11 Offbeat Places to Visit in New Zealand

This might be the toughest piece I’ve written. If you’ve stumbled across this page by chance – hello, welcome – I suggest you brew yourself a strong coffee. Today’s topic is a round-up of some of my favourite places to visit in New Zealand, focusing on offbeat spots which are often overlooked from classic road trip itineraries. 

Because New Zealand is one of the most phenomenally beautiful countries I’ve had the privilege of visiting, this might become an index rather than a jolly listicle. Whenever someone asks me (IRL) about my favourite places to visit in New Zealand I try to reign it in and list one or two, three at the max. But then a few more slip out. Soon it’s a flood of names pouring out that rivals the Yangtze. Before you know it, I’ve wracked up about two-thirds of the nation and I’m still not done. 

New Zealand. Is. Amazing. 

Provided you don’t mind getting more than a little muddy.

New Zealand is somewhere that you can retreat into nature. If you’re lucky, you can at the very least go a few hours without bumping into a single Other Person. Yup, if you’re not so hot on making awkward small talk – Aotearoa is the place to fly, pronto.

Highlights of my year of living in New Zealand were the times I set up camp alongside the ocean, on the banks of a lake, or cloistered away out of sight in a patch of forest. I would spend days drifting along the sand or through the bush with my phone switched off, listening to my thoughts (possibly for the first time in my three and a bit decades). 

I’m going to share some of the most incredible places to visit in New Zealand that stole my heart.

My favourite places to visit in New Zealand

I spent just shy of one year living in the country on my New Zealand working holiday visa. Because of this, I was fortunate to experience more places to visit in New Zealand than your typical two week itinerary permits. While I did check out as many of the well-known spots as possible, I enjoyed escaping to New Zealand’s lesser known spots.  

Every time I read my journal and start to write up my notes from my time living there, I fight the urge to put an exorbitant sum of money on my credit card. Both to revisit the places below as well as some of those that I missed. And, more importantly, to visit the friends I made there. I’ve yet to find someone who has spent time in New Zealand and doesn’t long to return.

Because my list of favourite places to visit in New Zealand is bulging at the seams, I’ve broken this up into two sections: North Island and South Island.

5 Places to Visit in New Zealand:

North Island 

Although the North Island is often overshadowed by the South, I entirely disagree that the South is ‘better’ or ‘more beautiful’. No, no, no.

The two islands are remarkably different, in terms of geography and climate, but in my humble opinion, equally worthy of a visit. 

The North Island throngs with ancient trees, sandy beaches, and smouldering volcanic landscapes. Sure, it doesn’t quite compare to the South Island in terms of mountain ranges, but there is more than enough natural beauty to make up for that. 

These are my favourite places to visit in New Zealand’s North Island.

Cape Palliser 

Three reasons why I visited the southernmost point of New Zealand:

– Seals. Many seals.

– Putangirua Pinnacles.

– Nobody I’d met had been there (suggesting that it would be relatively devoid of people).

Cape Palliser is less than a two-hour drive from Wellington. Once you reach Whangaimoana, the road clings to the coast and provides your first view across Palliser Bay. I was greeted with a sapphire ocean and jet-black sand that sparkled under the hot summer sun.

First up, the seals. One of my favourite pastimes in New Zealand was seal-watching. Cape Palliser is home to the largest colony of fur seals in the North Island, so that was a big motivation for my visit. They were out in force the day I visited, enjoying the breezy, balmy weather. After about 20 minutes of watching one solo seal floating on the surface, I started to worry that it was injured (or worse). 

After dialling up the Department of Conversation emergency line, a kindly Kiwi reassured me that the seal was probably just digesting his lunch, or eyeing up his options for dessert.

The mysterious Putangirua Pinnacles are one of New Zealand’s best examples of badlands erosion. They featured in the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Fast-forward to the Paths of the Dead scene to see them in all their spooky glory. You can follow the hiking track through the Aorangi Forest Park to a lookout and then wander along the base of the rocks in the streambed. 

