Snow capped mountains in Kahurangi National Park.

Matt Munro

South Island

From turquoise lakes and lush peninsulas to snowcapped mountains and sparkling glaciers, the South Island's majestic landscapes offer awe and adventure in equal measure.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • New Zealand Slope Point

    Slope Point

    Fiordland & Southland

    South Island’s true southerly point lies not in Bluff, as many mistakenly believe, but at the end of a 20-minute trudge through a windswept cliff-side…

  • Tourists relax at the shore of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown.

    Lake Wakatipu

    Queenstown

    Shaped like a cartoon lightning bolt, Lake Wakatipu is NZ's third-largest lake. It reaches a depth of 372m, meaning the lake bed actually sits below sea…

  • Looking south from the trail to Avalanche Peak in Arthur's Pass National Park, New Zealand.

    Arthur's Pass National Park

    Christchurch & Canterbury

    Straddling the Southern Alps, known to Māori as Ka Tiritiri o Te Moana (Steep Peak of Glistening White), this vast alpine wilderness became the South…

  • Observation area of Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony in New Zealand.

    Blue Penguin Colony

    Dunedin & Otago

    Every evening the tykes from the Ōamaru blue penguin colony surf in and wade ashore, heading to their nests in an old stone quarry near the waterfront…

  • Parrot on Ulva Island, New Zealand.

    Ulva Island

    Fiordland & Southland

    A tiny paradise covering only 269 hectares, Ulva Island / Te Wharawhara is a great place to see lots of native birds. Established as a bird sanctuary in…

  • Colorful heavy vintage truck collection in the Bill Richardson Transport World Museum in Invercargill, South Island, New Zealand.

    Transport World

    Fiordland & Southland

    A kingdom of shiny chrome lies beyond the doors of Transport World, touted as the largest private automotive museum on the planet. Across 15,000 sq metres…

  • Olveston Historic Home in Dunedin, New Zealand.

    Olveston

    Dunedin

    Although it's a youngster by European standards, this spectacular 1906 mansion provides a wonderful window into Dunedin's past. Entry is via fascinating…

  • Old building in the Victorian Precinct of Oamaru.

    Victorian Precinct

    Dunedin & Otago

    Consisting of only a couple of blocks centred on Harbour and Tyne Sts, this atmospheric enclave has some of NZ’s best-preserved Victorian commercial…

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New Zealand Paparoa track: essential hiking tips for new trail

Jul 10, 2019 • 5 min read

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