©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd New Zealand (Aotearoa) Bay of Islands & Northland (p139) Auckland Region (p76) Waikato & Rotorua & Coromandel the Bay of Plenty (p291) Peninsula Taupo & the (p181) Ruapehu Region (p264) Taranaki & The East Coast Whanganui (p332) (p231) Marlborough #_ Wellington & Nelson (p402) Region (p366) The West Coast (p446) Christchurch & Canterbury (p479) Queenstown & Wanaka (p572) Dunedin & Otago Fiordland & (p537) Southland (p608) Charles Rawlings-Way Brett Atkinson, Andrew Bain, Peter Dragicevich, Samantha Forge, Anita Isalska, Sofia Levin PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to New Zealand . .. 6 AUCKLAND Karekare . 129 New Zealand Map . 8 REGION . 76 Piha . 130 New Zealand’s Top 20 . 10 Auckland . 79 Te Henga (Bethells Beach) . 130 Need to Know . 22 Hauraki Gulf Islands . 115 Kumeu & Around . 131 First Time New Zealand . .. 24 Rangitoto & What’s New . 26 Motutapu Islands . 116 Muriwai Beach . 132 If You Like . 27 Motuihe Island . 116 Helensville . 132 Month by Month . 31 Waiheke Island . 117 North Auckland . 132 Itineraries . 35 Rotoroa Island . 122 Long Bay Regional Park . 132 Getting Around Tiritiri Matangi Island . 123 New Zealand . 40 Shakespear Motuora Island . 123 Hiking in New Zealand . .42 Regional Park . 133 Skiing & Snowboarding . .. 52 Kawau Island . 123 Orewa . 133 Extreme New Zealand . 57 Great Barrier Island . 124 Waiwera . 134 Eat & Drink Like a Local . .. 64 West Auckland . 128 Puhoi . 134 Travel with Children . 69 Titirangi . 128 Regions at a Glance . .. 71 JONATHAN NODEN-WILKINSON/SHUTTERSTOCK © NODEN-WILKINSON/SHUTTERSTOCK JONATHAN MARCONI COUTO DE JESUS/SHUTTERSTOCK © JESUS/SHUTTERSTOCK DE COUTO MARCONI WHITE-WATER RAFTING P63 STANISLAV FOSENBAUER/SHUTTERSTOCK © FOSENBAUER/SHUTTERSTOCK STANISLAV WAITANGI DAY P160 MILFORD SOUND P619 Contents Mahurangi & Scandrett Kai Iwi Lakes . 178 Hot Water Beach . 224 Regional Parks . 135 Baylys Beach . 178 Tairua & Pauanui . 225 Warkworth . 135 Dargaville . 179 Whangamata . .. 226 Matakana . 136 Matakohe . 180 Waihi & Waihi Beach . 228 Leigh . 137 Paeroa . 230 Pakiri . 138 WAIKATO & THE COROMANDEL TARANAKI & BAY OF ISLANDS PENINSULA . 181 WHANGANUI . 231 & NORTHLAND . 139 Waikato . 183 New Plymouth . 234 Whangarei District . 142 Hamilton . 183 Around New Mangawhai . 142 Raglan . 190 Plymouth . 240 Waipu & Bream Bay . 144 South of Raglan . 194 Mt Taranaki & Around . 240 Whangarei . 145 Te Awamutu . 195 Surf Highway 45 . 244 Whangarei Heads . 150 Cambridge . 196 Whanganui . .248 Tutukaka Coast & the Matamata . 198 Whanganui Poor Knights Islands . 151 National Park . 253 Te Aroha . 199 Bay of Islands . 152 Palmerston North . 259 King Country . .. 200 Russell . 155 Around Kawhia . 200 Paihia, Waitangi Palmerston North . 263 & Haruru . 158 Otorohanga . 201 Urupukapuka Island . 162 Waitomo Caves . .. 202 TAUPO & Kerikeri . 162 South from Waitomo THE RUAPEHU to Taranaki . .. 206 Kawakawa . 165 REGION . 264 Te Kuiti . 207 The Far North . 166 Lake Taupo Region . 266 Pio Pio, Awakino Taupo . 266 Matauri & & Mokau . .. 207 Tauranga Bays . 167 Turangi . 276 Taumarunui . 209 Whangaroa Harbour . 167 Owhango . 210 Ruapehu Region . 279 Doubtless Bay . 168 Tongariro Coromandel National Park . 