Cape Palliser was just as peaceful as I’d hoped. Besides a few other hikers at the pinnacles, my sole interaction that day was with a surfer who caught me a pāua from the sea. Which, I promptly fried on my camp stove and garnished with chilli – delicious!

Tutukaka Coast

My first time driving along the Tutukaka coastline was on my maiden road trip north out of Auckland. This was my first glimpse at the practically-tropical northern New Zealand. And tropical it is; the trees that flank the road took me back to happy days spent scootering around Koh Lanta.

The coastline follows the Twin Coast Discovery Highway north out of Whangarei. Gliding along the road, I got to grips with driving and found my confidence behind the wheel (something missing when I bought my camper car a few weeks prior and promptly sailed into a parked car). The rugged cliffs, forest, and twinkling azure ocean were the perfect backdrop for my first ever road trip. 

I recommend driving along the Tutukaka Coast slowly and stopping off at as many beaches as you can. Some are ideal for surfing, some for a dip, and others for a picnic. I loved Whale Bay and Matapouri which have lovely white sand. Located right by the ocean, the Whangaumu Reserve was one of my favourite freedom camping spots. The Kowharewa Bay is also a good overnight spot to add to your trip planner. 

Tutukaka itself is a small beachside town from where you can take boat and dive trips out to visit the Poor Knights Marine Reserve. I handed over my final NZ$300 to Dive! Tutukaka in exchange for a full day of scuba diving in the watery wonderland. 

Scuba diving in New Zealand is expensive (and cold) but is an experience I wholeheartedly recommend. The Poor Knights Marine Reserve dive sites are known for their network of caves and tunnels. They are actually the remnants of ancient volcanoes and are home to tuatara – the last living ancestors of the dinosaurs.

Bay of Islands

I couldn’t leave the Bay of Islands off my list of favourite places to visit in New Zealand after it became my home for three months! This is a great place to soak up some nature, learn about Maori culture and appreciate the New Zealand sun as its finest. 

After backpacking in Southeast Asia for eight months I touched down in Auckland to arctic springtime conditions. Needing money and sun, I headed north in my camper can seeking a backpacker job and vitamin D. And Paihia, capital of the Bay of Islands, was as far as I needed to go. 

The evocatively named region is home to over 140 subtropical islands. Most of these are uninhabited or private. The most accessible, Urupukapuka Island, is a 1-hour boat ride from Paihia. It’s a fun day trip from town but it’s even better if you camp overnight on the island. 

For water babies, the Bay of Islands provides fantastic swimming, kayaking, sailing and scuba diving. Dolphins and sharks are frequently spotted. I was lucky to spot an orca and her calf while on a dive trip. Another day (another boat) I spotted a hammerhead shark in the water I’d just climbed out of. 

Besides Paihia and the islands, the main places to check out are Russell and Waitangi. 

Russell (the original capital of New Zealand) is accessible via a short ferry from Paihia or a long (yet scenic) drive. Meanwhile Waitangi is home to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds which is one of the best places to visit in New Zealand to brush up on Māori history and culture.  

The Bay of Islands is special to me because it was home for a while. It’s very popular with Kiwis during summer and does get crowded – visit in early or late summer when it’s calmer.

Tongariro National Park

If you are lucky enough to visit the Tongariro National Park and it doesn’t make your list of the most impressive places to visit in New Zealand then you need your eyes testing. 

The Tongariro National Park is home to one of New Zealand’s most famous day-hikes; the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. This mammoth 19.4-kilometre hike takes you into the deepest, darkest depths of Mordor. 

You’ll clock views of Mount Ngauruhoe – the active volcano which shot to fame as Mordor in the Lord of the Rings film series. The area is alive with volcanic activity including steam vents and the occasional rumble so do check the latest volcanic risk before you visit. 

I hiked the 43.1-kilometre Tongariro Northern Circuit. As one of New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks and the reason why the park made this list of offbeat places to visit in New Zealand.

