About New Zealand

NZ's two most famous glaciers are major attractions, mighty cascades of ice tumbling down a valley towards the sea. The heavy tourist traffic is catered for in the twin towns of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. These small tourist villages provide accommodation and facilities at high-ish prices. Franz is busier but Fox has more of an Alpine-village charm.

The Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park is spectacular. More than one-third of the park has a blanket of permanent snow and glacial ice. Of the 27 NZ mountains that stretch over 3050m (10065ft) high, 22 are in this park. The mighty Mt Cook, known to Maoris as Aoraki, the 'Cloud Piercer', is the highest peak in Australasia at 3755m (12,391ft).

Otago Peninsula is the South Island's most accessible wildlife area (albatross, yellow-eyed penguins, blue penguins, fur seals and sea lions all thrive here). It also has a score of historical sites, walkways and unique natural formations. For an overview, pick up the brochure and map from Dunedin's visitors centre and check the peninsula website.

Attractions

Wellington
Bound by its magnificent harbour, with wooden Victorian buildings terraced up steep hills, New Zealand's capital is home to its parliament and national treasures. Spectacular views, challenging walks, a thriving cafe and entertainment scene, and serious dedication to the arts make Wellington an enormously enjoyable place in which to spend a few days. Compact and walkable, 'Welly' is only the country's third-largest city and takes part in a friendly rivalry with larger Auckland. Given its size, there's an astounding number of quality restaurants, bars, shops and theatres. The city prides itself as a cultural centre and is the home of NZ's growing film industry and acclaimed director Peter Jackson. Buildings of interest include the modernist Beehive (the executive wing of Parliament), the old Government Building (one of the largest all-wooden buildings in the world), the National Library (housing the most comprehensive collection of books in the country), and the Katherine Mansfield Memorials (the property where the famous author was born in 1888). In addition, there are museums (including the excellent Te Papa museum), a zoo and stunning views of the city from the top of Mt Victoria. Cuba Street has great shopping, Thorndon has historic sites of interest, Lambton Quay is the primary business street and Mt Victoria is the place to go for cheap accommodation and dining.

Auckland
This waterside city has a strong pulse and a nautical twinkle in its eye. Its location on a thin stretch of the North Island, sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, is complemented by the lush subtropical forests of nearby hills and the volcanic terrains of nearby islands. With its spectacular harbour and bridge, New Zealand's largest city ranks with the best and its districts weave their way around a variety of bays ideal for swimming, water sports and particularly yachting - hence the nickname 'City of Sails'. This combination of water and Antipodean cosmopolitanism makes Auckland one of the world's most vibrant waterside cities. There's no lack of history, either. The area is punctured by volcanic cones, evidence of former pa - fortified Maori villages that indicate occupation stretching back a millennium. Indeed, Auckland now has the world's largest concentration of Polynesians; alongside a more recent wave of Asian migrants, they lend Auckland a liveliness matched by no other New Zealand city.

Getting there

Overview
The overwhelming majority of visitors arrive by air. There are seven airports that handle international flights: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Queenstown and Wellington. A few cruise ships visit New Zealand, but there are no regular passenger ship services and working your way across the Pacific as crew on a yacht now seems a thing of the past.

Getting around

Overview
Although New Zealand is compact and generally easy to get around, it makes good sense to fly - especially for the views over the mountains or volcanoes. A variety of discounts also make flying economical. Air New Zealand flies widely (including smaller routes via partly owned smaller airlines), Origin Pacific flies to main centres, and even smaller regional airlines fill in the gaps. Altogether there's very thorough coverage of the country - kiwis can fly. New Zealand also has an extensive bus network, with the main operator, InterCity (servicing both the North Island and South Island), and subsidiary Newmans, running frequent (at least once a day) services on main bus routes including a cheap fare on the main Auckland to Wellington route. An alternative is to use shuttle bus companies, which are smaller, cheaper and friendlier than the large bus companies. Some of them are designed to cater especially to foreign travellers and/or backpackers and have lots of little 'extras' that make them particularly attractive; other companies, perhaps drawing on the experiences of Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters, can take you around New Zealand on 'alternative' buses, which can be an unhurried way of seeing the country. Train routes are few, though train travel is reasonably fast and the trains modern and comfortable. Tranz Scenic no longer runs between Auckland and Wellington but still has services on the South Island from Picton to Christchurch and Christchurch to Greymouth. Car travel (New Zealanders drive on the left) is recommended as the roads are good and well signposted and the distances short. Rentals of cars, motorcycles and campervans are popular, with a range of special deals available. There are plenty of boat services, including the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries (operating between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island). And finally, there's always cycling around the country. Many travellers describe New Zealand as a cyclists' paradise: it's clean, green, uncrowded and unspoiled, and there are plenty of places where you can camp or find cheap accommodation. Bicycle rental can be daily, weekly or monthly and is inexpensive.