The Bay of Islands is a sight to behold and is one of the most beautiful New Zealand travel destinations. With 144 islands, secluded beaches, shores and coves this aquatic playground will keep you well entertained for even more than a day. The townships of the bay are rife with stories from the area’s colorful history. Explore the well-preserved Maori and European relics. The Bay of Islands is considered to be the birthplace of New Zealand as Waitangi, one of the islands is where New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed in 1840. Some of New Zealand's oldest buildings are found in the Bay of Islands.
Stewart Island, New Zealand’s third-largest island, has few inhabitants and can be reached by plane, helicopter, or boat ride aboard a motor catamaran from Bluff. The ride will take you 20 minutes. On the island you cold spy the endangered kiwi in the wild. You can find the birds of an evening feeding around Mason’s Beach, accessible by plane, or at Patterson’s Inlet, where you can go by water taxi.
Tucked into Stewart Island's Paterson Inlet, another destination is Ulva Island, where curious native birds will come down to the foreshore to watch you getting off the water taxi. Tiny Ulva Island has incredible native bird life. With flocks of them flurrying around, it's a camera worthy sight. And the best part is that they aren't scared of you!
Napier with its pretty Art Deco architecture, gorgeous boutique vineyard accommodations, a dazzling array of restaurants, and some of the best wines in the country is an enticing destination for a traveler. You could venture into The National Aquarium of New Zealand for a change of pace or spend an afternoon wandering the streets looking at one of the finest collections of beautifully preserved art deco buildings.
Other than Napier, you could ferry to Waiheke Island with some 45 vineyards. Make sure you visit Te Whau Vineyard, which has more than 500 cellared wines and an impressive menu highly rated by Wine Spectator.
From Wellington you could start out for the Wairarapa wine region or Cape Palliser with its wild coastline and seal. Then there's Kapiti Island, home to a bird sanctuary with birds like weka, bellbird and tui providing fantastic photo opportunities.
From Christchurch, you can take a one day back and forth journey on the Tranz Alpine Express to the Southern Alps, up over Arthur’s Pass and down the other side to the wild west coast. The journey itself is breathtaking. The tiny village of Arthur’s Pass is a good starting point for climbing, canyoning and trekking trips to the Arthur’s Pass National Park nearby.
The Alps themselves are larger than the Alps in Europe and provide a spectacular scenery of snowy peaks and glaciers containing unique flora and fauna. The area is dominated by the mighty Mount Cook and its national park. Skiing and snowboarding is possible along the Alps with many secluded ski fields, including heli-skiing, while around Mount Cook there are a number of awesome lone and guided walking and climbing trips.
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