You can find rental offices at airports, ferry terminals and city depots, providing the convenience of starting your holiday as soon as you arrive and allowing you to get off the beaten path.

For road tripping in our glorious country, driving yourself is a great option, and rental cars can help if you’re flying to your start destination.

Campers are also popular, saving you money on accommodation and allowing you freedom to bed down on a whim. You can also hire motorcycles, but make sure you’re prepared for changeable weather with protective clothing. Minimum hire ages vary from 21 to 25, and you must hold a valid driver’s licence or an International Driving Permit. Some companies let you pick up a new car on the other side of Cook Strait after you’ve crossed over on the ferry.

For a super-affordable option, look at relocating rental cars and campervans. Transfercar lists cars that need to be moved from one centre to another, and they usually come with a certain amount of free days. For a one-way trip, it’s one of the most affordable ways to get around on your holiday.

Travel back in time and unearth ancient traditions and rich heritage on your journey through Aotearoa.

Museums New Zealand’s museums exhibit an array of collections and many offer clever interactive displays. Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum in Wellington, takes museum-going to another level with simulators and rides. Auckland Museum is known for its Māori artefacts, while Otago Museum focuses on South Island history. You’ll find specialist museums dedicated to everything from cars and planes to toys and fashion. Meanwhile, history comes alive at recreated pioneer towns like Shantytown, near Greymouth.

Heritage Trails Combine exploring the past with discovering natural New Zealand! Heritage trails can be found in cities and rural areas and they can be included as part of a tour or self-guided (brochures available at i-SITE visitor information centres). Renowned heritage trails include Napier’s Art Deco Walk, Dunedin’s Heritage Walks, Wellington’s Old Shoreline Heritage Trail, the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trail and the Vanished World Trail in Waitaki.

Heritage Sites New Zealand’s most important heritage site is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but around the country are war memorials and Māori pa sites. Visit gold-mining towns like the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement and the ghost towns of Macetown and Bendigo in Otago, or once-bustling coal-mining towns like Denniston on the South Island’s West Coast.

Historic Buildings Historic buildings are all over New Zealand, but the Art Deco buildings of Napier and Oamaru’s whitestone architecture are highlights. Auckland has grand old homes, while Wellington has the nation’s oldest suburb (Thorndon) and the world's largest wooden office building, the 1876 Government Buildings. Dunedin’s historic gems such as Larnach Castle and the Dunedin Railway Station (reputed to be New Zealand’s most photographed building) are not to be missed. Christchurch has long been noted for its Gothic revival stone buildings but many were damaged in the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. It remains to be seen how many will be rebuilt; in the meantime, visiting Christchurch is an opportunity to witness history in the making.

Cultural Encounters Travel back in time hundreds of years in the course of an afternoon or evening! Engaging ceremonial rituals, re-enactments of history, powerful performance art and traditional Māori feasts offer you a unique insight into long-ago times! For more on cultural experiences, see Māori Culture.

History & Culture Around the Country

Waitangi National Trust [Northland] Site of the initial Treaty of Waitangi signing in 1840.
Russell [Northland] Russell was once a disreputable whaling town known as the ‘hell-hole of the Pacific’, and Whangamumu Harbour provides evidence of the area’s history.
Auckland Museum [Auckland] Extensive collection of historic treasures.
Rotorua Many Māori myths and legends originate from this area, which also boasts geothermal activity and original bath houses.
Poverty Bay [Eastland] Site of Captain Cook’s first landing; the first European to set foot on New Zealand soil landed on 7 October 1769.
Napier [Hawke’s Bay] In 1931, Napier was destroyed by an earthquake and was subsequently rebuilt in the distinctive Art Deco style.
Kaikoura Remnants of early Māori and European settlement, including whaling relics.
Canterbury Museum [Canterbury] Outstanding Māori exhibits and rich collections in a historic neo-Gothic building of its own.
Oamaru [Waitaki] Whitestone heritage buildings make this town one of New Zealand’s best 19th Century streetscapes.
Dunedin [Otago] One of the best preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere; dubbed the Edinburgh of New Zealand.
Skippers Canyon [Queenstown] The Shotover River was one of the world’s richest gold-bearing rivers. Today it offers a wealth of history.
Arrowtown [Queenstown] Explore what remains of the Chinese Gold Rush in a partially restored 1870s Chinese settlement.

