Whether you are an adventure junkie or a lover of nature - the South Island
has a fantastic range of attractions to excite all types of visitors. From
the famous Whale Watching in Kaikoura to the magnificent Milford Sound fiord
- this really is nature at its best! If you want adrenaline then Queenstown
is your dream town - from the famous AJ Hackett Bungy to the thrilling Shotover
Jet. The scenery in the South Island is some of the most spectacular in the
world - experience a glacier landing in Mount Cook with either The Helicopter
Line or Mount Cook Ski Planes. You will wish that you had allowed more time
to experience all of the great attractions in the South Island.
Nelson
A
pocket of paradise in the top northwest corner of the South Island, Nelson
has a positive, creative attitude to life - and it's easy to see why.
The region, which is the sunniest in New Zealand, has for many years attracted
residents who love to use their imaginations. There are more than 350 working
artists and craftspeople living in Nelson, including traditional and contemporary
Maori artists. Their work is often inspired by the region's exceptionally
beautiful geography - coastal, forest and valley landscapes provide places
to wander and dream.
The Nelson area is known by the Maori as Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Maui (the
tip of the nose of the canoe of Maui). From his waka, the demi-god Maui used
his magic fish hook to catch and land the North Island (Te Ika a Maui - the
fish of Maui).
» Creativity unleashed : Nelson's creative community provides
many opportunities for travellers to experiment with art. Workshops include
glassblowing, pottery, bone carving, sculpture, authentic Maori flax weaving
and cooking.
» Outdoor adventure : Pack your sense of adventure and explore
three distinctly different national parks. Try the skywire, sea kayaking,
rock climbing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, sailing, horse trekking
or seal swimming.
» Edible explorations : Indulge your passion for exceptional eating
experiences. Nelson will tempt you with alfresco cafés, fine dining
restaurants, premium vineyards, boutique breweries and locally made gourmet
foods.
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Marlborough
For centuries, Marlborough has offered safe harbour to travellers. First to
Maori traders and war parties; then to European explorers, such as Captain
James Cook and Dumont D'Urville; and now to visitors seeking new landscapes
and rejuvenating experiences.
If you arrive in the region by sea or air, the intricate detail of the Marlborough
Sounds engages your interest immediately. Maori legend describes the entire
South Island as Maui's waka (canoe), wrecked on a reef during a fishing expedition.
The shattered bow of the canoe became the Sounds.
Marlborough basks in year-round sunshine, providing perfect conditions for
walking, mountain biking, sea kayaking and vineyard explorations. It's a region
where you can pick a theme and follow it through. Focus your itinerary on
outdoor adventures, vineyards and wineries, arts and crafts, history and gardens
or marine pursuits. Better still, mix them up and experience a little of everything
this beautiful region has to offer.
»
Vines and wines : Marlborough is New Zealand's largest grape-growing and
wine-making region. The broad, sweeping plains are home to about 70 wineries.
Discover and enjoy on a self-drive, bicycle or guided tour.
» The Marlborough Sounds : Bordered by forest that rises almost
vertically from the water's edge, three drowned river valleys offer 1500 kilometres
of sheltered beaches and waterways for sailing, cruising, kayaking, fishing
and diving.
» Queen Charlotte Track : This spectacular walking track winds
through 71 kilometres of native forest, along ridges and beside idyllic coves.
Travel with a local guide to learn about the habitat and hear the local Maori
legends.
West Coast (Te Ika-a-Poutini)
With a population of only 31,000 people, the West Coast retains the feeling
of a pioneer frontier. It's a wild place known for rivers and rainforests;
glaciers and geological treasures. Legends and stories from the past cling
to every feature of the landscape.
Maori were first to discover the West Coast, seeking sacred pounamu (nephrite
jade or greenstone). Gold fever in the 1860s brought Europeans, many of whom
stayed on to start farming, forestry and businesses.
The locals are known as 'coasters', a term synonymous with friendliness and
hospitality. Isolated from the rest of New Zealand by the Southern Alps, coasters
have developed a distinctive culture of their own. Their pioneering values
of self-reliance and loyalty are as strong today as they were 100 years ago.
