The Aquarium Kelly Tarltons Underwater World & Antarctic Encounter (Auckland) You'll find this fascinating aquarium six km east of the city-centre. When observing the fish, you stand on a rolling sidewalk going through a tunnel, and you can get off at anytime to study the colourful animals more closely. The purpose of the place is the give the visitors' an impression of what it's like to dive off the New Zealand coast.
The Skytower (Auckland) The Skytower is the tallest building in the country and is taller than the Eiffel Tower. In the top of the tower you'll find restaurants, cafés and a casino, and it has an excellent view of the city and its surroundings. When it's windy, The Skytower sometimes swings more than a meter from side to side.
Avon River (Christchurch) Avon River traverses Christchurch, and is a relaxing place for a quiet walk. You can also rent a canoe and sail up the river in the beautiful landscape, as well as the many barges on which you can also sail on the river.
Canterbury Museum (Christchurch) This museum is situated at the entrance of the Botanical Gardens, and has a good exhibition of artefacts from the early colonial times. Furthermore, the museum has an excellent exhibition on the exploration of Antarctica and the entire history of Antarctica.
The Orana Park Wildlife Trust (Christchurch) The Orana Park Wildlife Trust has an excellent system of trails, where you can see various colourful species of birds, and the park also gives you the opportunity to watch giraffes, lions, zebras and monkeys. There's a 20-minute drive from Christchurch to the park.
The city of Kaikohe (Kaikohe) Kaikohe is located in the central part of Northland and is a place with strong Maori traditions. The different Maori tribes used to be involved in internal fights, and there are still many Maoris in the area. There's also a small village, built as a historical setting, with small houses, an old courthouse, a prison and so forth. A fascinating place to learn about New Zealand's history.
Queen Charlotte Track (Marlborough Sounds) The entire trip on Queen Charlotte Track takes about three to four days, but can be done faster if you skip some places and go by boat instead. The area has a wonderful coastal landscape and some dense forest areas. The Track can be walked by people of all ages.
Bay of Islands Maritime & Historic Park (New Zealand) This maritime and historic park spreads out on a vast area, and has plenty of hiking trails, which can last from ten minutes to ten hours. Walking around the area and on some of the islands, you'll see lots of beautiful nature and exciting historic sights.
Great Barrier Island (New Zealand) If you want to get away from the crowds, Great Barrier Island is an excellent place to go, with its long, white and sandy beaches, lots of hiking trails, areas of forest and hot springs - a perfect place to unwind and enjoy nature.
Kawau Island (New Zealand) Kawau Island is situated in the sea off the city of Warkworth, and the island's most interesting historical sight is the Mansion House. An impressive building built in 1846 by a former governor; the house for many years served as a Hotel, but has now been turned into a museum. Besides this, the island has some nice, white beaches and pleasant hiking trails.
Kayak trips in the sound (New Zealand) The Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company in Picton organises kayak trip in the area, lasting from one to four days, and depending on the length of the trip you'll see some of the fabulous landscape on and around the islands.
Kayaking (New Zealand) You can go kayaking in the Bay of Islands, from Waitangi all the way up to the beautiful Haruru waterfalls, which offers excellent conditions for a good swim. The kayak tour last for a whole day, and you'll see a large area of the bay, and one beautiful scenery after another. The kayaks can be rented on the beach.
Kayaking trips (New Zealand) Kayaking in this area is incredible, and kayaks can be rented alone or with a guide. You can sail the lakes of Te Anau and Manapouri or a trip on the sound. The sight of the lakes, fiords, vegetation and waterfalls is an amazing spectacle viewed from the kayak.
Milford Track (New Zealand) This four-day walk is described as one of the most beautiful in the world, and there are restrictions on the number of people allowed on the track in order to protect the marvellous nature. There are cabins along the track, where you spend the night, and the best time to walk it is from October to April.
Mt. Cook National Park (New Zealand) The National Park has a magnificent trekking tour to the Copland pass, which lasts four days and can only be done in good weather and by experienced trekkers. The terrain varies, from glaciers and field of snow, to rainforest and hot springs, and the pass itself is 2150 metres above sea level and surrounded by 3,000-metres high mountains. If you can manage the trip it's an experience for life.
Otago Peninsula (New Zealand) Otago Peninsula is an important district for the wild animals in the great forest regions. Here, you can experience albatrosses, penguins, colonies of seal and aquariums, and the area is furthermore thick with museums and historical sights.
Stewart Island (New Zealand) Stewart Island is the country's third-largest island and a paradise for ornithologists, as you'll find kaka birds, parakeets and the rare kiwi-bird, which is a common sight on this island. The island has a fine system of hiking trails and cabins on the northern part, whereas the southern part remains mainly unexplored.
Swimming with dolphins (New Zealand) The Bay of Islands gives you the opportunity to swim with dolphins. Arranged tours will take you to the dolphins' normal dwelling, where you can go swim with them, and if the dolphins don't show, the tour is free. There are tours all year round.
The Te Anau caves (New Zealand) These impressive caves, which are featured in ancient Maori legends, but first discovered in 1948, are situated on the southern side of lake Te Anau. The only way to visit them is by boat as the entrance goes all the way down to the water. The caves form a magical 200-meter long system of caves, with waterfalls running down the mountainsides.
Trounson Kauri Park (New Zealand) This nature park is situated north of Dargaville and comprises lots of hiking trails, winding their way into the beautiful natural landscapes. Forests with small streams cover large parts of the park, and you can go on a guided tour at night, where you'll learn about the parks nocturnal plant- and wildlife.
Orakei Korako geyser area (North Island) The Orakei Korako geyser area is located near the city of Rotorua. The area is renown for its numerous geysers, which go several meters into the air. In between the many geysers you will find lots of very hot muddy puddles.
Tongariro National Park (North Island) The Tongariro National Park is on the UNESCO list of protected areas, and this is where you will find the highest mountain in the area, Mount Ruapehu, measuring 2,797 meters. The area still has active volcanoes, and is an excellent place to go skiing.
Bungee Jumping (Queenstown) You can try bungee jumping several places in Queenstown, and one of the most popular is the Kawarau Suspension Bridge, which was one of the first places in the world to offer bungee jumping. The bridge is 43 metres above the water, and is owned by A.J. Hackett who bungee jumped off the Eiffel Tower in 1986. If Kawarau isn't high enough, you can also jump from the Pipeline, which is 102 metres high, or you can ultimately jump from a helicopter.
Skyline Gondola (Queenstown) If you want an overview of the city and the lake, you can take a small cable lift to the top of the highest hill in the city. It has a fantastic view of the area, and you can take the cable back down, or walk down through the forest.
White Water Rafting (Queenstown) The rivers around Queenstown are excellent for rafting, and primarily the Shotover and Kawarau rivers are being used. The rivers are classified by how dangerous they are, which also depends on the weather, and the Shotover Canyon is considered the most dangerous. It's a 4-5 hours trip.

Area and city attractions

Area:

• Marlborough Sounds
• North Island
• South Island

City:

• Auckland
• Christchurch
• Kaikohe
• Queenstown
• Rotorua
• Wellington