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:
- Summer: Where to visit in New Zealand in December
- Autumn: Top 5 best places to visit to see autumn colours in New Zealand
- Winter: 7 Best places to visit in New Zealand during winter to see snow
- Spring: New Zealand best places to see in spring
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:
- 10 Must-see must-do on the South Island of New Zealand
- 3 Places to visit in 3 days in New Zealand – where to go, what to see
- How many days to see the South Island of New Zealand?
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:
