo ...

NZ, Taranaki small kiwi towns places to go for selfie & scenic lookouts

Discover quintessential New Zealand spirit in the small towns of Taranaki. Find great places for a photo ...

NZ, Auckland kiwi towns places to go for selfie & scenic lookouts

Discover quintessential New Zealand spirit in the small towns of Auckland. Find great places for a photo ...

NZ, Northland kiwi towns places to go for selfie & scenic lookouts

Discover quintessential New Zealand spirit in the small towns of Northland. Find great places for a photo ...

Unforgettable Lake Matheson & Lake Gault day walk places to go

One of the ultimate short walks is Lake Matheson yet the longer 4.4 km lake circuit is equally rewarding. Take in ...

Unforgettable Whirinaki Waterfall Loop Track day walk

Dinosaurs once walked among these ancient towering kahikatea, totara, matai and rimu forest giants. A slice of ...

Rainbow Mountain Rotorua day walk

Climb above the bubbling steaming vents of Rotorua. Enjoy bird's eye views of Rotorua. Discover vivid crater lakes ...

Unforgettable Kaikoura Peninsula day walk

Wildlife bonanza, NZ fur seals in their natural habitat on the Kaikoura Coast. A must-do walk for wildlife lovers.

Unforgettable Munro Beach, West Coast places to go

Imagine the sound of the sea, the whispering of the wind and, it’s the West Coast after all, the chilly nip in the ...

Day walks, escape from the city unforgettable walks in New Zealand

Discover an Auckland city escape to Tiritiri Matangi Island and listen to bird song in the Hauraki Gulf

Unforgettable Arthur’s Pass Day Walk

Experience the best of Arthur’s Pass's diverse alpine vegetation, waterfalls, wetlands, rich history and stunning ...

Karangahake Gorge day walk

Find a shared cycle / walking trail through a spectacular gorge with 19th century gold mining tunnels, rusting bush ...

Unforgettable day walk Cambridge to Lake Karapiro Te Awa shared pathway

This is the story of sport and its cultural role in New Zealand. New Zealand’s major sporting achievements have ...

New Zealand unforgettable day walks

Places to go and things to see

Routeburn track lite day walk

Discover a section of the magnificent New Zealand Routeburn Track suitable for a day walk.

Queenstown Hill Time Walk, Queenstown

From the Belfast entrance to the top of Queenstown Hill is 2.5 m and about 400 meters in elevation. It is a steep ...

Lake Rotoiti circuit, Bellbird walk & Honeydew loop track – West Coast

Names such as Bellbird Walk and Honeydew Walk aptly capture the glory of a beech forest alpine walk with a stunning ...

Punakaiki (pancake) rocks & Pororari River loop track – West Coast

A 15-minute gentle stroll from the car park brings you to a seat and a lookout, with spectacular views of the river ...

Charming Creek Walkway – West Coast

Imagine getting to your job in coal wagons from the Ngakawau settlement through dense bush, on a narrow railway ...

Abel Tasman National Park day walk

What a bite of natural paradise in the Abel Tasman National Park. Easily accessible (scurrying water taxis) make ...

South Island ultimate day walks & hikes, places to go

Find your ultimate day hike collection of walks. Places to go in the New Zealand South Island include the instagram ...

Karioi summit – Raglan

Highlights ● Stupendous views on a fine day, south to Mt Taranaki, the Herangi Range and Pureora. ● Local ...

Southern walkway – Wellington

Wellington southern walkway passes cafes, parks, suburbs and captures panoramic views from Mt Victoria

Pouakai Crossing – Taranaki

Pouakai Crossing, New Zealand offers hikers / walkers diverse landscape in one day from lowland forest to alpine ...

Tongariro crossing – Central North Island

The rock star, a must-do walk that embraces alpine scenery, gentle mountain rock climbs and volcanic activity in a ...

Rangitoto Summit – Auckland city

Coast to coast Auckland day walk

New Zealand Auckland walk across the country in a day from urban cafes, parks to city summits.

Urupukapuka island archaelogical walk

New Zealand day or short walks on Urupukapuka island exploring archeological sites, enjoying scenic views of the ...

North Island ultimate day walks

Find your ultimate day hike collection of walks. New Zealand North Island has the showpiece Tongariro Crossing as a ...

Twilight – Te Werahi loop track day walk

New Zealand day walk twilight Te Werahi loop track; exploration of Cape Reinga’s landscape and the far North.

New Zealand day walks, attractions, things to do, places to go

New Zealand day walks are an immersive experience in New Zealand’s backyard. Places to go range from coastal cliff ...

Short walks & hikes in New Zealand attractions, things to do, places to go

Grab the joy of walking without a challenging mountain climb. Short walks to outstanding scenic attractions are ...

Top 10 short walks chasing waterfalls South Island

Waterfalls and dazzling displays of light filled spray. Nature’s show and tell performance is never boring for kids ...

Northland, Bay of Islands Kerikeri walks to waterfalls & swimming holes

Discover Kerikeri’s local walks, part of the New Zealand Te Araroa trail. Top sights include Rainfall Falls, Wairoa ...

Best 10 family friendly walks in the South Island

Grab kids' attention and mix in variety for a great family walk. Places to go for family and friends check out ...