By taking the multi-day hike, you get to absorb much more scenery than the one-day crossing allows. In addition to seeing the Red Crater, the Emerald Lakes and Mounts Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu – you’ll explore waterfalls, wildflowers, desert, forest, the blue Tama Lakes and the Historic Waihohonu Hut. Plus, you get to sleep at the foot of Mount Ngauruhoe.

The national park is located in the heart of the North Island and is very cut-off from the surrounding towns and cities. Even if you don’t fancy the Great Walk or Alpine Crossing, I recommend a road trip here to check out the scenery. There are campgrounds in the region and plenty of shorter walks that let you take in one of the most breathtaking places in New Zealand.

Waipoua Kauri Forest

One thing that all visitors to New Zealand must brace themselves for is a lot of boot-cleaning while tramping around the country. 

You know how when you arrive in a country you might get pulled to one side for a random body search or to discuss any contraband? When you arrive in New Zealand, immigration will want to know exactly where your feet have been, how many pairs of shoes you’re bringing in and when you last scrubbed your boots. 

This is all due to New Zealand’s heritage of kauri – a species of tree native to the tropical north. They are the longest-living trees on the planet and grow to phenomenal heights and girths. Unfortunately, these mighty trees are at risk from kauri dieback – a deadly fungus. Hence all the cleaning stations at Northland trailheads.

There are kauri dotted around all over the Northland. In Waipoua Forest you can visit the largest of them all – the so-called Lord of the Forest, Tāne Mahuta. In Maori, the name represents the god of forests and birds.

Tāne Mahuta registers at 51.5 metres in height with a trunk girth of 13.2 metres – which as you can imagine is a little larger than your typical back garden fern. Tāne Mahuta is believed to be over 2,000 years old and even thas his own guard keeping him safe from any wrongdoers. 

Access to the giant is via a 5-minute walk through the Waipoua Forest. This whole area is studded with kauri. If you follow the Twin Discovery Road down the road you will find Te Matua Ngahere within the same forest. This one is stouter than his brother – with a girth of over 15 metres. 

Continue along the same route to find the Trounson Kauri Park – full of yet more glorious trees.

5 Places to Visit in New Zealand:

South Island 

The South Island is where you’ll find much more of the mega-famous places to visit in New Zealand.

For the purpose of this piece, I’m not going to talk about the likes of Milford Sound, (or even the slightly less famous Doubtful Sound), Kaikoura, Queenstown, or the glaciers. But, you’ll be able to read more about these wonderful places later.

Arthur’s Pass National Park

I had the pleasure of driving through Arthur’s Pass National Park during a torrential rainstorm. The kind that New Zealand is famed for. When it rains in New Zealand, it really rains. 

My jaunt to Arthur’s Pass coincided with a friend’s visit to New Zealand. However, I travelled sans copain to the national park while he and his boyfriend headed to see a couple of spots I’d already been to previously. I decided to take the most mountainous route possible to Christchurch from Nelson, which turned out to be Arthur’s Pass. 

This scenic mountain pass is at an elevation of 739 m (2,425 ft) above sea level. It’s fringed with forestry and every corner gave me goosebumps. The road is steep and twisty in some places, and every corner brings a new shade of green you didn’t even know existed. 

Scatterings of rain had followed me from Nelson. By the time I was cruising along the West Coast Road, it was a washout and I could barely see beyond a few metres due to clouds. Along the way, I stopped at the terrifyingly named Death’s Corner to see the view of the Otira Viaduct to be heckled by keas. It’s a sharp turn-off but the lookout is priceless. 

Fortunately, the rain held off for the following day and gave me the opportunity to tackle the climb to Avalanche Peak. This is a fairly tough hike but the views across the valley make it totally worth it. An alternative hike I recommend to anyone is the 1-hour return to the Devil’s Punchbowl Waterfall. 

Arthur’s Pass is a two-hour drive from Christchurch and 90 minutes from Greymouth. Another way that you can explore this beautiful mountainous region is by taking the TranzAlpine Railway.

