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!

Day 3 of the Kepler Track, from Iris Burn Hut to Rainbow Reach, mostly takes you through the forest and is a bit more low-key than the first two days. That doesn’t mean it’s uninteresting or easy though! It’s a long day of walking (you can spend an extra day

Day 2 of the Kepler Track is generally known as the best day in terms of views. The walk from Luxmore Hut to Iris Burn Hut takes you along a series of ridges with beautiful views of the mountains surrounding them. Well, that is if you can see it all

The Kepler Track is one of 9 “Great Walks” in New Zealand. It’s a 3-4-day hike through mossy forests, mountain ridges and green valleys and, to be honest, it was pretty hard. I won’t go into too many details here though (I’ll be writing another post for all those) –

There are several waterfalls in the Catlins, and most are just a short walk from the main road. The Waipohatu Waterfall Track is a little more challenging than the rest, but the waterfalls (there are two) are beautiful and it’s a lot quieter and more off the beaten path than

The southern coast of New Zealand, roughly the stretch of road between Invercargill and Tuatapere, is home to lots of beaches and bays, and Colac Bay is one of the most popular. There are some nice-looking holiday houses there and a couple of places to eat and drink – and

One of the most popular routes to the West Coast leaves from Wanaka and goes all the way to Haast. It’s a long drive, but luckily there are heaps of things to see along the way including mountain views, waterfalls and exotic sections of river. Are you considering driving the

Lake Hauroko is a long way from the other main sights in Fiordland National Park, meaning it sees a fraction of the traffic. It’s a great little off the beaten path spot and is home to an awesome day hike – the Lake Hauroko Lookout Track. The track takes you