Contents13

On the Road 4

New Zealand Highlights 5

Destination New Zealand 17

Getting Started 19

Itineraries 23

History 29

The Culture 38

Maori Culture 53

Food & Drink 60

Environment 67

Active New Zealand 75

Auckland Region 93AUCKLAND 94History 95Orientation 95Information 95Sights 98Activities 107Walking Tour 111Auckland for Children 111Tours 112Festivals & Events 112Sleeping 113Eating 118Drinking 122Entertainment 123Shopping 125

Getting There & Away 126Getting Around 128HAURAKI GULF ISLANDS 129Rangitoto & Motutapu 129Motuihe Island 130Waiheke Island 131Tiritiri Matangi Island 135Kawau Island 136Great Barrier Island 136WEST OF AUCKLAND 141Titirangi 141Waitakere Ranges 141Karekare 142Piha 142Te Henga (Bethells Beach) 143Kumeu & Around 144Muriwai Beach 144Helensville 145NORTH OF AUCKLAND 145Long Bay Regional Park 145Shakespear Regional Park 145Orewa 146Waiwera 147Puhoi 147Mahurangi & Scandrett Regional Parks 147Warkworth 148Matakana & Around 148Leigh 149Goat Island Marine Reserve 150Pakiri 150

Northland & the Bay of Islands 151WHANGAREI DISTRICT 153Mangawhai 153Waipu & Bream Bay 154Whangarei 155Whangarei Heads 159Tutukaka Coast & the Poor Knights Islands 159Russell Rd 161BAY OF ISLANDS 161Russell 165Paihia & Waitangi 168Urupukapuka Island 172Kerikeri 172THE FAR NORTH 175Matauri & Tauranga Bays 175Whangaroa Harbour 176

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

14 C O N T E N T S

Walking Tour 328Rotorua for Children 328Tours 329Sleeping 329Eating 331Drinking 332Entertainment 333Shopping 333Getting There & Away 333Getting Around 333AROUND ROTORUA 334North of Rotorua 334Northeast of Rotorua 336Southeast of Rotorua 336South of Rotorua 337WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY 338Tauranga 338Mt Maunganui 346Around Tauranga 348EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY 351Whakatane 351Whakaari (White Island) 355Motuhora (Whale Island) 355Ohope 355Whakatane to Rotorua 356Opotiki 356

The East Coast 359EAST CAPE 361Pacific Coast Hwy 361Gisborne 365Gisborne to Hawke’s Bay 372HAWKE’S BAY 373Mahia Peninsula 373Wairoa 373Te Urewera National Park 374Wairoa to Napier 377Napier 378Hastings & Around 385Cape Kidnappers 391Central Hawke’s Bay 391Kaweka & Ruahine Ranges 393

Wellington Region 394WELLINGTON 395History 398Orientation 398Information 399Sights 400Activities 404

Doubtless Bay 178Karikari Peninsula 179Cape Reinga & Ninety Mile Beach 180Kaitaia 182Ahipara 182HOKIANGA 183Eastern Hokianga 183Northern Hokianga 184Rawene 185Opononi & Omapere 186KAURI COAST 187Hokianga to Dargaville 187Dargaville 189Pouto Point 189Matakohe 190

Coromandel Region 191Miranda 193Thames 194Coromandel Forest Park 197Thames to Coromandel Town 197Coromandel Town 198Far North Coromandel 200Coromandel Town to Whitianga 201Whitianga 202Hahei 205Hot Water Beach 206Coroglen & Around 206Tairua 207Around Tairua 208Opoutere 208Whangamata 208Waihi 209Waihi Beach 211Karangahake Gorge 211Paeroa 212

Kiwi Insight 213

Waikato & the King Country 221WAIKATO 223North of Hamilton 223Hamilton 225Raglan 230South of Raglan 232Te Awamutu 233Around Te Awamutu 234Cambridge 235Tirau 237

Matamata 237Te Aroha 239THE KING COUNTRY 240Kawhia 240Otorohanga 241Waitomo Caves 242Waitomo to Awakino 246Te Kuiti 247Te Kuiti to Mokau 248Taumarunui 249Owhango 249

Taranaki 251New Plymouth 252Around New Plymouth 260Mt Taranaki (Egmont National Park) 261Around Mt Taranaki 263Surf Hwy 45 265

Whanganui & Palmerston North 268Whanganui 270Whanganui National Park 276Palmerston North 280Around Palmerston North 286

Taupo & the Central Plateau 287LAKE TAUPO REGION 289Taupo 289Around Taupo 297Turangi 301TONGARIRO & AROUND 304Tongariro National Park 304National Park Village 311Ohakune 313Lake Rotokura 316Waiouru 316Taihape & Around 317

Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty 318ROTORUA 319History 320Orientation 320Information 321Sights 321Activities 325

