For dramatic landscapes you cannot beat South Island with its rugged coastlines to glaciers and fjords, subtropical rainforests, mountains and vineyards. In the north of the island is the Marlborough wine region, home to some of the finest sauvignon blanc in the world and Abel Tasman National Park, an area of stunning beaches and forests.
The east coast is great for wildlife enthusiasts and highlights include Kaikoura, famed for its year round whale and dolphin populations, the English city of Christchurch, the French colony of Akaroa and Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, where royal albatross, yellow-eyed penguin and fur seal may be seen.
Across the Southern Alps of the island’s middle is the rugged west coast, where mountains, glaciers and fjords make up much of the landscape.