Māori culture is unique to New Zealand and the cornerstone of the country's cultural make-up. It is far more than just a tourist atraction, and gaining a respectful understanding of the culture is essential to experiencing Aotearoa New Zelaand. Here are our picks for some of the best places to visit and experience.

Te Puia, Rotorua

This brilliant blend of Māori culture and geothermal wonder allows you not only to catch outstanding Māori cultural performances and watch ancient Māori crafts being taught, but also to discover a geothermal and natural wonderland, and even get up close with kiwi. It's home to New Zealand’s official Māori cultural centre, The New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, with profits used to nurture traditional Māori arts, including wood and pounamu (greenstone) carving, and flax weaving. tepuia.com

Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Northland

New Zealand’s most important historical site is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the nation’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed between Māori and the British Crown in 1840. At the beautiful and historic site you can take in a guided tour and regular cultural performances along with carving demonstrations. There's also the Whare Waka Café, celebrating Aotearoa cuisine and serving up great coffee. waitangi.org.nz

Whakarewarewa – The Living Māori Village, Rotorua

The Tūhourangi/Ngāti Wāhiao tribe have welcomed people to their home for over 200 years, and carry on that tradition of hospitality today at Whakarewarewa, where you can take a guided tour of the village, experience authentic cultural performances, stay overnight on the marae, eat a hāngi cooked in steaming geothermal waters or even receive a traditional Māori tattoo (tā moko) that tells your own unique story, all while viewing the geothermal wonders of the area. whakarewarewa.com

Tamaki Māori Village, Rotorua

New Zealand’s most award-winning Māori cultural attraction recreates a Māori village on the outskirts of Rotorua within a natural forest environment. Their complete experience immerses you in the pre-European Māori way of life and all its sights and sounds, alongside cultural ceremonies and performances, and the hāngi. Overnight stays are also possible. tamakimaorivillage.co.nz

Ko tāne, Christchurch

Ko Tāne is an interactive encounter that gives visitors a look into Māori history and tradition. Starting with a Māori welcoming or pōwhiri, your experience continues into their interactive village, where you will be shown the tools and skills of the Māori hunter, cooking techniques, games they played and traditional musical instruments. Next you will be treated to a 45-minute kapa haka performance, including action songs, poi dances, haka, stick games and weapons displays. The final part of the visit is a hāngi-cooked dinner in their fully licensed restaurant. willowbank.co.nz/ko-tane

Waka on Avon, Christchurch

Waka on the Ōtākaro Avon River is not something new. It's how Māori and early settlers built Christchurch, working together to transport bricks on waka from the corner of Barbadoes Street to Deans Cottage – one of the first buildings constructed in Christchurch through good will and coexistence of our two cultures. Waka are now back on the Avon, and you can join Waka on Avon to explore the river on traditional waka, and learn about the history and culture of the river and region. wakaonavon.co.nz

I like to think I'm up for participating in most of New Zealand's crazy activities! I've jumped off a bridge with a bungy cord around my feet and thrown myself out of an aeroplane from 12,000ft. Therefore when my time arrived to do the Canyon Swing, I naively thought it would be a breeze.

The Shotover Canyon Swing is set up at the top of a cliff, 109m (360ft) above the Shotover River in Queenstown. It's a wicked alternative to doing a bungy jump and is guaranteed to get your heart thumping!

After checking in at the Canyon Swing office in Queenstown and enduring the painful process of being weighed in front of a bunch of other brave daredevils, a pattern was drawn on my hand and I was wished the best of luck! Returning to my friends, we compared patterns and began to wonder – was each pattern symbolising which jump-style we'd be asked to do? Getting into the complimentary shuttle van, we headed out of town towards the Shotover River. It's only a short drive, but with eight others huddled together in this small vehicle, I couldn't help but get caught up in the banter and excitement.

Upon arrival, we walked down a little track before being met by the sight of another adrenaline junkie plummeting down in to the canyon, with nothing but jump ropes to support him. Was that really what I was about to do?

