New Zealand is full of beautiful views.
From snow-capped mountains, to untouched beaches, to geothermal wonders, to lush rainforests, to rugged coastlines, to colorful towns… need I go on?
Though it's really difficult to chose my “favorite” views and landscapes in this picturesque country, I've narrowed it down to the 5 that I find to be most memorable.
My 5 Favorite Views in New Zealand
Top of the North
The Northland Region of New Zealand — full of beaches, forests, and gently-rolling hills under a big blue sky — has some of my favorite views in the country. Whether it's the golden sand dunes along 90 Mile Beach, the Tasman meeting the Pacific at Cape Reinga, or the towering old kauri trees in nearby forests, Northland has a lot to offer someone who loves nature and the untouched beauty of undeveloped land.
Wellington
It's no secret that Wellington — New Zealand's political and cultural capital — is my favorite city in the world. Whether it's taking a stroll along the waterfront, visiting the lookout at the top of Mount Victoria, or riding the historic cable car up to the botanic gardens, some of my favorite views in New Zealand are located right in downtown Wellington. It's no wonder that Lonely Planet once called Welly “the coolest little capital in the world.”
Above the Southern Alps
There really is nothing quite as breathtaking as soaring over snow-capped mountains and crystal-clear alpine lakes on a perfect, blue-skied day. I had the chance to do just that over New Zealand's craggy Southern Alps between Milford Sound and Queenstown, and it ranks up there as one of my most memorable NZ experiences.
Queenstown
Queenstown calls itself “New Zealand's Adventure Capital” — and I would have to agree. Here you can do everything from bungy jumping to jetboating to skydiving. But, along with being home to a slew of extreme sports, Queenstown also has some of the most spectacular views of any city in New Zealand. With green hills and the blue waters of Lake Wakatipu set before the backdrop of the Remarkables mountain range, it's hard to imagine wanting to be anywhere else when you're here.
The Wind-Swept Southern Coast
If you do one road trip in New Zealand, pick this one — the Southern Scenic Route through the Catlins along the coast of the country's South Island. It only takes about a day to drive, but there's so much to see that you could let it last much longer. I wore out my camera battery on this drive, and it's not difficult to understand why with coastlines and landscapes like this.
What are some of YOUR favorite views in New Zealand? Did any of them make my list?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Beautiful photos! I have been fantasizing about going to New Zealand ever since I saw the Lord of the Rings trilogy
It was the same for me!
Thank you for featuring my beautiful homeland of NZ. Please come back and try to get to Taranaki. as it has the best surf beaches in NZ and the most amazing single-cone mountain (Mt Egmont/Taranaki).
It is definitely on my list!
Awwww I miss NZ! Good choices although would have to include Mount Maunganui and the Coromandel Peninsula in there 🙂
I’ve not been to Mount Maunganui yet! But I’ve seen photos from there, and the view does indeed look fabulous!
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I would include Tongariro crossing to this list.
[…] Nov 182011 When most people think of New Zealand, they think of beautiful landscapes, stunning views, lots of nature, and crazy adventure sports. And that’s because those are the things people […]
[…] Nov 112011 When most people think of New Zealand, they think of beautiful landscapes, stunning views, lots of nature, and crazy adventure sports. And that’s because those are the things people […]
Great Photo’s, makes me want to visit New Zealand, keep up the good work! Thanks
[…] pricey, so it pays to do some research online and just do it yourself. It’s not hard to find fantastic scenery in New Zealand and film locations for The Lord of the Rings. We just scratched the surface on our one-day […]
Wow, amazing photos. We just love New Zealand….it’s so pretty.
Thanks, Nicole! New Zealand is amazing. I can’t wait to go back!
I have so many pictures of NZ too and probably wouldn’t able to pick 5 favorites 🙂
It was tough… and, really, I picked 15 favorites! Haha. But NZ has so many beautiful places that yes, it was really hard to narrow it down.
Great views, one of my favorite views is also from the hill in Queenstown, another favorite is from Porthills in Christchurch.
Thank you, Sofia! I’ve never been to the Port Hills, but I’ve heard they are beautiful.
Wow, awesome photos! I hope I make it there soon!
Thank you! I hope you make it there soon, too! It’s such a beautiful country.
absolutely gorgeous! haven’t been so have only “been” in photos and if these don’t serve the Blog4NZ mission of increasing tourism post-earthquake, i don’t know what will 🙂
Thanks so much, Lorna! 🙂 I’m glad this post did what it was meant to do!
[…] may make you want to hop on a plane bound for New Zealand now. I know that’s how I feel! 1) My 5 Favorite Views in New Zealand – Some truly great photographs are in this image heavy post celebrating New Zealand. […]