We’d been to Marlborough a few times and never taken the road to the coast from Blenheim. The usual route is from Blenheim to either Picton (20 mins) or Nelson, but we decided to take the long way round to Picton and stop off at some of the bays and

The northern end of the road which runs up the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island is also the start of the Heaphy Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. It takes a long time to reach this place (most people tend to skip it) but those that venture

Franz Josef is a tiny town on the West Coast of the South Island with one very big attraction – Franz Josef Glacier. There are many tracks in the area which give you views of the glacier (and the valley it’s carved out over the centuries) and Peters Pool is

The Catlins is one of New Zealand’s best beach destinations, but with all those options it can be hard to know which ones to visit! Luckily, I wrote this post (and you’re reading it) – I’ll show you the best beaches in the Catlins and give you some tips on

When road tripping around the Catlins you’ll almost definitely want to visit some waterfalls. It’s one of the things the region is most famous for, but where are the best waterfalls in the Catlins? There are a few waterfalls to see, including Purakaunui Falls and McLean Falls, as well as

Papatowai Beach, about halfway along the main road through the Catlins, is an awesome place to stop while exploring the area. The beach is great, it’s right next to camping ground and there’s also a unique attraction nearby (you’ll have to keep reading to find out). Papatowai Beach There are

I love a good road-side viewpoint. Sometimes it’s nice to not have to walk anywhere – to open your car door and be greeted with a view you would have walked hours to see. McCracken’s Rest, on the southern coast, is one such place. From the small wooden viewing platform

On the eastern shores of Te Wae Wae Bay sits a small section of sand called Gemstone Beach. It’s one of the most popular spots on the road between Invercargill and Te Anau (part of the Southern Scenic Route) and you can visit it in about 5 minutes if you

I’ve been to a few “Monkey Islands” in my time, and they’ve always contained actual monkeys. You’ll be disappointed if you’re expecting to see them at Southland’s Monkey Island though, so I’ll tell you what you can see there instead. Where is Monkey Island? Monkey Island is on the southern

The Kepler Track is one of the easier Great Walks to plan and walk, making it a great option for anyone looking to get into some multi-day hiking in New Zealand. There’s still a lot of planning involved, and some big decisions to make, and that’s where I come in!