Adrenaline started pumping through my body, and my friend's enthusiasm to choose the most daredevil jump styles simply heightened my fear. Instead, I myself was content with choosing The Chair – supposedly the easiest option, where you sit in a harness and leave the task of releasing the cord to your jumpmaster.  However, I challenge anyone to argue that there is anything ‘easy’ about freefalling 60m in to a canyon in a sitting position with nothing to hold on to!

As I got strapped into my gear, I was relieved to discover that the patterns on our hands had been nothing to do with our jump-styles, but was just a kindly disguised symbol of our weight – what a relief!

This relief quickly dissolved however as I was asked to step off the platform, over the canyon, suspended by ropes above me. Thoroughly enjoying watching this poor punter squirm, the jump guides kept me hanging over the canyon for about a minute! The fear of knowing what was about to happen but not quite sure when was immense!

The jump guides then asked me to lean back and look up at the camera and as soon as I did, without any warning, they pulled the cord to release me. I'm sure my screams were heard back in Queenstown! Gravity pulls you down towards the river before you really know what’s going on and it’s only really once you start the swing across the canyon at the bottom that you take in what has just happened. The sensation of freefalling 60m at a speed of about 150kmh is absolutely mind blowing and while you are sure to lose your stomach on the way down, the sense of achievement for attempting such a terrifying activity is well worth facing the fear!

Once I had completed my swing, I was pulled back up to the top of the platform, able to finally enjoy the (much slower and relaxing) experience and take in the incredible scenery.

- Jeff Wells

Like all countries, New Zealand has its own slang. Familiarise yourself with basic Kiwi-ese words and sayings and you’ll be “away laughing”.

Pull on your jandals, togs and sunnies, pop some beers in the chilly bin and take a tiki tour to the beach! Didn’t understand a word? Then check out our Kiwi-English dictionary to tackle Kiwi-ese slang.

If a Kiwi asks you to pop down to the ‘dairy’, they’re not suggesting you milk a cow, they’re talking about going to what you might know as the corner shop or convenience store. Don’t let New Zealand slang confuse you – use the Kiwi-English translation guide below and ‘get to grips’ with basic Kiwi-ese.

b

Bach A basic holiday home, classically found at the beach or by a lake

Beehive The hive-shaped executive wing of New Zealand’s Parliamentary Buildings

Bloke The common man, the ordinary guy in the street

Boy-racer Young person in a fast car, usually with the stereo ‘cranked up’ (‘loud’!)

C

Capsicum Bell pepper

Cheers Often used in place of ‘thank you’

Chilly bin Insulated box used to keep food and beer cold

Chippies Potato chips or crisps

Chippy Builder

Choice Great, excellent: “That sports car is choice!”

Chocka Full

Crook Sick

Cuppa Cup of tea

Cuzzies Relatives

D

Dairy Convenience store, sometimes called ‘the corner dairy’

F

Footy Rugby, the national obsession

G

Gumboots Waterproof rubber boots, also known as ‘gummies’

H

Haere mai Welcome

Hāngi Traditional Maori cooking method using an underground earth oven

Hard case Clown, witty person

Heaps A lot

Hokey pokey New Zealand’s favourite ice cream flavour, vanilla with toffee bits

J

Jandals Open-topped rubber sandals, known elsewhere as thongs or flip-flops

K

Kia ora Hello

Kiwi A flightless bird or a person from New Zealand

Kiwifruit Small, fuzzy, brown-skinned and green-fleshed fruit

Knackered A tired person ("I've been at work all day and I'm knackered!") or a broken thing ("My car won't start, I think the engine's knackered").

L

Lollies Candy or sweets

Loo Toilet, also known as a ‘dunny’

M

Marge Margarine

Mate A close friend

Mate’s rates A discount for a friend (or the kind of good discount you’d give a friend)

Motu Island

O

OE Overseas Experience

P

Pakeha New Zealander of European descent

Pavlova Iconic New Zealand dessert, a baked meringue topped with cream and fruit

Pinky Bar Chocolate bar with marshmallow centre

Pom or Pommie Someone from Britain

S

Shout Paying for something on behalf of others (often a round of drinks or dinner)

P

Puke Hill

S

Strapped for cash Short of money

Stuck in To ‘get stuck in’ is to start working on something

Sunnies Sunglasses

Sweet/Sweet as Great, excellent (“This concert is going to be sweet as!”)

