JTB New Zealand

©David Wall

Dunedin is the second largest city in the South Island of New Zealand
Dunedin's dramatic hills surround a long, natural harbour, which attracted Maori settlers to the site over four centuries ago. More recently the area was settled by whalers, gold miners and migrants from Scotland and China. Memorable for its historical architecture, Dunedin is one of the best preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the southern hemisphere. On the doorstep of the city, you can find incredible wildlife ? the world's rarest penguins, a mainland albatross colony, fur seals and sea lions. It's little wonder Dunedin is known as the wildlife capital of New Zealand.

Westland National Park join the Fiordland and Mt. Aspiring national parks to form a sweeping World Heritage Area of more than 5 million acres, including some of the best examples of the plants and animals once found on the ancient Gondwanaland supercontinent in its compass. It¡Çs a place of extremes, including the extreme precipitation at the top of Westland. Up to 300 inches of snow per annum falls here, feeding Westland¡Çs glacier field. The snow is compressed into ice on the neve, or head, of the glaciers, then flows downhill under its own weight. There are more than 60 glaciers in the park; the most famous and accessible are at Franz Josef and Fox.
The Fox Glacier is slightly larger and longer than that at Franz Josef, but you¡Çll miss nothing important if you see only one. Both glaciers have separate villages, and if you are spending the night, Franz Josef Glacier is marginally preferable. If you visit in December or January you should make reservations in advance for both lodging and restaurant.

Many people arrive in the South Island on the ferry from Wellington to Picton, the northern entrance to the South Island. The trip is quite spectacular in good weather, but Cook Strait can also be a very rough stretch of water in bad weather. The only practical ways of travel through the upper South Island are by rental vehicle or by bus ? but because there are so many scenic spots, you may find bus travel too restrictive. If driving, be conservative in your estimate of how long travel will take. Roads through the countryside mountain ranges and deep river gorges are sometimes narrow and winding, taking longer to drive than you might think.

The town of Kaikoura sits on a rocky protrusion on the east coast, backed by an impressive mountainous upthrust. There is plenty of local crayfish to be had at roadside stalls, which is an excellent reason to come here, but an even better one is sighting the sperm whales that frequent the coast in greater numbers than anywhere else on earth.

Many people come to Blenheim for one reason ? wine. There are dozens of wineries around this town, and taste the good life restaurants and hotels are springing up all over, ready for the resulting wave of oenophiles. Most years, Marlborough has lots of sunshine, and this daytime warmth combine with crips, cool nights to give local grapes a long, slow ripening period. The smooth river pebbles that cover the best vineyards are a bonus ? they reflect heat onto the ripening bunches. All these factors together create grapes with audacious flavours. Although Marlborough made its name initially on sauvignon blanc, firmly placing New Zealand on the world map as a high quality wine producer, it is now as well known for its excellent riesling, pinot noir, chardonnay, gewurztraminer and pinot gris wines. Medals at international wine competitions are a regular occurrence and the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival held in mid February each year celebrates the region¡Çs success in suitable style.

Set on the board curve of Tasman Bay with views of the Kahurangi mountains on the far side, Nelson makes a strong case for itself as one of the top area in New Zealand for year-round adventure. To the west beckon the sandy crescents of Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay. To the south, mellow river valley and peaks and glacial lakes of Nelson Lakes National Park draw hikers, mountaineers and sightseers.

Nelson has more hours of sunlight than any other cities in the country. Kiwis are very aware of these attractions, and in December and January the city is swamped with vacationers. You can make your way around the mostly two-story town in a day, poking into crafts galleries and stopping at cafes, but two days is practical minimum, especially if you need a respite in the midst of a busy itinerary.

Whether you're looking for an active holiday of tramping and kayaking, or a lazy day at the beach, Abel Tasman National Park is the perfect destination. This is New Zealand's smallest national park, protecting 23,000 hectares of the most natural stretch of easily accessible coastline in New Zealand. The approach to this park is notably lovely. From the town Motueka, state highway 60 passes close to Kaiteriteri Beach, then turns inland to skirt Abel Tasman National Park. The road to Kaiteriteri branches off state highway 60 a few kilometers after the small village of Riwaka; a drive down the narrow, winding route will reward you with Kaiteriteri Beach, arguably one of the New Zealand¡Çs prettiest beaches, with its curve of golden sand, the rocky islets offshore, and deep, clear water. The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a popular tramping track which follows the coastline; while an inland route, the Abel Tasman Inland Track, it less frequented. Kayaking, camping and sightseeing are other activities carried out in the park.