Lake Tekapo

If there’s one thing New Zealand does fabulously well, that’s turquoise lakes that look like precious gems that have slipped out of a piece of jewellery. Lake Tekapo is one of these. Apparently, the colour of the lake comes from fine rock-flour ground by glaciers. One of the many things I love about New Zealand is that everywhere has a tie to a volcano or glacier.

I had the privilege of visiting Lake Tekapo three times during my year in New Zealand; late summer, early autumn and winter. This is a great thing about long-term travel – experiencing how places change with each season.  

There are a number of short hikes you can take around the lake. I personally recommend the Mount John Summit Track which gives expansive views of the Southern Alps across the lake. You can follow the short track to the observatory and head back to town (90-minute return) or take the extended loop (3 hours) via the lakeshore, as I did. 

You can hire kayaks and stand up paddleboards or take a refreshing dip in the icy water (totally recommend that – my skin still feels clean). 

If you’re a fan of gazing at a starry night sky that is totally free from air pollution (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) then you should plan to stay a night by the lake. You can roam around in the dark solo or book a special stargazing tour with the Dark Sky Project.

Lake Tekapo is one of the places to visit in New Zealand that can easily be skipped during a short tour around the South Island. However, if you’re heading to the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park it is a worthy side trip. You can also visit neighbouring Lake Pukaki.

Wanaka

Alright, so Wakana is one of the places to visit in New Zealand that everyone knows about. Even if you don’t know the name Wanaka – if you’ve ever Googled ‘places to visit in New Zealand’ or spent 5 minutes scrolling through hashtagnewzealand you’ll have seen photos.

But it’s so beautiful and chill that I’m going to slip it in here anyway. 

Wanaka doesn’t really need much of an introduction – other than mountains, mountains, glorious mountains. Oh, and perhaps the most famous tree in the world (sorry, Tāne Mahuta).

Wanaka was one of the places to visit in New Zealand that I was frothing at the bit to get to. 

If you’re going to New Zealand for mountains, lakes, that carefree Kiwi spirit, and a few more mountains, Wanaka is the place. Located about an hour from buzzy Queenstown, Wanaka is a resort town on the banks of Lake Wanaka. During spring and summer, you can swim in the lake or hire kayaks and stand up paddleboards. Come winter, Wanaka is transformed into a winter wonderland and one of New Zealand’s top ski resorts. 

My experiences in Wanaka were particularly special as both times that I visited it was with friends from England. Firstly, with my best friend and his boyfriend, during their late summer trip. Another close friend arranged her visit during winter so that we could take in the snow-dusted alps. 

There are a number of hikes in the region that take you up to viewpoints where you can take in the magical scenery. Roy’s Peak is the most well-known one. Despite getting overrun with swathes of influencer-types these days, it’s still a great hike. Mount Iron is another excellent alternative which is a little less strenuous and received a lower footfall. 

Akaroa

Does that view make you want to add Akaroa to your list of places to visit in New Zealand or what?!

Akaroa is a cute little seaside town located on the Banks Peninsula about 90 minutes out of Christchurch. Yet again, this is one of the places to visit in New Zealand that has volcanic roots. The peninsula was formed out of the ashes of two eroded volcanoes. It has a moody, rugged centre with lots of little coastal villages dotted across the perimeter.

Akaroa is very French. This is the place for you if you’re craving crunchy bread and tres fromagey cheese. The town is very French because it was founded by them – way back in 1840. Like how Dunedin has retained its Scottish heritage, Akaroa has done a similar thing and maintained a French theme. 

I loitered around Akaroa for two nights – enjoying the European ambience and checking out some of the local walks. There are several short ones that you can take from the town, such as to the lighthouse (1-hour return from town).

Alternatively, you can head up into the mountains. Or in my case, the clouds. I took the Skyline Circuit (Hike No. 5) which culminates at Stony Peak with an amazing view right across the peninsula and out to sea.