T

Ta Thanks

Takeaways Food taken ‘to go’, often fast food such as fish ’n’ chips

Thanks Often used in place of ‘please’, as in “I’ll have a bottle of orange juice, thanks.”

Tiki tour Scenic route

Togs Bathing suit

Tomato sauce Ketchup

Tramping Hiking

U

Ute Utility vehicle

V

Varsity University

W

Whanga Harbour, bay

Wop-wops In the middle of nowhere

Y

Yonks Forever, a long time

I’ve heard so much about the fantastic walk to the top of Mauao – the ‘Mount’ for which this place is named – that I’m really keen to try it, and since I’m staying for the weekend, now is the perfect chance.

Saturday morning at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty dawns perfectly fine and still, but the weather forecast promises rain later on. So after a quick breakfast on the balcony, looking out to the sparkling Pacific Ocean, I pull on my trainers and jump into the car.

Cruising down Marine Parade, I’m awestruck by the perfect morning. With its beachfront mansions and a seemingly endless curve of white-sand beach disappearing into the distance, this has to be New Zealand’s answer to Australia’s Gold Coast! Surfers are pulling their boards from their roof-racks and families are cycling down the boardwalk. Further up the coast, Mauao looms up behind the cluster of apartments and cafés behind Mount Maunganui’s Main Beach. It’s an impressive sight!

I park the car and stroll along the boardwalk, past a camping ground with what has to be one of the most incredible camping spots around (where else could you pitch your tent or park your campervan in a beachfront location, right across the road from a fine selection of eateries!), to the start of the track. There are two choices – the base track, a coastal walk that loops around the bottom of the Mount, or the summit track. I opt for the latter, keen to sample the famous views. Both tracks are clearly popular – on a morning like this, there are dozens of walkers, from families to diehard fitness fanatics (who are actually running up the mountain!) and the trails are beautifully maintained. There are two options for reaching the summit – one is steeper than the other – so you can choose according to your fitness level. I’d heard the scenery was amazing and I’m not disappointed. I wonder if the sheep grazing on the lower slopes realise how lucky they are to have such an incredible outlook!

The Mount is situated at the end of an isthmus that protects Tauranga Harbour from the Pacific Ocean, so it’s surrounded by water on three sides. North and south, the sweeping arc of the Bay of Plenty coast is bordered by sandy beach and breaking surf. As you spiral around the mountain on your way to the summit, the views change with every footstep – from the endless ocean to the city of Tauranga across the harbour. The pasture at the base soon gives way to harakeke, or flax (keep your eyes peeled for the Tui birds sipping nectar from the flowers) and then native forest crowded with lush green tree ferns. The summit is large so there’s plenty of room to stop for a picnic, take a million photos and drink in the scenery before you head back down.

The verdict: pack your trainers, because this is definitely a must-do for any visitor to Mount Maunganui!

– Michelle Berridge

If you like your art monumental, be sure to visit the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and view Ron Mueck’s spectacular work chicken / man 2019, which is on permanent display.

Mueck is renowned as one of the world’s top sculptors and for his hyper-realistic depictions of people. His bespoke sculpture took many hours of painstaking work and was created specifically for Christchurch after successful fundraising campaigns and crowd-funding.

christchurchartgallery.org.nz

Ron Mueck chicken / man 2019. Mixed media. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, purchased 2019 by Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation with assistance from Catherine and David Boyer, Friends of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Charlotte and Marcel Gray, Ben Gough Family Foundation, Jenny and Andrew Smith, Gabrielle Tasman and Ken Lawn, Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation’s London Club along with 514 other generous individuals and companies. Courtesy Anthony d’Offay, London.

New Zealand is renowned for its wine, so why not sample a few on a wine tour while you're here? Whether you go on an independent road trip past Marlborough’s vineyards, take a guided wine tour in Central Otago or choose a wine cycle tour in the Wairarapa, there’s something for everyone.

If you want to join a guided wine tour, you can choose anything from budget-conscious short winery trips and small-group tours of a wine-growing region through to a custom-designed personalised wine tour, including scrumptious vineyard lunches and your own personal guide.

The more active might want to book a cycle wine tour, for which the Wairarapa town of Martinborough is especially renowned. Book a guide or pedal independently amongst the vines!

