New Zealand is widely known as tourist-friendly and laid-back. Offering a range of fantastic hostels and food, it brings to mind some of the fabulous things to do again for another solo trip. Having a solo trip can be a celebration of sorts. Absolute relaxation can be achieved during these trips, one can even go incognito and reinvent yourself temporarily. Since New Zealand is likewise world-renowned for its wines, you can choose to be sophisticated and sample what New Zealand has to offer. With so many awesome spots in New Zealand, it is difficult to limit it to just the top 4, but with some serious thought
Here are the best 4 places to visit in New Zealand
Hot Water Beach
Located close to Whitianga, in the Bay of Plenty and just an hour’s drive north-west of Whakatane, Hot Water Beach is one stop that you cannot miss in New Zealand. This one-stopover will bring back wonderful clarity – digging your hot spa pool in the sands of Hot Water Beach at low tide.
Waitomo glow-worm Caves
Drive just short of 3 hours south-west from Hot Water Beach and you come to the famous Waitomo Glow-worm Caves at Otorhanga. The Arachnocampa luminosa glow-worms are unique to New Zealand and the only way to see them is to take a guided walk and boat ride along the Waitomo River into the fascinating and awe-inspiring glow-worm grotto. Visit the Kiwi House in Otorhanga as well, and see the amazing native Kiwi birds in their natural habitat – well worth a short 3-hour drive.
Lake Rotorua
Continuing with our zig-zag across the North Island, drive for an hour and a half east and you come to Lake Rotorua and the township of Rotorua – once smelt never forgotten. With a plethora of hot geothermal sulphur springs in this township, the smell is unmistakable, but after a few days, you wonder what all the fuss is about. A drive around the lake is awesome, you can stop off at lots of wonderful sightseeing spots and even play a round of golf along the shoreline. Rotorua itself is the cultural hub of the North Island and the Maori buildings are just beautiful. Check out the thermal mud pools, the Kia Ora guided tours, visit the authentic Maori village and visit Te Puia – a geothermal wonderland.
Mount Taranaki
If you are up for a longer drive, head down to New Plymouth on the West Coast, which is a 4-hour drive from Rotorua. The scenery is awesome along this drive and there are plenty of places to stop for a quick bite and some photos. Mount Taranaki can be viewed from everywhere in New Plymouth, it simply dominates the town, which is not surprising because it is a dormant volcano. Not extinct – just dormant. This means that it could erupt at any time, although the last time was in 1775.
If you are not a mountaineer but wish you could be, then this is the mountain for you! The walking track is 6.3km one way, so you are up for a 12km trek, but it is worth the walk. The round trip normally takes around 5-6 hours going up and 3-4 hours coming down, so you need good walking shoes and plenty of water. When you arrive at the top you are above the clouds with spectacular views over the ocean and the surrounding National park. At the end of the day when you are relaxing, you can check out the specials on wines from Advintage and relive those fabulous NZ holidays!