279 Karikari Peninsula . 170 Peninsula . 210 Whakapapa Village . 284 Cape Reinga & Miranda . 212 Ninety Mile Beach . 170 National Park Village . 285 Thames . 212 Kaitaia . 172 Ohakune . 287 Coastal Route Ahipara . 173 from Thames to Waiouru . 290 Hokianga . 174 Coromandel Town . 215 Kohukohu . 174 Coromandel Town . 215 ROTORUA & THE Horeke & Around . 175 Far North BAY OF PLENTY . 291 Rawene . 175 Coromandel . 217 Rotorua . 293 Opononi & Omapere . 176 Coromandel Town Rotorua Lakes . 307 to Whitianga . 219 Waiotemarama Bay of Plenty . 312 Whitianga . 220 & Waimamaku . 177 Tauranga . 312 Coroglen & Kauri Coast . 177 Whenuakite . 222 Mt Maunganui . 317 Waipoua Forest . 177 Hahei . 223 Papamoa . 321 Trounson Kauri Park . 178 ON THE ROAD JIRI FOLTYN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©STOCK © ©STOCK JIRI FOLTYN/SHUTTERSTOCK © JIRI FOLTYN/SHUTTERSTOCK ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL TRAM IN PARK P435 CHRISTCHURCH P482 Katikati . 322 Martinborough . 396 THE WEST COAST . .. 446 Whakatane . 323 Greytown . 398 Buller Region . 448 Ohope . .. 329 Masterton & Around . 400 Murchison & Opotiki . 330 Buller Gorge . 448 MARLBOROUGH Reefton . .449 THE EAST COAST . .. 332 & NELSON . 402 Westport & Around . 450 East Cape . 333 Marlborough Karamea & Around . 453 Pacific Coast Hwy . 333 Region . 404 The Great Gisborne . 338 Picton . 404 Coast Road . 455 South of Gisborne . 345 Marlborough Sounds . 408 Charleston & Around . 455 Te Urewera . .. 346 Queen Charlotte Punakaiki & Paparoa Track . 409 National Park . 456 Hawke’s Bay . 348 Kenepuru & Barrytown & Around . 457 Wairoa & Around . 348 Pelorus Sounds . 412 Greymouth Region . 458 Napier . .350 Blenheim . 413 Greymouth . 458 Hastings & Around . 358 Kaikoura . 418 Blackball . 461 Cape Kidnappers . 364 Nelson Region . 424 Lake Brunner . 461 Central Hawke’s Bay . 364 Nelson . 424 Kumara . 462 Kaweka & Ruby Coast & Westland . 462 Ruahine Ranges . 365 Moutere Hills . .. 430 Hokitika . 462 Motueka . 431 Ross . 466 WELLINGTON Kaiteriteri . .433 Hari Hari . 466 REGION . 366 Marahau . .. 434 Whataroa . 467 Wellington . 368 Abel Tasman Kapiti Coast . 392 National Park . 435 Okarito . 467 Paekakariki . 393 Golden Bay . 439 Westland Tai Poutini National Park . 468 Paraparaumu . 394 Kahurangi Franz Josef Glacier . .468 Waikanae . 395 National Park . 443 Fox Glacier . .. 473 The Wairarapa . 395 Nelson Lakes National Park . 444 Haast Region . 476 Contents UNDERSTAND Haast . 476 Lauder, Omakau New Zealand Jackson Bay & Around . 478 & Ophir . 566 Today . 640 Alexandra . 567 History . 642 CHRISTCHURCH Clyde . 569 Environment . 652 & CANTERBURY . 479 Cromwell . 570 Māori Culture . 658 Christchurch . 482 Around QUEENSTOWN Arts & Music . 666 Christchurch . 501 & WANAKA . 572 Lyttelton . 501 Queenstown . 574 Banks Peninsula . 502 Around Queenstown . 590 SURVIVAL North Canterbury . .. 508 GUIDE Lewis Pass . 509 Glenorchy . 590 Hanmer Springs . 509 Arrowtown . 595 Directory A–Z . 672 Waipara Valley . 512 Wanaka . 599 Central Canterbury . 513 Around Wanaka . .. 605 Transport . 683 Cardrona . 605 Selwyn District . 514 Index . 692 Arthur’s Pass . 514 Lake Hawea . 606 Map Legend . 702 Methven . 516 Makarora . 607 Mt Somers . 