If you’re after the ultimate self-guided New Zealand wine trip, the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is for you. This trail takes you through New Zealand’s biggest wine-growing regions from the North Island’s Hawke’s Bay via Wairarapa to Marlborough in the South Island.

If you still haven’t had enough, you can head on to Riesling vineyards in sunny Nelson, sample Chardonnay in Canterbury and sip a world-renowned Pinot Noir in Central Otago. Back up north, Northland is famous for Cabernet Sauvignon, Auckland produces superb Chardonnays, the Bay of Plenty is good for Sauvignon Blanc and Gisborne is known as the Chardonnay capital of New Zealand.

But don’t let your New Zealand wine experience end with vineyard tours. The country's bars and restaurants serve a great variety of local New Zealand wines to accompany international and local cuisine, and you’ll find myriad food and wine festivals on around the country throughout the year. On top of that you can find vineyard accommodation all over New Zealand – whether it's a home stay on a working winery, boutique accommodation amongst the vines, or a backpacker hostel nestled next to a vineyard, there’s something for every budget. Cheers to that!

Next time you're visiting Auckland, don't limit yourself to the urban areas – New Zealand's largest city is surrounded by off-the-beaten-track destinations that are well worth a look.

Less than 45 minutes’ drive from downtown Auckland is the cute little village of Whitford. With all the essentials – gift shop, café, bottle shop, etc. – Whitford is a tiny hamlet at the heart of an idyllic rural region. Palatial houses dot the hillsides here; this is horse country, home to stables and stud farms, and it’s a favourite place for Aucklanders wanting a house in the country and perhaps a pony for the children. And why not? With its picturesque rolling hills framing views of the sea, it feels like a world apart from Auckland City and yet the shopping malls of Botany Downs and Sylvia Park are only a short drive away.

Just down the road from Whitford is the gorgeous Pohutukawa Coast – Maraetai and (unsurprisingly!) Beachlands are seaside villages with good beaches, and there are a couple of coastal regional parks to explore: Omana Regional Park and Duder Regional Park. Pine Harbour, at Beachlands, is a marina with a sheltered beach, landscaped gardens, a café and a pub, as well as all the essential marine services. A high-speed ferry operates between Pine Harbour and downtown Auckland several times daily.

If your interests tend more towards gastronomic pleasures, take the turnoff at Whitford and head to Clevedon Village. The Clevedon Valley is home to several wineries, while the village itself has a farmers’ market and several boutique food stores. Whether you visit for one day or for several, this idyllic slice of New Zealand countryside is a local secret that’s well worth a visit!

Most people think dolphins, France and tourists when hearing Akaroa. And while Akaroa is a prime location for dolphin watching and French fare, and a vibrant tourism hotspot, I discovered a different Akaroa on the weekend.

If you scratch a little below the surface of cute souvenir shops and the French blue-white-red in the air, you’ll find heaps of locals and hidden gems which make Akaroa a truly peaceful, relaxing and indulgent destination.

The holiday feel kicks in on the Banks Peninsula road. Rolling hills with sheep strewn about like confetti, rain-slicked roads that look like streams of maple syrup in the sun, the wetlands of Lake Ellesmere – after 30 minutes’ drive we feel like we’re miles away from the hustle and bustle of a working week in Christchurch. Just after Cooptown we stop at a family orchard to buy some fresh nectarines and we save the stones to see who can throw them the furthest once we reach the Hilltop Café & Bar and catch the first glimpse of Akaroa’s bays.

As darkness gradually slides down the hills to the ocean, we mingle with Akaroa’s tourists on the waterfront. But rather than joining them in one of the buzzing eateries, we order fish and two scoops from Akaroa Fish ’n’ Chips and go for a stroll along the wharf. At this time of the day the sightseeing vessels lie deserted and the only ones joining us are some seagulls, who have their eyes firmly on our chips, and the music of two accordion players.

We spend the night and next day in Robinson’s Bay, just out of Akaroa, with reading, beach walks and smelling the ocean, but return to the jumble of French street names, Spanish backpackers and Kiwi hospitality on Sunday. We’re late starters compared with the dolphin-watching charters, which are already on their second run. But Akaroa’s old-world charm contributes to our feeling that there’s no rush, and so we stop by the Little Bistro for a long cup of coffee.

