Blending beachy recreation with all the delights of a modern, diverse and thoroughly multicultural city, Auckland sits on the lucid blue-green waters of New Zealand’s north island. Known as the ‘City of Sails’, its two harbours will tempt you with waterfront walks, and the chance to breathe fresh sea air deep into your lungs while absorbing spectacular views of Auckland’s grand harbour bridge’s span. Take in the true scale of Auckland’s magnificent cityscape by ascending 192 metres to the Sky Tower, and looking out over the city’s gleaming silver towers, which reflect on the abundant waters below. Views over the bay and adjacent islands await, and you can share elegant cocktails at this dizzying height, above the mingling yachts of Viaduct Harbour. Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of the area at Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki. Set beside tranquil fountains and handsomely landscaped flowerbeds of Albert Park, the French-Renaissance building houses New Zealand’s most extensive art collection, and exhibits works from Māori and Pacific artists. New Zealand is world-renowned for its captivating natural scenery, and day trips across the sparkling bays, to nearby islands like Waiheke, Tiritiri Matangi, and Rangitoto, are always tempting. Discover lava caves, grape-laden vineyards and flourishing wildlife in the Hauraki Gulf’s islands. You’ll also find an exceptional 360-degree panorama over the city, to the horizon beyond, from the heights of ancient Mount Eden. The spectacular dormant volcano rises improbably from a city suburb, and also lends its name to Eden Park – the unusual, translucent stadium of New Zealand’s mighty All Blacks.

Blending beachy recreation with all the delights of a modern, diverse and thoroughly multicultural city, Auckland sits on the lucid blue-green waters of New Zealand’s north island. Known as the ‘City of Sails’, its two harbours will tempt you with waterfront walks, and the chance to breathe fresh sea air deep into your lungs while absorbing spectacular views of Auckland’s grand harbour bridge’s span. Take in the true scale of Auckland’s magnificent cityscape by ascending 192 metres to the Sky Tower, and looking out over the city’s gleaming silver towers, which reflect on the abundant waters below. Views over the bay and adjacent islands await, and you can share elegant cocktails at this dizzying height, above the mingling yachts of Viaduct Harbour. Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of the area at Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki. Set beside tranquil fountains and handsomely landscaped flowerbeds of Albert Park, the French-Renaissance building houses New Zealand’s most extensive art collection, and exhibits works from Māori and Pacific artists. New Zealand is world-renowned for its captivating natural scenery, and day trips across the sparkling bays, to nearby islands like Waiheke, Tiritiri Matangi, and Rangitoto, are always tempting. Discover lava caves, grape-laden vineyards and flourishing wildlife in the Hauraki Gulf’s islands. You’ll also find an exceptional 360-degree panorama over the city, to the horizon beyond, from the heights of ancient Mount Eden. The spectacular dormant volcano rises improbably from a city suburb, and also lends its name to Eden Park – the unusual, translucent stadium of New Zealand’s mighty All Blacks.

The Tasman Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east meet at the top of North Island at Cape Reinga. No matter what route you take, you’ll pass farms and forests, marvellous beaches, and great open spaces. The East Coast, up to the Bay of Islands, is Northland’s most densely populated, often with refugees from bigger cities—looking for a more relaxed life—clustered around breathtaking beaches. The first decision on the drive north comes at the foot of the Brynderwyn Hills. Turning left will take you up the West Coast through areas once covered with forests and now used for either agricultural or horticulture. Driving over “the Brynderwyns,” as they are known, takes you to Whangarei, the only city in Northland. If you’re in the mood for a diversion, you can slip to the beautiful coastline and take in Waipu Cove, an area settled by Scots, and Laings Beach, where million-dollar homes sit next to small Kiwi beach houses. An hour’s drive farther north is the Bay of Islands, known all over the world for its beauty. There you will find lush forests, splendid beaches, and shimmering harbors. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed here in 1840 between Māoriand the British Crown, establishing the basis for the modern New Zealand state. Every year on February 6, the extremely beautiful Waitangi Treaty Ground (the name means weeping waters) is the sight of a celebration of the treaty and protests by Māori unhappy with it. Continuing north on the East Coast, the agricultural backbone of the region is even more evident and a series of winding loop roads off the main highway will take you to beaches that are both beautiful and isolated where you can swim, dive, picnic, or just laze. . The West Coast is even less populated, and the coastline is rugged and windswept. In the Waipoua Forest, you will find some of New Zealand’s oldest and largest kauri trees; the winding road will also take you past mangrove swamps. Crowning the region is the spiritually significant Cape Reinga, the headland at the top of the vast stretch of 90 Mile Beach, where it’s believed Māori souls depart after death. Today Māori make up roughly a quarter of the area’s population (compared with the national average of about 15%). The legendary Māori navigator Kupe was said to have landed on the shores of Hokianga Harbour, where the first arrivals made their home. Many different wi (tribes) lived throughout Northland, including Ngapuhi (the largest), Te Roroa, Ngati Wai, Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngaitakoto, Ngati Kahu, and Te Rarawa. Many Māorihere can trace their ancestry to the earliest inhabitants

Tauranga is the principal city of the Bay of Plenty. The founders of Tauranga, 19th-century missionaries, left a legacy of well-planned parks and gardens for today’s residents and visitors to enjoy.

With a population of around 35,000 and located on the north island, Gisborne exudes history at every turn. Maori for “Great standing place of Kiwa”, Kiwa was a leading figure aboard the Maori ancestral canoe, Takitimu, which ran aground in Gisborne around 1450 AD. After landing, Kiwa became a coastal guardian, eventually marrying Parawhenuamea, the keeper of the streams. View less The union point of three rivers and the first place to see the sun, the city is filled with light and laugher and gracefully squeezes surfer’s beaches with the district’s colonial past. Captain Cook made his first landfall here, John Harris set up his first trading station in the then village and today, Gisborn is the major centre of Maori cultural life.Suffice to say then that the city is a watery wonderland. With its picture perfect beaches, what savvy traveller does not want to add being among the first people in the world to say they have watched the sky change colour as the sun bursts from out of the sea. A place of nature, spectacular beach cliff views are all just part and parcel of everyday life here, and easy walks from the centre of town to the Titirangi Reserve will award you with yet more unbelievable 180˚ vistas from Poverty Bay to Gisborne City; stretch your eyes with the panorama, while stretching your legs on one of the many enjoyable walks.A perfect place to stroll, amble and wander, like much of New Zealand Gisborne keeps a healthy respect for history and nature and enjoys a very laid back feel.

Napier, with its pleasant Mediterranean climate and famous art deco architecture, is a charming and lively seaside resort located on the eastern side of North Island.

Sprawling around a hook-shaped peninsula, Wellington is a vibrant and energetic seaside capital. A compact, well-stocked city of buzzing bars and chatting cafes, New Zealand’s capital is a bright and breezy place with an infectious, easy-going atmosphere. Known as the creative hub of the South Pacific, there are shows to see, art installations to enjoy, and rich flavours to savour here. The sounds of rare and beautiful birdlife fill the hills around the city, and the bush of the green belt provides easy-to-access sanctuary, strolls and cycle rides. View less The Botanical Gardens break up the buildings, even more, while an iconic, cherry-red cable car rumbles up Wellington’s slope to the city’s best viewpoint, looking out over the city’s scenic harbour from above. Zealandia has provided an urban home for rare and endangered birdlife, bringing many species back from the brink. Varied museums cover everything from Maori traditions to earthquake simulations and even the real-life Kraken – a displayed colossal squid. Wellington is only New Zealand’s third-biggest city, but spend some time here and you’ll realise that’s a blessing. Eminently strollable, you can stop in at countless cool cafes to top up your caffeine levels whenever your energy is flagging – the smell of a fresh artisan espresso is never far away. The wines grown nearby are revered, and the city’s craft beers are also making waves. Wander the breezy waterfront, and admire the surfers riding the wind-whipped rollers of the self-proclaimed ‘coolest little capital in the world’.

Lodged between high mountains and the Pacific Ocean, on New Zealand’s South Island, it is said that no two views in Kaikoura are the same. Look left, and you’ll see snow caped peaks and rolling meadows. Look right, and you’ll see seals hauling out on rugged shores. Look straight ahead and you’ll see nothing except the wide expanse of the Pacific. Kaikoura’s claim to fame is its rich abundance of marine life. View less Visitors have a 95% chance of spotting giant sperm whales, as well as dusky dolphins, orcas and humpback whales, regardless of whether you are travelling by boat or by air. Additionally, New Zealand Fur Seals live in the shallow waters of the town’s peninsula, and surely there can be no greater experience than swimming alongside the playful marine mammal in its natural habitat. Very little is known about the town’s Māori history, although the word “Kaikoura” translates in the Māori language as a ‘meal of crayfish’ (‘kai’ meaning ‘food’, ‘koura’ meaning ‘crayfish’). In Māori legend, the great fisherman Maui placed his foot on the Kaikoura peninsula to steady himself while he fished the North Island from the sea with his fishhook taken from his grandmother’s jaw-bone. The legend attracted Māori settlers to the coast, and several of their settlements (pa) can still be seen from the peninsula. More recently, Captain Cook discovered the region in 1770, although believed it to be an island. European settlers began a thriving whaling trade in the 1840s, which only ceased in the mid-1960s.

At the head of one of New Zealand’s loveliest harbours lies gracious, dignified Dunedin. It was envisioned by its Scottish founders as the “Edinburgh of the South”. The city boasts a wealth of fine Victorian and Edwardian buildings, complete with spires, gables and gargoyles. Its Scottish heritage is evoked in street names and the sturdy appeal of its handsome stone buildings. Dunedin’s unique charm prompted one of its most famous visitors, Mark Twain, to write, “The people here are Scots. They stopped here on their way to heaven, thinking they had arrived.” True to its heritage, Dunedin boasts the country’s only kilt maker and whisky distillery, as well as a statue of Scottish poet Robert Burns in the heart of the city.

Milford Sound is a fiord in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for towering Mitre Peak, plus rainforests and waterfalls like Stirling and Bowen falls, which plummet down its sheer sides. The fiord is home to fur seal colonies, penguins and dolphins. Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory offers views of rare black coral and other marine life. Boat tours are a popular way to explore.

Known for the migrating whales that cruise through its waters between May and November, Eden sits in New South Wales’ scenic Twofold Bay. While the whales are now protected and cherished here, the town was initially founded as a whaling centre and has many fascinating stories to tell. Namely, a unique symbiotic relationship with the killer whales. Rewarded with the tongues from freshly caught whales, the orcas would help to round up baleen whales in the bay, making it easy for humans to land them. This mutually beneficial exchange came to be known as The Law of the Tongue. Find out more about it, and the area’s whaling past, at Eden Killer Whale Museum – where you can see the skeleton of the most famous orca accomplice, Old Tom. A yearly whale festival now celebrates the return of the magnificent whales to these waters. Head into Ben Boyd National Park for amazing bird watching, and to see the arches of soaring rock formations rising beside fire-red cliffs. View the glorious coastal scenery of frothing aqua-seas and rugged headlands, from the viewing deck on top of Boyd’s Tower. Initially devised as a lighthouse, it would later be used as a lookout to spot whales breaching the bay’s waters, and to see Old Tom splashing his tail to alert the whalers. Travel through more glorious scenery and tangled rainforest, to the verdant promontory of Green Cape Lighthouse. Jutting out into the South Pacific Ocean, the pearly-white lighthouse caps crumbling cliffs and offers sweeping views of the jagged cliffs and wave-thrashed rocks. The wrecks that lie offshore attest to the respect these sometimes-punishing waves demand.

With its glorious harbour, lavish golden beaches and iconic landmarks, Sydney is Australia’s showpiece city. Creative and curious, discover the world-class cuisine, indigenous culture, and irresistible beach life that make Sydney one of the world’s most dynamic, exciting destinations. Sydney’s sparkling harbour is the heart of a richly cultural city. Overlooked by the metallic curves of the masterpiece of an Opera House, and that grand arched harbour bridge. Take it all in from the water, and admire the iconic landmarks, which are set before the city’s gleaming skyline backdrop. View less If you’re feeling adventurous, take the legendary climb up the smooth curve of the bridge – nicknamed the Coathanger – to soak in the shining city’s spread from a unique perspective. Spread out to tan on one of the world’s most famous stretches of sand – Bondi Beach. Restaurants and bars burble away in the background, while the sun beams down, and surfers curl and leap over pure rollers. Swim in spectacular salty ocean pools, or wander the beautiful Bondi to Coogee coastal walk for more of this sun-gorged stretch of prime coastline. Leaving the thrills of Australia’s largest city behind is surprisingly simple – take to the skies to be flown above skyscrapers and rippling ribbons of waves, out to majestic peaks, sheer cliffs and iconic rock formations – like the Three Sisters of the Blue Mountains. Or, drop in on wildlife sanctuaries caring for the country’s animals – from hopping kangaroos to adorably cute, cuddly koalas.

With its glorious harbour, lavish golden beaches and iconic landmarks, Sydney is Australia’s showpiece city. Creative and curious, discover the world-class cuisine, indigenous culture, and irresistible beach life that make Sydney one of the world’s most dynamic, exciting destinations. Sydney’s sparkling harbour is the heart of a richly cultural city. Overlooked by the metallic curves of the masterpiece of an Opera House, and that grand arched harbour bridge. Take it all in from the water, and admire the iconic landmarks, which are set before the city’s gleaming skyline backdrop. View less If you’re feeling adventurous, take the legendary climb up the smooth curve of the bridge – nicknamed the Coathanger – to soak in the shining city’s spread from a unique perspective. Spread out to tan on one of the world’s most famous stretches of sand – Bondi Beach. Restaurants and bars burble away in the background, while the sun beams down, and surfers curl and leap over pure rollers. Swim in spectacular salty ocean pools, or wander the beautiful Bondi to Coogee coastal walk for more of this sun-gorged stretch of prime coastline. Leaving the thrills of Australia’s largest city behind is surprisingly simple – take to the skies to be flown above skyscrapers and rippling ribbons of waves, out to majestic peaks, sheer cliffs and iconic rock formations – like the Three Sisters of the Blue Mountains. Or, drop in on wildlife sanctuaries caring for the country’s animals – from hopping kangaroos to adorably cute, cuddly koalas.