But as you can see from the photo above – I didn’t time it especially well. That turbulent New Zealand weather struck again. Regardless of the weather, it was still a gorgeous walk – there’s a bit of an uphill sludge and the path is overgrown in places so it all feels rather wild. 

When you drive to Akaroa, the scenic route wraps around the south of the peninsula and then follows a zig-zag route up through the hills. It’s very windy, so take care. There are lots of other little beach towns that you can tap onto your trip.

Lake Matheson 

And for my final tip for places to visit in New Zealand South Island is another lake! Both of New Zealand’s islands have such magical lakes, I could write an entire blog about them. 

Lake Matheson is a tranquil, glacial lake located a short drive from the township of Fox Glacier. I visited the lake twice during my stay in town because it enchanted me so much.

One of the most beautiful things about Lake Matheson is that when you stand on the western bank and look east, you get a clear view of Aoraki/Mount Cook – New Zealand’s tallest peak. But, even better! On a clear, placid day you will see the perfect mirror reflection of the mountain in the water. 

There was a small breeze in the air when I visited so I didn’t get the ‘perfect photo’ but I did capture the perfect memory of some of Mother Nature’s finest work.  

You can walk around the entire lake in around 90 minutes and the track is as flat as a pancake. It’s sheltered beneath the canopy so you can do this at any time of day, even during summer. However, I would recommend early mornings and dusk for the nicest atmosphere. 

If you’re planning to visit the Fox Glacier while in New Zealand, I definitely suggest tapping on a wander around Lake Matheson.

Bonus: New Zealand’s ‘Other’ Island 

One of my absolute places to visit in New Zealand that I can’t get out of my head is Rakiura/ Stewart Island. 

Technically, Rakiura is part of the South Island’s Southland district. But, it’s a whole hour ferry ride across the Foveaux Strait. And it’s technically an entirely different island. In which case we can make this your 11th offbeat place to visit in New Zealand.

Stewart Island / Rakiura

I have a thing for islands, so New Zealand’s third island was always destined to steal my heart. It’s one of those places that’s often skipped off a two-week holiday in New Zealand, as well as by long-term backpackers. 

Accessible via a one-hour ferry crossing, Rakiura/Stewart Island is a nature lover’s delight and people-avoiders’ haven. Almost 90% of the island forms the national park, with 164 kilometres of coastline. 

A population of 20,000 feathered kiwis outweigh the 400 non-feathered Kiwi residents. 

Rakiura is a place to get a glimpse of New Zealand before the Lord of the Rings put the nation on the tourist radar. Nowhere in the country will disappoint you, but Rakiura will manage to surprise you. 

In addition to being one of the few places to visit in New Zealand where you have a real actual chance of sighting a wild kiwi (the bird kind), you also have the chance of spotting the Southern Lights from Rakiura. I spotted neither during my visit, which is just all the more reason why I’d like to return.

If time permits, you can tackle the Rakiura Track – one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. Otherwise, there are several shorter hikes available. 

Another excellent way to spend your time on Rakiura/Stewart Island is to take the ferry across to Ulva Island. This predator-free island is a haven for birds as well as seals. You might even see a kiwi during the day. And if you don’t – chances are that at least one has seen you.

The day I visited – guess what? It chucked it down. This only made the forest feel more alive and brought out all those earthy scents you only get to experience when it rains. 

I recommend visiting Stewart Island/Rakiura for at least two nights.

Final Musings on places to visit in New Zealand 

And now if you haven’t already listed your kidney on Ebay to fund your flight to New Zealand, what are you waiting for?

I hope my list of unique places to visit in New Zealand has inspired you to visit someday. Or at the very least, to Google the places and see splendid photos in place of my fuzzy/rainy/cloudy ones. 

If you whip out a gun (please don’t) and force me to pick just one favourite place in New Zealand, then Rakiura/Stewart Island probably takes the biscuit. But honestly, I didn’t visit a single place in the country that didn’t steal a piece of my heart. 

If you’ve already visited New Zealand (or are lucky enough to call it home) please drop your special places to visit in New Zealand in the comments.

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