On our way again, we sift through a little arts and crafts market on the village green, take a long walk out to the old lighthouse right on the heads of the peninsula and browse local art galleries in little side streets. By late afternoon we are starving and so decide to hop in the car to drive around to Duvauchelle to grab a pie, followed by a visit to Barry’s Bay Cheese Factory, where we get to try local delicacies.

The local cheesery isn’t the only gourmet haven around Banks Peninsula. Keep your eyes open for handwritten signs and you’ll soon find everything from olive tastings and wineries to local salmon and homemade berry ice cream! And if you’re looking for a fragrant souvenir of your weekend getaway, stop by the house on the road back to Christchurch offering luxurious lavender soap!

When we come back on Sunday night, truly relaxed, I realise that there are three misconceptions about great holidays. First, there is the idea that a holiday has to be at least a couple of weeks long to make you unwind. Second, there is the impression that indulgence has to be expensive. And thirdly, there is the notion that you have to go far away to truly relax. Well, the local side of Akaroa proved all three wrong in just a couple of days.

- Nadine Kats

Looking for an authentic experience of Kiwi country life? Tucked away in the rolling hills of Waikato’s King Country, a slice of life on the farm awaits those seeking a glimpse of the real New Zealand.

Billy Black’s Kiwi Culture Show is a short drive south of Te Awamutu, but it’s easier to find if you’re approaching from Waitomo Caves Village in the south. Follow the sign and head a few kilometres down Waitomo Valley Road to where Woodlyn Park nestles amidst the rolling hills. Here, in a hilltop barn, the essence of Kiwi culture is distilled into a one-hour cultural show combining eye-opening live demos, clever farm animals performing on cue and a fascinating history lesson, all wrapped up with a generous dose of Kiwi humour delivered by the black-singlet-clad character of Billy Black.

The rustic, down-on-the-farm ambience of Billy Black’s Kiwi Culture Show is cleverly composed in a barn/auditorium where the walls are decked out with retro farming paraphernalia and the glass wall behind the stage makes the farmyard beyond a living backdrop. The show opens with two members of the audience helping to demonstrate the lost art of cutting a log of wood with a two-man saw. Billy Black’s good-natured jibes add vibrant colour to the story of how the King Country hills were cleared by hand to create farmland. You’ll learn a whole lot in the process, but this is no ordinary lesson – be prepared to jump because Billy Black likes to keep you on your toes with heart-pounding pranks.

And then the animals arrive … one by one trotting up the farmyard to take their place on the stage and show off their talents while Billy Black fills your head with quirky facts you never knew about possums, donkeys or dogs. Meet, for instance, a pig who answers questions with a nod of his head and stands up on his hind legs to do the ‘moonwalk’. Later, an audience member is coerced onto the stage to help shear a sheep the old-fashioned way, helping turn the crank to power a set of old-fashioned clippers. In the old days, shearers could clip dozens of sheep a day in this manner.

Whether you’re a local ‘townie’ or a visitor from overseas, Billy Black’s Kiwi Culture Show is compulsory viewing if you want a proper Kiwi education.

Billy Black’s Kiwi Culture Show
Woodlyn Park, 1177 Waitomo Valley Road, Otorohanga. 

kiwiculture.co.nz

Driving in New Zealand allows travellers to get off the main highways to explore the small towns and wilderness areas that make New Zealand unique.

The love of a good road trip is born into all New Zealanders. Hitting the road in summer is a thrill, whether you’re an Aucklander whipping off to the Coromandel or Northland, a Wellingtonian heading to the Martinborough’s vineyards, or a South Islander heading across one of the island’s rugged mountain passes.

Driving gives you absolute freedom, which means you can stop in all our cool small towns, making sure you don’t miss any of the country’s best pie shops (we’re looking at you, Fairlie) or artistic public toilets (there’s no beating Kawakawa).

There are a few road rules for us all to remember: The speed limit is generally 50 kph in cities and 80 or 100 kph on highways and motorways (except for the new Waikato Expressway, where there’s one stretch where you can you do 120). Don’t speed – New Zealand already has a high rate of road fatalities, especially around holidays, and speeding is a big factor. There are also often police patrolling highways, and speed cameras are common. Seat belts must be worn at all times, and both motorcyclists and road cyclists must wear helmets. There are also strict laws against drinking and driving – and the best advice is to simply not do it.

