North Island Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in North Island

The North Island consists mainly of coastal plains and relatively small mountain ranges, with a raised central plateaucrowned by three volcanic peaks; Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, and the largest, Ruapehu. Approximately two thirds of New Zealand's population resides in the North Island. Auckland is the largest city with a population of 1 million and Wellington in the Lower North Island is the Capital City.

The Waikato region, centered on the Waikato River, contains some of the world's most productive farmlands. The main center is the university town of Hamilton, with an impressive collection of Maori treasures in its Museum of Art and History. Hamilton is New Zealand's fourth largest city and the major commercial and industrial center for the region. Hamilton is a scenic city of over 110,000 people with many parks, restaurants and cafes, scenic river walks, art museums and shopping malls.

Beneath the rolling green fields in the south are the Waitomo Caves, whose cathedral-like caverns have long attracted sightseers but now also cater for thrill seekers exploring the underground streams and shafts. Glide through the darkness on a water-borne barge and admire the beauty and grandeur of the caves and glow-worms overhead. The more adventurous may try tube rafting on an underground stream or rappelling 400 feet into the Lost World and the Haggas Honking Holes. Above ground, there are interesting walks in the unusual limestone country. Out on the coast, Raglan is an internationally renowned surf beach and the region's seaside resort.

Wellington, New Zealand's capital, with a population of about 346,000 is a superbly compact city, set on the shores of a deep harbor and surrounded by a natural amphitheatre of wooded hills. It is New Zealand's trendy weekend destination and has the most vibrant entertainment district in the country, where you can find some of the best cafes, restaurants and theatres.

The city is home to the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, as well as national dance, drama, opera and musical groups. Wellington is also the home of much New Zealand heritage, including Te Papa, New Zealand's national, leading edge museum.

Wellington's central location at the bottom of the North Island makes it a perfect jumping off point to see the rest of the country. Within one hour of the Capital is the wildlife sanctuary of Kapiti Island, the wine village of Martinborough, and the scenic beauty of the Marlborough Sounds. The Capital city enjoys a temperate coastal climate with notably mild and sunny winters.

Population: 4.035.500
Languages: English, Maori (both official)
Currency: New Zealand dollar
Currency code: NZD
Local Times:
New Zealand - Auckland

New Zealand - Chatham Island

New Zealand - Wellington

Country Dialling Code: +64
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

It's been Middle Earth and Narnia in the movies but New Zealand's beautiful landscapes are no fantasy.

With a varied and dramatic landscape, a long and significant cultural heritage, and some of the world's rarest and most fascinating plant and animal species, New Zealand is an ideal adventure travel destination. Take a trip here and discover why New Zealand has it all - from flightless birds to breaching whales and breathtaking fjords to erupting geysers.

New Zealand comes with a reputation as a unique land packed with magnificent, raw scenery : craggy coastlines, sweeping beaches, primeval forests, snow-capped alpine mountains, bubbling volcanic pools, fast-flowing rivers and glacier-fed lakes, all beneath a brilliant blue sky. The far north is a subtropical haven of unspoilt beaches, citrus fruits and hibiscus flowers, while volcanic mud pools and geysers feature in the central part of North Island. The South Island boasts whale watching, ice glaciers and rugged snow-covered Alps. And yes, there are many wide-open spaces.

What's more, everything is easily accessible, packed into a land area little larger than Britain and with a population of just 3.8 million, over half of it tucked away in the three largest cities : Auckland, the capital Wellington, and the South Island's Christchurch. Elsewhere, you can travel miles through steep-hilled farmland and rarely see a soul, and there are even remote spots which, it's reliably contended, no human has ever visited.

Geologically, New Zealand split off from the super-continent of Gondwanaland early, developing a unique ecosystem in which birds adapted to fill the role normally held by mammals, many becoming flightless through lack of predators.

Only in the last couple of decades has New Zealand come of age and developed a true national self-confidence, something partly forced on it by Britain severing the colonial apron strings in the early 1970s, and partly by the resurgence of Maori identity. Maori demands have been nurtured by a willingness on the part of most pakeha to redress the wrongs perpetrated over the last century and a half, as long as it doesn't impinge on their high standard of living or overall feeling of control. More recently, integration has been replaced with a policy of promoting two cultures alongside each other, but with maximum interaction. In this way New Zealand is set to forge through the new century with considerable dignity and a good deal of uncertainty.

The British represent the second largest group of visitors to New Zealand - after neighbouring Australia. But at 12,000 miles away from the UK it's a once-in-a-lifetime destination for many and takes a bit of planning.

Most British travellers either tack New Zealand on to the end of an Australian holiday and regret not having enough time, or take two or three weeks and race around like mad to see the whole country. While New Zealand is small enough to 'do' in that time, a more enjoyable option is to spend longer at just a few places - and then you have an excuse to go back!

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North Island Travel Guide

North Island Suitability Profile