C O N T E N T S 15

Dunedin & Otago 572DUNEDIN & THE OTAGO PENINSULA 573Dunedin 574Otago Peninsula 585Otago Harbour’s North Shore 589CENTRAL OTAGO 589Cromwell 589Clyde 591Alexandra 592Alexandra to Palmerston 593Alexandra to Dunedin 596Clutha District 597NORTH OTAGO & WAITAKI 597Oamaru 597Waitaki Valley 602Oamaru to Dunedin 603

Queenstown & Wanaka 606QUEENSTOWN REGION 607Queenstown 607Arrowtown 625Around Arrowtown 628Glenorchy 628Lake Wakatipu Region 630WANAKA REGION 632Wanaka 632Makarora 640Hawea 641Cardrona 641

Fiordland & Southland 642FIORDLAND 644Te Anau 644Te Anau–Milford Hwy 650Milford Sound 653Manapouri 655Doubtful Sound 656Southern Scenic Route 658CENTRAL SOUTHLAND 660Invercargill 660Bluff 665Invercargill to Dunedin 665THE CATLINS 666Invercargill to Papatowai 668Papatowai to Balclutha 670

Westport 485Around Westport 488Westport to Karamea 488Karamea 489Westport to Greymouth 491Grey Valley 493Greymouth 495Around Greymouth 500Hokitika 500Around Hokitika 504Hokitika to Westland Tai Poutini National Park 504Westland Tai Poutini National Park 506South to Haast 514Haast Region 515Haast Pass 516

Christchurch & Canterbury 517CHRISTCHURCH 519History 519Orientation 519Information 519Sights 520Activities 527Walking Tour 528Christchurch for Children 530Tours 530Festivals & Events 531Sleeping 531Eating 534Drinking 536Entertainment 537Shopping 538Getting There & Away 539Getting Around 539AROUND CHRISTCHURCH 540Lyttelton 540Akaroa & Banks Peninsula 542NORTH CANTERBURY 547Hanmer Springs 548Lewis Pass Hwy 551CENTRAL CANTERBURY 551Craigieburn Forest Park 551Arthur’s Pass 552Methven 554Mt Somers 556SOUTH CANTERBURY 557Timaru 557Inland & Mackenzie Country 559Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park 566

Walking Tour 405Wellington for Children 405Tours 406Festivals & Events 406Sleeping 407Eating 409Drinking 412Entertainment 413Shopping 415Getting There & Away 415Getting Around 417HUTT VALLEY 418KAPITI COAST 419Paekakariki 420Paraparaumu 420Kapiti Island 421Waikanae 421Otaki 422THE WAIRARAPA 422Martinborough 423Cape Palliser 425Greytown 426Masterton & Around 426

Marlborough & Nelson 429MARLBOROUGH REGION 430Picton 431Marlborough Sounds 436Queen Charlotte Track 438Havelock 441Blenheim 442Kaikoura 449NELSON REGION 455Nelson 456Nelson Lakes National Park 464Nelson to Motueka 466Motueka 467Motueka to Abel Tasman 470Abel Tasman National Park 472GOLDEN BAY 475Motueka to Takaka 475Takaka 476Pohara 478Collingwood & Around 479Farewell Spit & Around 479Kahurangi National Park 480

The West Coast 482Murchison 483Buller Gorge 485

16 C O N T E N T S

Traveller’s Diarrhoea 717Environmental Hazards 717

Language 718Glossary 721The Authors 725

Behind the Scenes 728Index 734GreenDex 745Map Legend 748

Bus 706Car & Motorcycle 708Hitching 713Local Transport 713Train 714

Health 715BEFORE YOU GO 715Insurance 715Recommended Vaccinations 715Internet Resources 715IN TRANSIT 715Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) 715Jet Lag & Motion Sickness 715IN NEW ZEALAND 716Availability & Cost Of Health Care 716Infectious Diseases 716

Stewart Island 672Climate 673History 673Flora & Fauna 673Orientation 674Information 674Sights 674Activities 675Tours 677Sleeping 678Eating & Drinking 679Shopping 679Getting There & Away 680Getting Around 680

Directory 681Accommodation 681Activities 685Business Hours 686Children 686Climate Charts 687Customs Regulations 688Dangers & Annoyances 688Discount Cards 689Embassies & Consulates 689Festivals & Events 689Food 690Gay & Lesbian Travellers 691Holidays 691Insurance 691Internet Access 692Legal Matters 693Maps 693Money 693Post 694Shopping 695Telephone 696Time 697Tourist Information 697Travellers with Disabilities 698Visas 698Women Travellers 699Work 699

Transport 701GETTING THERE & AWAY 701Entering the Country 701Air 701Sea 705GETTING AROUND 705Air 705Bicycle 706Boat 706

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