Trip IdeasUpper South Island and the West Coast Places
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Abel Tasman National Park
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Around Nelson
Though Nelson's a bustling city, it retains a rural feel. With Tasman Bay before it and the foothills of the Bryant and Richmond ranges behind, open countryside and vineyards are within easy reach. State... (more) -
Blenheim
People mostly come to Blenheim (pronounced bleh-num by the locals) for the wine. There are dozens of wineries in the area, and Blenheim is developing fast, though it still has a small-town veneer, with... (more) -
Golden Bay and Takaka
From the Motueka-Nelson area, a spectacular hill road, State Highway 60, rises up 2,500 feet before plunging again to sea level to the tiny township of Takaka, a jumping-off point for Kahurangi National... (more) -
Greymouth
The town of Greymouth is aptly named—at first take, it's a rather dispirited strip of motels and industrial buildings stretched along a wild beach. It sits, as the name suggests, at the mouth of... (more) -
Havelock
Known as the Greenshell mussel capital of the world (Greenshells are a variety of green-lipped mussels), Havelock is at the head of Pelorus Sound, and trips around the sounds on the Pelorus Sound mail... (more) -
Hokitika
Hokitika is the pick of the towns running down the West Coast, with the pounding ocean before it and the bush-covered hills behind. It's a place of simple pleasures: scouting the crafts boutiques, taking... (more) -
Kaikoura
The town of Kaikoura sits on a rocky protrusion on the East Coast, backed by an impressive mountainous upthrust. View it from the expansive lookout up on Scarborough Street. Sperm whales frequent this... (more) -
Karamea
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Motueka
Motueka (mo-too-eh-ka) is an agricultural center—hops, kiwifruit, and apples are among its staples. The town sits at the seaward end of the Motueka Valley, under the ranges of the Kahurangi National... (more) -
Murchison
Surrounded by high mountains and roaring rivers, this small town is in some very big country. With the Nelson Lakes National Park to the west, the Kahurangi National Park to the north, and the Matakitaki... (more) -
Nelson
Relaxed, hospitable, and easy to explore on foot, Nelson has a way of always making you feel as though you should stay longer. You can make your way around the mostly two-story town in a day, poking into... (more) -
Nelson Lakes National Park
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Picton
The maritime township of Picton (population 4,000) lies at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound and is the arrival point for ferries from the North Island, and a modest number of international cruise ships... (more) -
Punakaiki
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Westland National Park
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Westport
One of New Zealand's oldest ports, Westport sits at the mouth of the mighty Buller River. Once a boomtown for two separate gold rushes, it's now a quiet little hub (population 3,100) for the local farming... (more)
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The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa
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The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa
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