The South Island of New Zealand is famous for its unique mountains, waterfalls, lakes and valleys. The Southern Alps, home of 3,724 m-tall Aoraki Mt. Cook, are in the southwest corner of the island.

At the northwest is Fiordland National Park with rugged-sided Milford Sound bordering it on the west. In the north is Abel Tasman National Park with its white-sandbeds and deep crevasses.

Queenstown

Queenstown is New Zealand’s first World Heritage listed site and is known as the world’s largest whale watching attraction. It offers splendid views of humpback, white-tipped whales and other forms of whale wildlife. Whale watching is a popular sport in the area. Two major areas in which to watch whales are Whangaparaoa and Hell’s Gate.

In addition to its many natural attractions, Queenstown has many adventure activities for tourists to enjoy. It is best known for world heritage sites and for geothermal activities. There are several hot spots throughout the area that should be visited. Queenstown base camp can be reached by a train while others have access through taxi services.

Kaitaia

The Kaitaia region is rich in gold, diamonds and other precious stones. There are many gold mines in the area and they produce a large amount of gold per year. Tourism is a big business in the area and many international and local businesses operate in the area.

Hell’s Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate National Park is one of the best-known tourist attractions in the country. It is situated on the shores of Hell’s Gate Lake and offers magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.

It was originally a gold-mining camp and has now developed into a world-class recreational site. The Lake Te Anau Gold Centre has many different activities for children and adults and is about an hour’s drive from Hell’s Gate. Queenstown itself is a great destination as it boasts a variety of different accommodations.

Helleskloof

One of the most popular attractions here is the geothermal wonderland known as the Helleskloof. The largest of several geothermal stations in the world, the Helleskloof volcanic formation was formed millions of years ago. Volcanoes can be found at almost every turn along the South Island. Some of them are open to visitors year round.

Water Sports

If you enjoy water sports, you’re in luck. New Zealand has many amazing places to swim, dive, and snorkel. With over 50 beaches to choose from, finding a beach that suits your needs and is close to where you live should be easy. As with many other places around the world, you can usually travel quite easily by car if you don’t want to take a boat.

Final Thoughts

New Zealand offers more than just natural beauty. It is also a wide open expanse of friendly people and unique attractions. The South Island of New Zealand promises so much with so little time. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, the people are warm and friendly, and there are so many things to do! Why not take a tour of this beautiful land? You’ll find lots to do here.