Table of Contents
Plan your Trip
Welcome to New Zealand 6
New Zealand Map 8
New Zealand's Top 20 10
Need to Know 22
First Time New Zealand 24
What's New 26
Accommodation 28
Getting Around New Zealand 30
If You Like 32
Month by Month 36
Itineraries 40
Hiking in New Zealand 44
Skiing & Snowboarding 53
Extreme New Zealand 58
Eat & Drink Like a Local 64
Family Travel 69
Regions at a Glance 73
On the Road
Auckland Region 84
Auckland 84
Hauraki Gulf Islands 124
Rangitoto & Motutapu Islands 124
Waiheke Island 124
Rotoroa Island 130
Tiritiri Matangi Island 131
Kawau Island 131
Great Barrier Island 131
West Auckland 137
Titirangi 137
Karekare 137
Piha 138
Te Henga (Bethells Beach) 139
Kumeo Region 139
Muriwai Beach 140
Helensville 140
North Auckland 141
Shakespear Regional Park 141
Orewa 141
Puhoi 142
Mahurangi & Scandrett Regional Parks 142
Warkworth 143
Matakana 144
Leigh 145
Bay of Islands & Northland 147
Whangarei District 152
Mangawhai 152
Waipu, Langs Beach & Uretiti 153
Whangarei 155
Whangarei Heads 159
Tutukaka Coast & the Poor Knights Islands 160
Bay of Islands 161
Russell 163
Kawakawa 167
Paihia 168
Kerikeri 172
The Far North 176
Matauri & Tauranga Bays 176
Whangaroa Harbour 176
Mangonui & Doubtless Bay 177
Karikari Peninsula 178
Cape Reinga & Ninety Mile Beach 179
Kaitaia 181
Ahipara 181
Hokianga 183
Kohukohu 183
Rawene 183
Opononi & Omapere 184
Kauri Coast 185
Waipoua Forest 185
Trounson Kauri Park 186
Baylys Beach 187
Dargaville 187
Matakohe 188
Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula 189
Waikato 191
Hamilton 191
Raglan 200
South of Raglan 203
Te Awamutu 204
Cambridge 206
Matamata 208
Te Aroha 209
King Country 209
Kawhia 210
Otorohanga 210
Waitomo Caves 211
South from Waitomo to Taranaki 215
Te Kuiti 216
Pio Pio, Awakino & Mokau 217
Taumarunui 217
Owhango 219
Coromandel Peninsula 219
Miranda 221
Thames 221
Coastal Route from Thames to Coromandel Town 223
Coromandel Town 224
Far North Coromandel 227
Coromandel Town 228
To Whitianga 228
Whitianga 229
Coroglen & Whenuakite 231
Hahei 232
Hot Water Beach 234
Tairua & Pauanui 234
Whangamata 235
Waihi & Waihi Beach 237
Paeroa 239
Taranaki & Whanganui 240
New Plymouth 241
Mt Taranaki (Egmont National Park) & Around 252
Surf Highway 45 255
Whanganui 259
Whanganui National Park 264
Palmerston North 270
Taupo & the Ruapehu Region 275
Lake Taupd Region 277
Taupo 277
Turangi 289
Ruapehu Region 292
Tongariro
National Park 292
On the Road
Whakapapa Village 297
National Park Village 298
Ohakune 300
Waiouru 303
Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty 304
Rotorua 306
Rotorua Lakes 321
Bay of Plenty 327
Tauranga 327
Mt Maunganui 332
Papamoa 337
Katikati 337
Whakatane 338
Ohope 343
Opotikt 344
The East Coast 347
East Cape 352
Pacific Coast Highway 352
Gisborne 355
South of Gisborne 361
Te Urewera 363
Hawke's Bay 365
Wairoa & Around 365
Napier 367
Hastings & Havelock North 374
Cape Kidnappers 379
Central Hawke's Bay 380
Kaweka & Ruahine Ranges 380
Wellington Region 381
Wellington 383
Kapiti Coast 406
Paekakariki 407
Paraparaumu 408
Waikanae 409
The Wairarapa 410
Martinborough 410
Greytown 413
Masterton & Around 414
Christchurch & Canterbury 418
Christchurch 419
Lyttelton 447
Banks Peninsula 448
Akaroa 451
North Canterbury 454
Kaikoura 454
Lewis Pass 460
Hanmer Springs 460
Waipara Valley 464
Central Canterbury 465
Selwyn District 465
Arthur's Pass 466
Methven 467
Mt Somers 470
South Canterbury 470
Mt Somers 470
South Canterbury 470
Timaru 470
Inland & Mackenzie Country 473
Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park 481
Dunedin & Otago 487
Waitaki District 489
Omarama 489
Waitaki Valley 490
Oamaru 491
Moeraki 497
Dunedin 498
Port Chalmers 509
Otago Peninsula 509
Central Otago 513
Middlemarch 513
Ranfurly & Waipiata 516
Naseby 517
Lauder, Omakau & Ophir 518
Alexandra 518
Clyde 520
Cromwell 521
Fiordland & Southland 524
The Catlins 530
Kaka Point 530
Owaka 531
Papatowai 532
Curio Bay 533
Central Southland 534
Gore 534
Invercargill 535
Bluff 538
Riverton 538
Te Waewae & Colac Bays 539
Tuatapere 539
Stewart Island/ Rakiura 540
Fiordland 545
Manapouri 546
Doubtful Sound 546
Te Anau 547
Milford Hwy 552
Milford Sound 553
Queenstown & Wanaka 562
Queenstown 562
Glenorchy 580
Arrowtown 582
Wanaka 586
Cardrona 594
Makarora 595
The West Coast 598
Westland 602
Haast & Around 602
Fox Glacier 604
Franz Josef/Waiau 606
Okarito 610
Whataroa 611
Ross 612
Hokitika & Around 612
Kumara 616
Grey District 618
Greymouth 618
Lake Brunner 621
Blackball 621
Runanga, Rapahoe & Barrytown 622
Buller Region 623
Punakaiki & Paparoa National Park 623
Charleston & Around 625
Westport & Around 625
Karamea & Around 628
Reefton 630
Murchison 631
Nelson Marlborough 633
Nelson 635
Tasman District 645
Nelson Lakes National Park 645
Ruby Coast & Moutere Hills 646
Motueka 647
Kaiteriteri 649
Marahau 649
Abel Tasman National Park 651
Takaka & Around 654
Pohara 657
Collingwood & Around 657
Kahurangi National Park 659
Marlborough District 659
Marlborough Sounds 660
Havelock 662
Picton 663
Blenheim & Around 667
Understand
History 674
Environment 684
Maori Culture 690
Arts & Music 698
Survival Guide
Directory A-Z 704
Transport 715
Index 724
Map Legend 734
Special Features
Hiking in New Zealand 44
Skiing & Snowboarding 53
Extreme New Zealand 58
Eat & Drink Like a Local 64
The South Island's Birds 596