518 FIORDLAND & South Canterbury . 518 SOUTHLAND . 608 Timaru . 519 Inland & Mackenzie Fiordland . 610 Country . 521 Te Anau . 610 Aoraki/Mt Cook Milford Hwy . 617 National Park . 531 Milford Sound . 619 Manapouri . 620 DUNEDIN Doubtful Sound . 621 & OTAGO . 537 Central Southland . 622 Waitaki District . 539 Tuatapere . 622 Omarama . 539 Te Waewae & Waitaki Valley . 540 Colac Bays . .. 623 Oamaru . 541 Riverton . 624 Moeraki . 549 Invercargill . .. 624 SPECIAL Dunedin . 549 Bluff . 627 FEATURES Around Dunedin . 561 The Catlins . 628 Hiking in New Zealand . 42 Port Chalmers . 561 Curio Bay & Around . .. 629 Skiing & Otago Peninsula . 561 Papatowai & Around . 630 Snowboarding . 52 Central Otago . 563 Owaka & Around . 631 Extreme New Zealand . 57 Middlemarch . 564 Kaka Point & Around . 632 Environment . 652 Ranfurly . 564 Stewart Island Naseby . 565 (Rakiura) . 633 Māori Culture . 658 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 35 Itineraries •#Bay of Islands É É AUCKLAND •# É Rotorua •#É T A S M A N S E A •# Taupo Tongariro ÷# National Park É Marlborough Sounds É •# Marlborough É #_É Wellington •# Wine Region É S O U T H É P A C I F I C O C E A N Christchurch •# 2 WEEKS North & South From the top of the north to halfway down the south, here’s a quick-fire taste of New Zealand’s best. Kick things off in Auckland: it’s NZ’s biggest city, with awesome restaurants and bars, galleries and boutiques, beaches and bays. Not an urbanite? Hoof it a few hours north to the salt-licked Bay of Islands for a couple of days of R&R. Set your bearings southwards to Rotorua, a unique geothermal hotspot: geysers, mud pools, volcanic vents and Māori culture make for an experience that fires all the senses. Further south, invigorating Taupo has the ragged craters and Emerald Lakes of Ton- gariro National Park nearby. Get into some tramping, mountain biking or skydiving, then boot it down to Wellington, a hip little city with an irrepressible arts scene. Across Cook Strait, see what all the fuss is about in the world-famous Marlborough Wine Region. If you’re not a wine fan, the hypnotically hushed inlets, ranges and wa- terways of the Marlborough Sounds are nearby. Swinging further south, cruise into Christchurch to enjoy southern hospitality in a city of rapid reinvention. 36 Bay of Islands •# É É Waiheke Island •# AUCKLAND•# É Coromandel •# Peninsula PLAN YOUR TRIP É •# Rotorua É T A S M A N •# Napier S E A Hawke's Bay•# #– Wine Country É É #_ WELLINGTON •# IT Marlborough É •# Wine Region I É NERAR Kaikoura •# Christchurch É I ES Milford Sound•# •#Queenstown É •# •# Otago Peninsula Dunedin S O U T H P A C I F I C O C E A N 4 WEEKS Kiwi Classics Classy cities, geothermal eruptions, fantastic wine, Māori culture, glaciers, extreme ac- tivities, isolated beaches and forests: just a few of our favourite NZ things. Aka the ‘City of Sails’, Auckland is a South Pacific melting pot. Spend a few days shopping, eating and drinking: this is NZ at its most cosmopolitan. Make sure you get out onto the harbour on a ferry or a yacht, and find a day to explore the beaches and wineries on Waiheke Island. Truck north to the Bay of Islands for a dose of aquatic adventure (dolphins, sailing, sunning yourself on deck), then