Tasman (Abel Tasman, Golden Bay, Nelson)

• Abel Tasman National Park (with Wilsons Abel Tasman or Kahu Kayaks)
• Kaiteriteri Beach
• Te Waikoropupu Springs
• Pic’s peanut butter world tour.

Picton

• Queen Charlotte Track
• Boat trips into Marlborough Sounds

Blenheim

• Makana Confections
• Winery tours
• Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre

Kaikōura

• Peninsula walk
• Dolphin watch/swim
• Whale watch by boat or air
• Nin’s Bin for fresh seafood

Hanmer Springs

• Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa
• Amuri Jet Adventures (quads, jet boat etc.)

Christchurch & Akaroa

• Botanic Gardens and Avon River
• Quake City museum
• Historic tram tour
• International Antarctic Centre
• Orana Wildlife Park
• Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
• Akaroa – dolphin swim/watch, kayaking and biking.

Arthur’s Pass

• Castle Hill
• Stop to spot kea in the scenic car parks
• Devil’s Punchbowl waterfall walk

Punakaiki & Charleston

• Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
• Pororari River Track (walk or kayak)
• Truman Track
• Underworld Adventures black water rafting

Hokitika

• Hokitika Gorge walk
• Pounamu carvers

Franz Josef & Fox

• Heli hiking or scenic flight to glaciers.
• Kayaking and quad biking.
• Walks (with guides available)
  • Southside & Moraine Walk
  • Lake Matheson
  • Tatare Tunnels
  • Alex Knob
  • Roberts Point Track

Wānaka

• Puzzling World
• Cinema Paradiso
• That Wānaka Tree and Lake Wānaka
• Food truck park
• National Transport & Toy Museum.

Queenstown

• Jet boating
• TSS Earnslaw (with BBQ lunch/dinner)
• Skyline luge and gondola
• Skiing/snowboarding in the wintertime
• LOTR tours
• Onsen hot pools
• Day trips to Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Cromwell etc.
• Milford Sound tours (or go from Te Anau)

Te Anau

• Day trip, tour or overnight boat in Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound
• Glow worm cave tour
• Scenic boat trips on Lake Te Anau (Cruise Te Anau and Fiordland Historic Cruises).

The Catlins

• Waterfalls
• Rough, rugged beaches
• Blow holes
• Wild penguins and NZ fur seals

Dunedin

• Otago Peninsula
  • Larnach Castle
  • Allan’s Beach
  • Royal Albatross Centre
  • OPERA (yellow-eyed penguins)
  • Blue Penguins Pukekura
  • or Clearwater Tours (for tours departing Dunedin)
• Toitu Otago Settlers Museum
• Tuhura Otago Museum
• Lan Yuan, Dunedin Chinese Garden
• Speights Brewery tour.

Mt Cook

• Tramping/hiking
• Scenic heli flights, ski planes and heli hiking
• Glacier Explorers boat trip
• Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park Visitor Centre.

Lake Tekapo

• Star gazing (Chameleon or Silver River)
• Tekapo Springs hot pools
• Church of the Good Shepherd

Oamaru

• Ōamaru Penguins
• Steampunk HQ
• Oamaru’s Heritage Precinct

The post South Island highlights appeared first on New Zealand Travel Tips.