Description

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From snowy mountains to golden beaches, beauty awaits around every bend on these dramatic islands. Find your adventure with Moon New Zealand. Inside you'll find:

• Strategic itineraries including a week on both the North and South Islands, designed for hikers, cyclists, adrenaline junkies, history and culture buffs, and Lord of the Rings fans
• The top spots for outdoor adventures, like surfing, mountain biking, and trekking the Great Walks, as well as tips for taking an epic road trip. Go bungee jumping or paragliding, soak in refreshing thermal pools, or embark on a multi-day trek to rugged coasts, glacial valleys, volcanoes, and fjords
• Can't-miss sights and unique experiences: Cruise the hypnotic black waters of the Milford Sound, spot wild dolphins, kiwis, and blue penguins, and explore the sprawling Waitomo Caves lit by twinkling glowworms. Sample local sauvignon blancs in Marlborough and craft beers in Wellington, or sip cider in the Shire. Learn about Polynesian culture and history, marvel at Maori carvings, and experience a traditional hangi meal
• How to experience New Zealand like an insider, support local and sustainable businesses, avoid crowds, and respectfully engage with indigenous culture, with expert insight from Aukland local Jamie Christian Desplaces
• Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout, plus a full-color detachable map
• Essential background information on the landscape, climate, wildlife, and history, as well as common customs and etiquette
• Travel tips: When to go, how to get around, and where to stay, plus advice for seniors, families with children, visitors with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ travelers

Experience the best of New Zealand with Moon's expert advice and local insight.

Visiting more of the South Pacific? Check out Moon Tahiti & French Polynesia.

About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you.

For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

About the Author

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Having spent four years between Asia and Australia and with no inclination to return back home to the UK, Jamie Desplaces opted to give Aotearoa New Zealand a try. That was way back in 2012, and he’s still there.

Just a few weeks after arriving, he secured an assignment to write about the country’s fracking industry, a two-month investigation that was hailed by environmental and political organizations, and won a feature of the year award. Jamie quickly discovered the sacred connection between Kiwis and their land, a connection that he now feels. From the glistening beaches of the subtropical far north to the majestic fiords of the deep south and the volcanoes and vineyards and vast alpine backcountry that stitch it all together, he has explored every corner of this country – and continues to do so.

It’s also somewhat poetic that Jamie, having attended the same school as J.R.R. Tolkien, whose tomes of Middle-Earth tales inspired the movies that have so promoted the majesty of Aotearoa New Zealand, now has the opportunity to share its legend with others.

Jamie’s work has been published in Beats, Escape, Massive, and on USAToday.com. He has published a novel and is head writer at Verve magazine in Auckland, where he lives with his partner, Heather, and their dog, Squid.