South side of new Zealand
New Zealand south sideWhen you feel like a cup of tea, visit one of the great cafés at the port of Picton or take a walk through the yacht harbour. Marlborough's biggest city, Blenheim is overshadowed by the nearby hills. This is New Zealand's biggest winegrowing area and accounts for more than a third of the country's total area.
From Blenheim take State Highway 1 to Kaikoura. Soon, the street arrives at the coastline and follows it south. It is a route that is quite impressive, with rolling countryside on one side and the other. The Store Cafe, on the seaside of the Kaikoura highway, is a good place for lunches.
While driving along this street, look out for seal sunbathing on the cliffs near the street. The Kaikoura is renowned for whales and dolphins...MORE observing, as well as for its tasty cuisine. To the south of Kaikoura, the highway runs through the farmland and hills of North Canterbury upcountry.
If you drive south from Christchurch, you will see that the country is in opposition to the past. At Geraldine in the interior, however, the landscape becomes much more interesting when one approaches the seas and hills of the Southern Alps in the Mackenzie District. The Milford Sound is a South Island landmark and it' definitely a great place for a full outing.
While you can take the highway to Milford, this is one of the best ways to enjoy the journey from Queenstown. When in Milford, take a boat ride or kayaking on the sea to see the magnificent fauna and stunning mountain scenery that surrounds the music. It is one of the most unspoilt areas of New Zealand and the adventure is memorable.
There' s only one street in and out of Milford Sound and finite accommodation...MORE in the area, so come back to Queenstown for the nights. Follow the Crown Range; the street is curvy and sometimes precipitous, but with a magnificent view of the Alps. This is where the highway leads along the east bank of Lake Wanaka and into the Mt Aspiring National Park forest.
Over the Haast Pass (one of only three through the Southern Alps on the South Island) the route is enormous. There are signs of a landslide in some places and although the street is well developed, contact the Queenstown or Wanaka information centres to find out if the street is open.
In Haast you have reached the western coast....MORE coastline and part of the street northwards to Fox Glacier runs along the coastline. The colonisation of the western coastline by Europeans was largely the outcome of the quest for it. Between Hokitika and Greymouth the street is practically along the whole coastline.
It is a rugged and deserted route on the South Island. Stay overnight in Greymouth, the biggest city on the west coast. It is another simple car ride and an opportunity to enjoy the West Coast ambience. Along this street there is a stunning view over the ocean to your right and the Paparoa National Park to your right.
West Port is a flourishing city on the bank of the Buller River with an interesting open-air market and some good cafés. It is a round trip to and from Westport. From Westport to Karamea, the Karamea Ecological Reserve leads you through some of the most scenic woods on the South Island.
It is a sharp and curvy path leading down to the top of the chain of woods and the other side. Initially sought for bullion, this was one of New Zealand's most important coalfields in later years. In Waimangaroa, 16 kilometres from Westport, you make a detour into the interior to the Denniston Table.
It is home to the ruins of a once flourishing city and the biggest colliery in the world. Qaramea is the last city on the west coast of the South Island. It' also the departure point for the Heaphy Track, one of the nine great hikes from...MORE New Zealand.
Returns to Westport for another overnight stay. It' off the west coast and back eastward again. What a way to drive through Buller Gorge on one of New Zealand's most beautiful panoramic highways. It follows the Buller River through a gorge between Westport and the small city of Murchison.
There are steeper and more tragic routes through forests and mountains from Murchison. The city of Nelson itself is one of New Zealand's artisanal centres. Situated in the city centre car park, the fair is one of the best in New Zealand.
We start the year with a drive through the Mt Richmond Forest Range and the Pelorus River, one of the most scenic rivers in New Zealand. You will then have a first glimpse into the Marlborough Sounds before reaching the small city of Havelock. Here are some good lunch restaurants and the biggest yacht harbour in the Marlborough Sounds.
The twisty street is the coast street along the sound. Invisible from Picton city itself, this is a large harbor for the exports of wood from the woods of Marlborough.