New Zealand Archives - Hoblets On The Go

Abel Tasman National Park, perched at the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island, is an intimate coastal wilderness of golden beaches, turquoise waters and emerald forest, best explored on foot, by kayak, or aboard a scenic water taxi.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: 40 Day Tour

A 40-day road trip through New Zealand — Aotearoa — takes you from the wonders of the North Island to the dramatic fjords, glaciers, and mountain passes of the South, weaving together adventure, culture, and extraordinary natural beauty at every turn

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Obscure and unique attractions

New Zealand's scenic grandeur is well documented — but scattered among the mountains and vineyards lies a parallel itinerary of gloriously unserious roadside curiosities that reveal an equally irresistible side of the country's character.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Unique Places to Stay

New Zealand's most unusual places to stay — spanning retired aircraft, converted farm buildings, and structures that politely ignore the laws of conventional architecture — offer five honest accounts of accommodation that goes gloriously beyond the ordinary across both islands.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Tasman – The Boot

Nestled in the heart of the Tasman region Jesterhouse, The Boot at Jester House Café is a fully self-contained, fairytale B&B cottage shaped like a giant boot — a singular romantic hideaway offering privacy, charm, and effortless access to some of New Zealand's most spectacular landscapes.

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West Coast

New Zealand: West Coast – Paparoa National Park

Paparoa National Park is a dramatic wilderness on New Zealand's West Coast, where ancient rainforest, sculpted limestone, pounding surf, and one of the country's finest Great Walks converge in spectacular, untamed harmony.

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West Coast

New Zealand: West Coast – Hokitika

Hokitika is a compact, culturally rich town on New Zealand's South Island West Coast, where rugged natural landscapes, a gold-rush heritage, and a thriving arts and crafts scene combine to create a deeply rewarding and distinctly off-the-beaten-track destination.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: West Coast – Rocky Creek Shepherd’s Hut

A hand-crafted sanctuary set amid the ancient rainforest and glacial grandeur of Fox Glacier on New Zealand's South Island, offering guests an intimate, comfortable, and restorative escape into one of the world's last great wildernesses.

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West Coast

New Zealand: West Coast Region – Westland Tai Poutini National Park

Westland Tai Poutini National Park, stretching along New Zealand's rugged South Island West Coast, is a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness where glaciers, ancient rainforest, wild coastline, and the snow-capped Southern Alps converge in one of the planet's most breathtaking natural landscapes.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Otago – ‘Bradrona’

Bradrona in Otago is an unusual roadside landmark in the Cardrona Valley, where a simple farm fence covered in bras has evolved into a recognised local attraction, drawing travellers for photographs, curiosity and a glimpse of Central Otago’s playful character.

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Otago

New Zealand: Otago – Wanaka Transport & Toy Museum

Wanaka Transport & Toy Museum in Wanaka, New Zealand, presents an extraordinary private collection of classic vehicles, aircraft, memorabilia and vintage toys, offering visitors an engaging journey through transport history and nostalgic glimpses of childhood across generations.

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Otago

New Zealand: Otago – Arrowtown

Arrowtown in Otago, New Zealand, is a small gold-rush village near Queenstown, known for its preserved heritage buildings, autumn colours and peaceful riverside setting. It offers history, gentle walks and a relaxed atmosphere within easy reach of alpine scenery.

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Southland

New Zealand: Southland – Stewart Island / Rakiura National Park

Stewart Island is a peaceful, forest-covered island south of New Zealand’s South Island, known for its wildlife, remote walking tracks, dark skies and relaxed coastal settlement, offering visitors a genuine sense of wilderness and quiet escape from modern life.

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Southland

New Zealand: Invercargill – Bill Richardson’s Transport World

Bill Richardson’s Transport World in Invercargill is a vast and thoughtfully curated celebration of vintage vehicles, motoring history and New Zealand’s deep connection with life on the road.

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Southland

New Zealand: Southland – Invercargill

Invercargill offers a refreshing blend of heritage charm, expansive green spaces and access to some of New Zealand’s most striking southern landscapes, making it an inviting base for travellers seeking nature, culture and a slower, spacious rhythm.

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Otago

New Zealand: Otago – Queenstown

Queenstown, in New Zealand’s South Island, offers alpine scenery, lake views and a lively town atmosphere. Surrounded by mountains and vineyards, it combines outdoor adventure with relaxed dining, scenic cruises and easy access to some of the country’s most memorable landscapes.

