A recent comment by a reader about a positive write-up on Auckland drew attention to what seems to be a sore spot among many Kiwis from New Zealand’s South Island. Long-time residents of “the Mainland” have grown weary of what they perceive as an inordinate amount of attention paid by international observers to the country’s North Island, which in fairness, is home to 75 percent of the national population. Understandably however, the reader felt that the South Island should get some love too.
While we have in the past, doled out mad props to the wine region of Otago and the beautiful town of Christchurch, perhaps a more than cursory look at New Zealand’s South Island is in order. With that firmly in mind, here are 12 great reasons to show the place the Maori people call Te Waka a Maui some love. These destinations could make you forget New Zealand has another island, at least temporarily.
The spectacular southwest portion of the South Island is home to Fiordland National Park. Colossal, at more than 12,000 km2, the park contains some of the most dramatic waterfalls in the world, the Southern Alps and phenomenal Milford Sound. Perhaps the most popular attraction in New Zealand, Milford Sound was famously described by Rudyard Kipling as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”.
The resort community of Queenstown is in pristine Central Otago, famous as a world class wine region on the rise. Built around finger-like Lake Wakatipu, the town is a notable hub of outdoor, adventure and ecotourism. In recent years, Queenstown’s emergence as a vibrant little culinary and viticulture hotbed has drawn even more attention from tourists at home and abroad.
As a gateway to gorgeous Mount Aspiring National Park, the Central Otago town of Wanaka is another supreme resort town in the area. The 19th century Gold Rush led to Wanaka’s official establishment and since then, the community on Lake Wanaka has become a splendid gem to behold.
Behind only Christchurch in population on the South Island, Dunedin is a lively hillside town that overlooks Otago Harbour. With Maori settlement as far back as the year 1100, Dunedin underwent a veritable renaissance in the Gold Rush era of the mid-19th century. Today the city offers superb architecture and cultural attractions.
Across Foveaux Strait, 30 km south of South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura has a sparse population but untold natural beauty. With only one town, the island is a major sanctuary for a variety of endemic bird life.
Christchurch and the region of Canterbury
The city of Christchurch and province of Canterbury contains the majority of the South Island’s population and as a result, is ground zero for a bevy of cultural gems. From the World Buskers Festival to the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Canterbury Museum and Christchurch Art Gallery, the city and region offers a strong case for the Mainland.
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The small town in Canterbury is notable for a popular hot spring and two excellent ski resorts. Hanmer Springs also acts as a gateway to superb national parks and a slew of adventure tourism options.
The Kaikoura Peninsula extends 5 km into the Pacific Ocean and as such, has some of the most exquisite scenery in New Zealand. The town of Kaikoura has an enviable perch on the peninsula’s shore and serves as ground zero for tourists who come to observe whales, fur seals and impressive mountain peaks.
The colloquial term for the South Island’s West Coast region, The Coast is a remote, skinny stretch of land with relatively few inhabitants. With the rough Tasman Sea to the west and the Southern Alps to the east, the area is pretty unique. Geographical highlights include the World Heritage Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, the community of Punakaiki, Haast Mountain Pass and the 82 km-long Heaphy Track.
Home to world class Sauvignon Blanc, the region of Marlborough is instantly familiar to oenophiles and even casual wine lovers around the globe. The area of mountains and valleys contains almost 12,000 km2 of spectacular landscape and only 43,000 people, with the town of Blenheim as the capital. With a terrific climate and a surfeit of leisure endeavors on hand, Marlborough offers some of the best tourist value in New Zealand.
On the shore of beautiful Tasman Bay, the town of Nelson is a vibrant little community of 60,000 people, with a rich heritage of cultural and artistic activity. With no less than three national parks in close proximity, Nelson is a paramount ecotourism gateway. From cave systems to pristine lakes, mountains and of course, the diverse environment of Tasman Bay, Nelson is a gem people need to discover on the South Island.
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The Tasman District is one of the most eclectic and heterogeneous in New Zealand, at least from a geographic point of view. Replete with dramatic peaks, rivers and valleys, the area with a population of 47,000 is most notable for the Matiri Ranges, Tasman Mountains and the Tasman Sea to the west and Tasman Bay and Golden Bay to the north. Peerless flora and fauna, in fine delicate balance, makes the Tasman District a real treasure.
Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Give the South Island a big hug. I may be biased but it’s much nicer then the North
. Anyway for lots more ideas of things to see and do in both islands have a look at http://www.DoSomething.co.nz. Have fun and stay safe.