» Ancient rivers of ice : Of all the glaciers in the Southern
Alps, only the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers have crept as far as the rainforests.
These giant tongues of ice have squeezed down their valleys to just 250 metres
above sea level.
» Punakaiki's pancake rocks : The pancake rocks and blowholes
at Punakaiki are among the West Coast's most famous sights. The fascinating
'pancakes' are thin, horizontal layers of limestone, about two to four centimetres
thick.
» The Oparara Arches : The largest of the three limestone arches
at Oparara is a natural tunnel 200 metres long, 49 metres wide and 37 metres
high. A riverbank walkway will lead you through silver beech forest right
into the arch.
Christchurch -
Canterbury
From the silvery beaches of the coast to the jagged peaks of the Southern
Alps, the Canterbury landscape is impossible to ignore. Big scenery is the
order of the day - huge panoramas of ocean or mountains, great sweeps of
pastureland and massive amounts of sky.
The highest point of the region is the highest point of New Zealand. The
spectacular Aoraki Mount Cook stands at 3754 metres (Aoraki is Maori for
Cloud Piercer). At the other end of the scale, the submarine trenches off
the coast of Kaikoura are thousands of metres deep, providing an ideal
environment for the whales, dolphins and seals that live there permanently.
Between the mountains and the sea, the vast plains are patchworked with the
patterns of rural life. Hundreds of years ago, Maori moa hunters worked
these plains leaving a rock art record of their successes.
In the two cities of the region, Christchurch and Timaru, great care has
been taken to preserve Canterbury's colonial heritage. Grand architecture,
historic homesteads and immaculate parks intermingle with the technology and
style of modern life.
»
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park : This park is a land of ice and rock.
Glaciers cover 40% of its area and there are 19 peaks over 3,000 metres,
including New Zealand's highest mountain Aoraki Mount Cook. Mount Cook
Village is a base for climbers and hikers.
» Alpine Pacific Triangle Touring Route : The Alpine Pacific
Triangle takes you to the gourmet area of Waipara, spa delights of Hanmer
Springs and marine mammals of Kaikoura. Between destinations, enjoy the
beautiful country scenery.
» Akaroa and Banks Peninsula : Banks Peninsula and Akaroa
Harbour were formed by volcanic eruptions, many thousands of years ago.
Originally a French settlement, the historic town of Akaroa is a place to
enjoy fine cuisine and wildlife cruises.
Dunedin - Coastal Otago
The Otago coast stretches from the Waitaki River north of Oamaru to the
mighty Clutha River south of Dunedin.
The Waitaki district is a place of haunting natural beauty, complemented by
Oamaru's historic whitestone architecture. Travellers come to see the
diverse wildlife, idyllic fishing villages and rolling green pastures.
Dunedin's dramatic hills surround a long, natural harbour, which attracted
Maori settlers to the site over four centuries ago. More recently the area
was settled by whalers, gold miners and migrants from Scotland and China.
Memorable for its historical architecture, Dunedin is one of the best
preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere. On the
doorstep of the city, you can find incredible wildlife - the world's rarest
penguins, a mainland albatross colony, fur seals and sea lions.
The Clutha district, gateway to the deep south, provides rural experiences,
superb fishing and wildlife adventures along majestic sweeping beaches.
» Otago Peninsula : The Otago Peninsula is home to rare and
unusual coastal wildlife. Discover hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins), little blue
penguins and the world's only mainland albatross colony. Sea lions and fur
seals also live here.
» Heritage architecture : The Otago gold rush left a legacy of
ornate Victorian and Edwardian buildings, regarded as the best collection in
the Southern Hemisphere. The Flemish Renaissance-styled railway station is
one outstanding example.
» The University of Otago : Founded in 1869, New Zealand's
oldest and largest university gives Dunedin its reputation as a centre of
learning. The energy and creativity of the vibrant student culture adds fun
to daily life in Dunedin.