Rental companies are dotted all around the country, and can provide you with cars or campervans for whatever adventure you’re planning. If you’re on for a full-country road trip, the Interislander or Bluebridge ferries can transport and your car across Cook Strait. Some of our most spectacular roads can be quite dangerous, but shuttle companies abound. If you’re hesitant about driving up skifield access roads, take mountain transport, and consider joining a tour for the gnarly spots like Skipper’s Canyon.

We’re sharing some of our favourite road trip ideas with you – check out our itineraries to help you decide where to head.

New Zealand is renowned as one of the world’s best whale watching destinations, and this unique wildlife encounter should be on every visitor's itinerary. Just imagine coming eye to eye with a 15-metre Sperm Whale – it’s an experience you won’t forget!

While Kaikoura in the South Island is New Zealand’s whale watching capital, you can go whale watching all over the country. Auckland’s harbours, for example, are often visited by whales and in summer months (November to May) they abound in the Bay of Plenty. South Island locations  (besides Kaikoura) where you can get out to see the big beasties include Fiordland and Banks Peninsula. While whale watching by catamaran is hugely popular, it is by no means the only way to experience this wildlife encounter. You can also go whale watching by plane or helicopter on a flight-seeing adventure, which gives you the unique opportunity to see a whole whale head to tail.

Whale species you can encounter in New Zealand include Sperm Whales, Orca, Humpback Whales, Blue Whales, Pilot Whales and Southern Right Whales, and – if you’re lucky – you might just see all of these when you choose a whale watching trip in Kaikoura. The reason for Kaikoura’s immense variety of marine wildlife lies offshore: the Hikurangi Trench, which slopes to a depth of 900 metres and has a mix of cool and warm currents, making it the perfect home for squid, sharks and fish. This means that the Kaikoura coast isn’t only a seafood paradise for hungry tourists and locals, but also for whales. Altogether, 15 species of whales have been seen off Kaikoura!

Spotting these massive creatures is a truly magical experience. Lisa Bond from Whale Watch Kaikoura says: “I looked down and saw a whale swimming by in the crystal-clear water, and as he was swimming by on his side I made eye-contact with him. It was an incredible moment, one I will never forget.”

Other unforgettable marine wildlife encounters you can experience in New Zealand include bird watching (the coast is abuzz with seabirds such as the albatross, petrel and shearwater), swimming with dolphins and kayaking with seals. For those of you who’d rather stay on dry land, you can also visit an aquarium – great fun for the whole family.

One great aspect to New Zealand is that you often don’t have to travel into the backcountry to find a great walk. Exploring New Zealand on foot can be as easy as leaving your hotel and hitting the streets, squares and parks that are central to every town and city. Put on your trainers and get ready for a little intensive urban exploration!

Waterfront walks

Discover Auckland’s stunning waterfront with a stroll along Tamaki Drive from the Ports of Auckland to Mission Bay. The harbour edge of Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, brims with cafés and cultural icons such as Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand. Many smaller towns also offer stunning seascapes. New Plymouth’s award-winning coastal walkway runs seven kilometres along almost the entire length of the city, with Len Lye's fascinating Wind Wand kinetic sculpture at is centre. Rivers that wind their way through urban areas provide another focus for walkways – the Avon River in Christchurch is flanked along much of its length  by manicured parks, while in Hamilton the Waikato River Trails wind 15 kilometres along the Waikato River.

Culture & heritage

Delve into the history of your destination with a heritage walk. In Napier, take a guided walk with the Art Deco Trust. Tours depart from either the Napier i-SITE or the Art Deco Shop in Tennyson Street, or grab a guidebook for a self-guided walk. Take a stroll through historic inner-city Dunedin architecture or join an organised tour. In Wellington, visitors can follow a self-guided Heritage Trail – free brochures provide information on significant sites. The Old Shoreline Heritage Trail traces the former shoreline of Wellington Harbour through the central city.

