Dunedin

Dunedin is a gracious city of grand 19th century buildings and beautiful gardens set at the head of a spectacular harbour in a beautiful corner of the country. The city, undisputedly different with a rich heritage, was once the largest in New Zealand, being the main centre for commerce and finance. Public buildings are a [...]

Waiheke Island

The largest of the inner islands of the Hauraki Gulf, Waiheke Island has gradually become a commutable, residential “suburb” of Auckland for those people wanting to combine the best of city and island lifestyles. Just a short 35 minute ferry ride out of the inner harbour and past Rangitoto Island, Waiheke is surprisingly close to [...]

Coromandel Peninsula

Just a short distance from Auckland lies the incredibly beautiful Coromandel Peninsula, a region of New Zealand which was, until recently, largely undiscovered by international visitors. Whilst The Coromandel is perhaps best known nationally for its numerous sandy beaches including Pauanui Beach and Matarangi Beach. It has much to offer those wishing to get closer [...]

Travelling The Pacific Coast Highway, New Zealand

How often have you wished you could travel one of life’s great journeys? The Orient Express? Route 66? A safari through India, or Africa? Or perhaps better still, New Zealand’s Pacific Coast Highway.The Pacific Coast Highway is one of THE great trails waiting to be discovered. From sophisticated city to tranquil seascapes where time stands [...]

Rangitoto Island

Perhaps the most identifiable of all islands in the Hauraki Gulf due to its almost symmetrical cone, is Rangitoto Island. Just a short 40 minute ferry ride from downtown, Rangitoto is unique amongst the islands due to its formation by volcanic activity which created its distinctive conical shape. The other unique feature of Rangitoto, again [...]

Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Island is paradise. Just a short hop away from Auckland, why stop off at Hawaii, Fiji or Tahiti en route to New Zealand – it’s all here! Miles of deserted, golden sand beaches, crystal clear water, pristine wilderness, plentiful food from the land and sea and only a handful of people to share [...]

Northland Travel Guide

When it’s time to discover the rest of New Zealand, many visitors head over the harbour bridge to Northland and the Bay of Islands, an historical and big game fishing centre.Whangarei, sometimes described as the gateway to Northland, faces a picturesque, extensive harbour. There are many bushwalks and at the A.H. Reed Memorial Park, several [...]

Surfing and Windsurfing in NZ

You can pretty much go surfing and windsurfing anywhere in NZ. New Zealand is a very windy country and has a great deal of shoreline. Anywhere you go along the coast will almost certainly have plenty of places to surf nearby.If you’re really in to surfing and like big waves then a good place to [...]

Seeing New Zealand in 7 days

If you only have 7 days to travel around New Zealand, you’re just going to have to resign yourself to seeing a chunk of the country and bypassing the rest. I think you’d be stupid to miss the south island so here’s my suggested 7 days itinerary for the independent NZ traveller: Day 1 Arrive [...]

Punakaiki

The ‘Pancake Rocks’ at Punakaiki, (956km south of Westport) were created by both the sea and rainwater attacking the joints of a huge coastal outcrop of limestone rock; producing these weird carved shapes. There are a couple of pretty impressive blow holes, when the tide and weather are right. The underlying limestone rock is covered [...]