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Otago

New Zealand: Otago – Rail Trail Cycle

The Otago Rail Trail is a 152-kilometre walking and cycling route through Central Otago, following a former railway line across wide plains, historic gold mining towns and striking semi-arid landscapes shaped by heritage and horizon.

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Otago

New Zealand: Otago – Cromwell Heritage Precinct

The Cromwell Heritage Precinct offers a compact and atmospheric glimpse into Central Otago’s gold rush beginnings, where carefully restored nineteenth-century buildings, quiet lanes and lake views combine to tell the story of a town shaped by ambition, hardship and change.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Otago – Cromwell giant fruit monument

The Cromwell Fruit Statue stands at the town’s entrance as a bright and unmistakable tribute to Central Otago’s orchard heritage, welcoming travellers with a cheerful reminder that this dry inland region is famous for some of New Zealand’s finest stone fruit.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Otago – Chook Tree

A playful roadside landmark near Hector, the Chook Tree combines coastal scenery, local character and understated humour, offering travellers along State Highway 67 a brief yet memorable stop on the northern West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Otago – Oamaru, Steam Punk HQ

Steampunk HQ in Oamaru is an immersive art gallery that transforms industrial scrap and Victorian imagination into a bold, interactive experience set within the town’s historic harbour precinct, blending heritage architecture with retro-futuristic creativity and mechanical spectacle.

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Otago

New Zealand: Otago – Oamaru

Oamaru is a coastal Otago town where striking whitestone architecture, a creative arts community and remarkable wildlife experiences combine to create a relaxed yet characterful destination on New Zealand’s South Island.

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Otago

New Zealand: Otago – Waitaki Whitestone Geopark

Waitaki Whitestone Geopark in New Zealand brings together striking limestone landforms, fossil heritage and living rural culture, offering visitors a connected landscape where geology, community and conservation intersect across coast, valley and high country in a shared sense of place.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Canterbury – Twizel, Apollo 11 Space Ship

The Apollo 11 Spaceship Airbnb in Twizel offers a cleverly designed, space-themed stay beneath the vast skies of the Mackenzie Basin, combining imaginative décor, practical comfort and a memorable setting close to Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Canterbury – Rakaia Giant Salmon

The Rakaia giant salmon statue is a playful yet symbolic roadside attraction celebrating the region’s famed salmon fishing, offering travellers a convenient photo stop and a warm introduction to Canterbury’s river heritage and rural character.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Canterbury – Mount Cook / Aoraki

Mount Cook / Aoraki rises above glacial valleys and turquoise lakes, offering expansive alpine scenery, well marked trails and a sense of scale that quietly reshapes perspective for walkers, climbers and stargazers alike within New Zealand’s most celebrated mountain landscape.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Canterbury – SiloStay, Little River

SiloStay offers a distinctive countryside escape in cleverly converted grain silos, blending contemporary comfort with rural tranquillity and providing a memorable base for exploring the natural beauty, coastal landscapes and relaxed pace of Banks Peninsula.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Canterbury – Banks Peninsula

Banks Peninsula in Canterbury offers a striking blend of volcanic landscapes, sheltered harbours, historic settlements and abundant wildlife, all within easy reach of Christchurch, making it an accessible destination for coastal walks, scenic drives and quiet exploration.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Christchurch – Earthquake sites

Christchurch’s earthquake sites offer a thoughtful journey through destruction, remembrance and recovery, linking Quake City’s powerful exhibitions with the damaged cathedral, its innovative cardboard successor, and the moving memorials that honour those affected by the Canterbury earthquakes.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Christchurch – New Zealand Airforce Museum

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Christchurch offers an engaging journey through the nation’s military aviation story, combining historic aircraft, personal narratives and interactive exhibits within a thoughtfully designed space suitable for visitors of all ages.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Christchurch – International Antarctic Centre

The International Antarctic Centre offers an immersive Antarctic experience through storm simulations, wildlife encounters and interactive science exhibits, providing insight into exploration, research and life on the ice while remaining accessible, engaging and suitable for visitors of all ages.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Christchurch

Christchurch is a compact, creative South Island city where landscaped parks, evolving architecture and easy access to mountains and coast combine to create a thoughtful, relaxed destination shaped by history, resilience and a clear sense of place.

