New Zealand, also known as the adventure capital of the world, is one of the most spectacular places on earth.  With an amazing range of breathtaking scenery, beaches, glaciers, snow-clad mountains, hot springs, adventure activities and more, your visit to this heavenly place will surely be one of the most memorable trips of your life.

‘Kiwis,’ as the locals are called are a friendly bunch of people who are very warm and welcoming to visitors. With an excellent road network, traveling within the country by car is extremely convenient. For the safety of tourists, information centres are specially designed in every town to help tourists in case they need directions or advice on local attractions. This place is undoubtedly a traveler’s dream destination where they experience love at first sight.

Mentioned below are a list of places and activities you cannot miss if you’re traveling to New Zealand for the first time.

Auckland:
New Zealand’s largest city is an exciting combination of vibrant city culture and stunning natural beauty. Auckland’s diverse landscapes provide countless opportunities to get immersed in nature. In the west, lush native rainforest plunges down the hills to meet the sea on dramatic black sand beaches, while the east’s sheltered golden sand beaches are fringed with red-flowering pohutukawa trees.

Interesting activities:
Sky Tower: At 328 metres, the Sky Tower is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere and offers breathtaking views for up to 80km in every direction.

Waiheke Island: Just a 35-minute ferry ride across the harbour from downtown Auckland, Waiheke has around 30 boutique wineries and vineyards. Complementing Waiheke’s fine wines are the award-winning restaurants, handmade specialty foods, olive oils and locally grown produce.

Nelson:
Nelson sits on the shores of Tasman Bay at the top of the South Island. Established in 1841, it is the second-oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island. Also known as the geographical centre of New Zealand, Nelson’s diverse geography captures everything from the long golden beaches to untouched forests and rugged mountains.

Interesting activities:
Guided Sea Kayaking Day Trips: Enjoy kayaking by choosing any full or half day trips departing every day from Kaiteriteri.

Skydive Abel Tasman: Enjoy a 20 minute scenic flight to altitude over snow capped mountains, golden beaches and turquoise oceans.

Wellington:
Wellington has been named ‘the coolest little capital’ by Lonely Planet and is said to have more bars and cafes per capita than New York. Packed with creative entrepreneurs, academic researchers and arts professionals, the city is New Zealand’s cultural and political capital known for its arts, heritage, culture and native beauty.

Interesting activities:
Oriental Bay: Wellington’s golden-sand inner-city beach is a place where one can relax and delve into many museums, art galleries and theatre shows that make up the city’s pulsing cultural scene.

Makara Peak: Showcases the best of Wellington’s waterfront. You can ride the cable car up the hill to Kelburn for amazing views over the city and enjoy an ice cream at the top.

Dunedin:
Known as the Edinburgh of New Zealand, Dunedin is the country’s city of the south, wearing its Scottish heritage with pride. Surrounded by dramatic hills and at the foot of a long, picturesque harbour, Dunedin is one of the best-preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere. The nightlife buzzes with funky bars and delicious restaurants and the natural attractions are unique and fascinating.

Interesting activities:
Dunedin & Port Chalmers – Cruise Overview: Dunedin’s Otago Peninsula is renowned for hosting the world’s only mainland breeding colony of northern royal albatross and various other unique species.

Cadbury World: True delight for chocolate lovers to spend hours at the chocolate shop.

Hamilton:
Being New Zealand’s largest inland city, situated on the banks of the Waikato River, (the country’s longest river) Hamilton has a welcoming spirit and rich history. The city of Hamilton is nestled on the banks of the mighty Waikato River and is known for its walks, gardens, cafes and nightlife.

Interesting activities:
Raglan: This lively surf town has an interesting creative culture and a wonderful choice of cafés. Raglan is both a surfing mecca and a dramatically scenic area of black sand coastline.

Waitomos Adventure: The Waitomo Caves in the Hamilton & Waikato region offer not only natural marvels but also adrenalin pumping adventure. The labyrinth of underground caves that have formed over millions of years feature dramatic formations of stalactites and stalagmites, twinkling constellations of glowworms and eerie underwater streams.

Christchurch:
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the second-largest in the country. Bordered by the Port Hills and the Pacific Ocean, it is situated on the Canterbury Plains with the Southern Alps as a majestic backdrop.

Interesting activities:
Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise: While your ship is in port in Akaroa Harbour, take a shore excursion to tour the scenic Banks Peninsula and visit the city of Christchurch.

Stunning 360° views from 500 metres above sea level – to the west gaze across the sparkling cityscape of Christchurch, over the Canterbury Plains to the high peaks of the Southern Alps. Sit back, relax and soak up the stunning views with a snack at the Red Rock Cafe, and enjoy quality shopping at the “Shop at the Top.” This trip is one of the must do tourist attractions in Christchurch.

Napier:
Napier is situated in the stunning Hawke’s Bay region on the East Coast of the North Island. It’s sunny, Mediterranean-style climate makes this one of New Zealand’s warmest, driest regions. Napier is the nexus of the largest wool centre in the Southern Hemisphere, and it has the primary export seaport for northeastern New Zealand – which is the largest producer of apples, pears, and stone fruit in New Zealand.

Interesting activities:
National Aquarium of New Zealand- New Zealand’s largest display of aquatic life and unique New Zealand wildlife, including sharks, stingrays, living coral, kiwi, tuatara and a huge range of fish species. A fun and an educational place to visit for friends and family.

Te Mata Peak is a peak south of Hastings rising up to 399m in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand. A sealed road leads to the popular lookout at the summit, as well as several trails for hikers and mountain bikers.