New Zealand is an Antipodean land which attracts lovers of vast spaces and wild nature. Though it is mostly mountainous, the country has a diverse range of landscapes and environments: icy summits, plains with mirror-like lakes, wild coastline licked by the Pacific waters... The nature here is absolutely majestic. And fortunately ecology takes pride of place here.

New Zealand, an intense natural paradise

A lively town, surrounded by dozens of volcanoes and black sand beaches.

Oceania

Welcome to the New Zealand travel pages. In this faraway country, you can expect a harmonious mixture of lakes, mountainous and volcanic landscapes, and tropical vegetation... New Zealand is isolated in the middle of the ocean and is located halfway between the South Pole and the Equator. Even though it’s small in area (about the size of the UK), it has extremely diverse flora and fauna. Nature lovers are in paradise here. But this paradise is earned: you’ll have to spend long hours on an airplane to get here, and you can count on having 10 to 12 hours of jet lag once you arrive, depending on the season... But this land, which the Maori first called “Aotearoa,” the land of the long white cloud, is really worth the trip: abundant and diverse nature, beautiful landscapes, and outdoor activities… It’s all convenient for travellers: one of the advantages of this destination is the small size of the country, which makes all this beauty accessible, starting from your first trip to New Zealand. Your hunger for the great outdoors and desire for peace and serenity will be satisfied.

New Zealand

Auckland

Sitting by a lake in a region steeped in Maori culture, this town is a hive of geothermal activity.

Rotorua

Taupo is a small, lively town best known for its lake, which bears the same name and is the largest in New Zealand.

Taupo

With three active volcanoes, the Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu, Tongariro National Park is a must for any hiking fan or visitors interested in exploring a volcanic landscape.

Tongariro National Park

Kaikoura is a coastal town that is known for the diverse selection of marine mammals that can be seen there.

Kaikoura

Samoa

Fiji

Europe

Central America

Africa

North America

South America

Asia

Middle East

During my <a href="/new-zealand/">stay in New Zealand</a>, I was lucky enough to have the chance to stop in Kaikoura on two occasions to view the colonies of seals that flock to shore here. The colonies are present all year round, but the animals are most numerous during the winter, allowing humans to approach very close. A few kilometers north of Kaikura the baby seals put on a kind of show, splashing in Ohau Stream - it really is something that you have to see! When I first went there during the summer, the seal nursery was empty, but in the middle of winter, there dozens of these young animals had come to play in the pool. As you follow the road that leads to the Kaikoura Peninsula, I suggest that you stop off at one of the roadside booths to enjoy locally-caught lobster, a local specialty and the pride of the region. Continuing along the same route, you reach a viewpoint that offers panoramic views over the coast, and, if you're lucky, also offers opportunities for whale watching. To increase your chances of seeing whales, I recommend that you book a boat trip, because the massive mammals are difficult to see from land, despite their size! Unfortunately, however, I never got the chance to take a boat trip...

Kaikoura is a coastal town that is known for the diverse selection of marine mammals that can be seen there.

Kaikoura Vacations

Kaikoura: How to get there?

Kaikoura: See when to go ?

Kaikoura: For how long?

Kaikoura: What to see nearby?

New Zealand: our articles for your vacations