Best family friendly walks in the North Island

Find extraordinary natural rock bridges in MANGAPOHUE or geothermal activity in Tokaanu with a hot pool as a ...

Best 10 heritage walks in New Zealand

Discover Aotearoa New Zealand’s heritage. The best heritage walks delve into the story of the earliest documented ...

Best 10 short walks in New Zealand

Nature is not a place to visit in New Zealand; it is our backyard. For visitors short on time or compiling a bucket ...

6 Wine Trails, New Zealand off the beaten path

Wine trails, scenery, good food and boutique family owned vineyards is New Zealand in a wine glass and on a plate. ...

What to do at the beach, wellness treatment tips and treatment

Spa massage is glorious, the gentle exfoliation and rhythmic relaxation of muscles as heated oils soften and soak ...

What to do at the beach: driftwood mansions & art

What to do at the beach with kids and people who have ants in their pants. Sandcastles are for little kids with ...

What to do at the beach: Sandcastle building tips

The kids need amusing, that annoying brother / cousin is itching to do something. Beach sports is always a goodie ...

Great West Coast road trip, route 6

Route 66, USA eat your heart out, here’s a route with attitude. State Highway 6, rugged, hidden corners and a ...

Top 10 waterfall short walks North Island

Waterfalls and dazzling displays of light filled spray. Nature’s show and tell performance is never boring for kids ...

Spring flowers, blooms eleven places, where to go and what to see

Transient spring blossom flits into view as a burst of pink tinted colour. It’s infectious happy moments as the ...

Pandemics, how New Zealand managed before covid19

Pandemics are as old as human society. So is isolation and quarantine. From the 1870s the New Zealand colonial ...

Unusual creatures found only in Aotearoa New Zealand

Aotearoa is a land where the national bird forgot to fly. Wings are definitely overrated in New Zealand for several ...

The art of decay, abandoned objects

It is a reminder of the impermanence of objects, that once there was the bustle of people now there is regenerating ...

Best places to go wharf jumping in New Zealand

It's a quintessential Kiwi thing. Water bombing with the loudest splash possible. Kids plank deliberately in the ...

Seven top favourite hot mineral pools to visit in the North Island

From a touch of luxury to a wilderness natural spa to beach tidal pools New Zealand has an abundance of natural hot ...

What is odd, weird or special about New Zealand

Odd, slightly spooky New Zealand here’s a list of enormous insects, tragic stories, bridges to somewhere and ...

Weird places to take a selfie, the public toilets of New Zealand’s North Island

Public toilet architecture is absurd. It highlights a bodily function that we unusually perform in private. It is ...

Ghosts, haunted, spooky New Zealand hotels

Ghosts haunting hotels is a recurring theme when guests have lost their lives in a fire, displeased with the ...

Quirky facts about New Zealand

Julius Haast, 1865 named the Franz Josef Glacier after a long white beard triggered the name for Franz Josef ...

Where the bodies are buried

Macabre, why would you want to go? Cemeteries, death are subjects not ususually on the tourist radar. Yet the ...

The end of the earth, 8 off the beaten track places

The road is gravel, windy and seems to take ages to arrive. Anticipation can be replaced with why on earth are we ...

Daffodils, spring flowers where to go

In a picturesque small country village is a place where spring is warmly welcome. Nodding daffodils herald the end ...

10 outdoor winter holiday ideas, inspiration what to do and where to go in New Zealand

Let’s get outdoors. Explore places where the wild things live, plenty of space to observe wildlife caring for their ...

Wildlife, conservation, responsible holidays in Auckland, Hauraki Gulf

Make a difference. Want a holiday that is sustainable and supports conservation? Auckland has places to visit where ...

The patriotic tourist

Forget about the kilt that makes its appearance at various civic functions and the annual Christmas parade. I won’t ...

10 tips for a romantic holiday location on a budget

Romantic holidays are often promoted in glossy magazines and online as getaways to expensive luxury locations. The ...

10 spectacular children’s playgrounds

On holiday and need a break with the children while you collapse in the nearest park seat. Little balls of energy ...

10 historic hotels worth a night or two

A number of the heritage hotels have a lively bar scene which is generally noisy as well as not closing until the ...

6 stunning places, autumn glory in the South Island

Discover New Zealand’s burst of autumn colour. The best places for glorious seasonal change are the Hawkes Bay, ...

Thrills, adrenaline rush holiday fun, white water rafting NZ 6 top spots

White water rafting, kayaking, canyoning, jet boating or natural rock water slides take your pick. Your family ...

Making stuff, 5 workshops for your next holiday

Wanaka and the majestic Southern Alps. Plenty of space for locals and you get taste of what overseas visitors ...

Geology, rocks, NZ fantastic natural sculptural landscapes

From the tip of the North Island to the Southern Oceans New Zealand is a wealth of geological wonders to explore. ...

Five exciting events happening in NZ this October

Spring is in full swing, the flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, it’s the perfect time for events and ...

Favourite Places

I am usually in a hurry to get to Nelson, why take a detour to Blenheim? Often overlooked by visitors rushing off ...

Department of Conservation Volunteer Contributions

Get involved in activities around the country, and find out about volunteering for conservation. There are ...

Abandoned ghost towns

NZJane has a fascination with the emptiness, disappeared people, disappeared life, just empty decaying buildings.  ...