Window shopping

If shopping is on your to-do list, comb the laneways that radiate out from Queen Street in Auckland’s downtown. High Street, Vulcan Lane and Chancery (pictured above) have excellent cafés, restaurants and boutiques, while Elliot Lane offers gourmet food stores. For a very different experience, try the Martinborough walking wine trail. Martinborough is a unique destination for wine lovers, with more than 30 vineyards within walking distance of the village square. Start your visit at the Martinborough Wine Centre, pick up a wineries map and wander around the cellar doors (no need to worry about drinking and driving!). Heading out on foot is a great way to experience New Zealand’s towns and cities, so book a tour or just hit the streets and do a little urban exploration of your own!

Parks & Gardens

Take a stroll in one of the gorgeous parks and gardens that thrive in New Zealand’s temperate climate:

Hamilton Gardens Waikato's most visited tourist attraction offers six fascinating themed gardens, from a Chinese Scholars’ Garden to an Italian Renaissance Garden.

Pukekura Park (New Plymouth) A Garden of National Significance, it boasts 52 hectares of native forest and is adjacent to the natural amphitheatre of Brooklands Park.

Fitzherbert Park (Palmerston North) Alongside the Manawatu River and home to Dugald McKenzie Rose Garden, and voted one of the world’s top five rose gardens in 2003.

Christchurch Botanic Gardens Home to a magnificent collection of over 10,000 native and exotic plant species.

Dunedin Botanic Gardens New Zealand’s oldest botanic gardens, established in 1863.

Dunedin Chinese Garden An authentic Chinese garden, prefabricated in Shanghai, with a jade-coloured lake.

“You look like you have a spring in your step,” beams Champs-Elysées Day Spa coordinator Angela Rewha, as I pad down the lavish wooden staircase and into the relaxation lounge.

She’s right. I sink into the cushioned comfort of a well-upholstered French colonial chair in a Zen-like state of Nirvana and sip a tangy lemon water designed to flush the toxins from my invigorated system – this is living! When I arrived at the destination spa in Christchurch, the spring was more a shamble, courtesy of some recent hard labour in the garden on top of week of desk-jockeying, with a dull ache in my shoulders and neck a painful reminder. Now with a new lease of life, super slack and chilled, I’m relaxed and ready for the weekend ahead.

Now in the slice of suburban Merivale history that is the character-filled Charlotte Jane Building, Champs Elysées marries old-world charm and opulence; think stunning leadlight windows and ancient polished wooden surfaces alongside the cutting-edge nous of an iconic, modern, luxurious (and award-winning) spa. It's an oasis of tranquillity – the hustle and bustle of modern living is instantly left on the other side of the door, along with the hurried traffic buzz on Papanui Road, as soon as you enter the Spa’s refined surrounds. I can feel myself relaxing already just as I talk about the upcoming deep tissue massage I’m booked in for with Misa (Misaki) Sugiura, my therapist for the session (over a cup of calming herbal tea) – and after that gardening I'm careful to highlight my neck and shoulders as requiring particular attention!

In the refined lux of their high-ceilinged treatment room, I slip between the covers into the toasty warmth of the heated massage table, and wait for Misa to return – I couldn’t be more ready for a massage. More delicious anticipation occurs when I can feel the heat radiating from a hot towel near my feet before they’re enveloped in the soothing warmth in a pre-massage cleanse.

The massage ticks a lot of boxes! It's specifically designed to release tension in individual muscle groups, increase circulation, instigate relaxation and relieve muscular aches and pains – just what I'm after. Misa gets to work correcting the bodily wrongs of the past several weeks, manipulating knotted muscles into submission with hot oil and some tricky massage ninja moves.

Despite the pressure required to unwind my body’s tension (along with some hurts-so-good moments as she expertly irons out some serious kinks), I find myself drifting off during the luxuriant strokes. I’m also in danger of becoming addicted to the intense embrace of the decadent, aroma-infused hot towels involved in the finale as she works her mojo and annoying tensions and stresses simply dissipate with the towels’ steam.

There are few better ways to spend 60 minutes of therapeutic pampering as I take my final sip of lemon water. I'm sad to head back into the real world, but at least I'm ready to face the weekend as a whole new person!

Champs-Elysées Day Spa
(03) 365 3630
110 Papanui Road, Christchurch
champs-elysees.co.nz