Learn what you can see and what you can do in New Zealand by referring to these two lists of New Zealand sights and activities.

 


New Zealand is best known for nature, culture,
and adrenaline sports. And to a lesser degree, it is
also known as a winter sports destination when it is
summer on the Northern hemisphere.

While there are many opportunties for dining and entertainment, New Zealand
does not really excel in those areas as does for example Las Vegas. And for
entertainment for children, Disney World is better suited than New Zealand.

Tourist sights and activities fall in several different categories, but in
the end, all are somewhat seasonal. Here’s a collection of ideas for what you
could see or do in New Zealand in a particular season:

What to see in New Zealand

As you may already know, New Zealand consists of two main islands:
North Island and South Island.

The main North Island sights of interest to tourists are:

  • Auckland
  • Bay of Islands
  • Egmont National Park
  • Napier
  • Rotorua
  • Tongariro National Park
  • Waipou Kauri Forest
  • Wellington

The main South Island sights of interest to tourists are:

  • Abel Tasman National Park
  • Arrowtown
  • Banks Peninsula
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier
  • Lake Wanaka
  • Marlborough Sounds
  • Milford Sound
  • Moeraki Boulders
  • Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki
  • Punakaiki pancake rocks
  • Queenstown

Further reading:

What to do in New Zealand

New Zealand activities can be divided into activities on land, on water, and in the air.
A few activities are also better suited for a particular season. For example,
skiing can only be done during winter and early spring, while fruit picking
is a summer activity, and photography can be done in all seasons.

Below you will find a list of activities you can do in New Zealand.

On land:

  • 4-Wheel-Drive touring
  • Biking
  • Boat touring
  • Fruit picking
  • Hiking
  • Nature touring
  • Photography
  • Scenic driving
  • Skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing (in winter)
  • Wine touring

On water:

  • Jet boating
  • Kayaking
  • River rafting
  • Sailing
  • Whale watching

In the air:

  • Flightseeing
  • Heli-hiking or heli-skiing
  • Hot-air baloon touring
  • Parachuting
  • Paragliding

Further reading: