Discover the Islands

The North Island is home to over two-thirds of New Zealanders - or Kiwis - who live life to the beat of a faster rhythm than their neighbours to the south.

The South Island, however, is said to provide the 'true essence' of New Zealand. Vast empty beaches where you feel almost guilty leaving footprints; endless mountain ranges and rainforests, lakes, waterfalls and fiords, glaciers, volcanoes and hot pools, vast limestone caves and arches, massive crystal clear springs, the list and variety is endless.

There are even parts that have not changed since Captain Cook first explored hundreds of years ago. Stewart Island, the smallest of the main islands, lies just off the coast of Southland and, having recently been designated the country's 14th National Park, offers peace, solitude and a wealth of unspoiled scenery.

Stay and Experience

New Zealand offers numerous possibilities by way of accommodation and activities. Outdoor activities in particular are not so much a tourist attraction as a way of life. Besides the outdoors 'The Land of the Long White Cloud', provides a fascinating mix of cultures and you can experience indigenous Maori culture by visiting a marae, a concert or enjoying a hangi.

New Zealand has a wealth of unique places to stay. These range from bed and breakfast accommodations, self-contained cottages, hosted guest houses and character inns that are all about the warmth and hospitality of the wonderful hosts, in the regions they love. Choose from sumptuous luxury lodge retreats boasting stunning natural settings; a range of character properties, such as tree houses and exclusive, finely decorated hideaways; boutique hotels - being smaller intimate hotels often with an emphasis on contemporary design that stand out from the crowd or stay in excellent, high end brand hotels.