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Canterbury

New Zealand: Canterbury – Kaikōura & Ohau Point Lookout

Kaikōura & Ohau Point Lookout offers sweeping Pacific Ocean views, dramatic coastal rock formations, and frequent New Zealand fur seal sightings, making it a scenic and accessible roadside stop just north of Kaikōura on the South Island.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Wellington – Wētā Workshop

Wētā Workshop in Wellington offers a guided, behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship, design and technical skill involved in creating film props, costumes and special effects for internationally recognised screen productions.

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Wellington

New Zealand: Wellington – Te Papa Tongarewa

Te Papa Tongarewa is a dynamic waterfront museum blending culture, science and art through immersive exhibitions that explore Aotearoa’s heritage, environment and contemporary life in ways that are engaging, accessible and thoughtfully presented for all visitors.

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Wellington

New Zealand: Wellington

Wellington is a compact harbour capital where creative culture, coastal scenery and culinary craft converge, offering visitors an engaging mix of museums, independent shops, panoramic walks and vibrant café life framed by rolling hills and ever-changing sea views.

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Manawatu-Whanganui

New Zealand: Manawatu-Whanganui – Whanganui

Whanganui is a culturally rich river city where Māori heritage, historic architecture, creative arts and outdoor experiences come together, offering visitors a relaxed yet deeply engaging destination shaped by its river, people and stories.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Manawatū-Whanganu – Marton, Yellow Submarine

The Marton Yellow Submarine is a distinctive countryside stay that combines playful design with everyday comfort, offering a calm, private base for travellers who enjoy unusual accommodation without excess or novelty-driven fuss.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Manawatū-Whanganu – Taihape, Giant Gum Boot

A cheerful roadside landmark, the Giant Gumboot captures Taihape’s farming heritage, community spirit, and fondness for the practical realities of rural life in a single, unmistakable symbol.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Manawatū-Whanganu – Okahane Giant Carrot

Okahane Giant Carrot is a cheerful roadside landmark offering travellers a quick, quirky stop for photos, laughter, and a memorable break that adds character, conversation, and lighthearted fun to long journeys through wide open landscapes and everyday adventures alike everywhere.

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Manawatu-Whanganui

New Zealand: Manawatu-Whanganui – Tongariro National Park

Tongariro National Park blends active volcanoes, alpine scenery, and Māori spiritual heritage, offering world-class hiking, skiing, and breathtaking volcanic vistas year-round.

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Waikato

New Zealand: Waikato – Day out from Waitomo

A scenic drive west from Waitomo unfolds through winding roads, ancient limestone formations, thundering waterfalls, and the peaceful geothermal sands of Kawhia, offering a perfect glimpse of New Zealand’s quiet natural beauty.

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Waikato

New Zealand: Waikato – Waitomo

Waitomo Caves reveal an otherworldly landscape beneath New Zealand’s surface, where glowing creatures light vast limestone chambers, and every turn tells a story of time, water, and natural beauty.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Woodlyn Park Motel

Woodlyn Park Motel offers quirky themed accommodation near Waitomo Caves, from Hobbit holes to planes and trains, each full of character. It’s a fun and comfortable countryside escape, perfectly placed for exploring one of New Zealand’s best-loved natural attractions.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Hobbiton

Hobbiton in Matamata is a magical film set brought to life, where visitors stroll through hobbit holes, gardens, and the Green Dragon Inn amidst rolling Waikato hills — a captivating experience for both film fans and travellers alike.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Tokoroa’s “Talking Poles”

Tokoroa’s Talking Poles form a striking outdoor art exhibition, each pole reflecting the town’s cultural heritage, natural surroundings, and strong sense of community pride.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Morrinsville Herd of Cows

The Herd of Cows in Morrinsville transforms the town into an outdoor art gallery, blending local creativity with dairy heritage through dozens of hand-painted cow sculptures scattered across streets and parks, each capturing a distinct story of community pride.

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Waikato

New Zealand: Waikato – The Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel Peninsula combines untamed natural beauty with a laid-back charm, where rainforest-clad hills meet white-sand beaches and small towns welcome visitors with quiet hospitality and easy access to some of New Zealand’s most scenic coastal and forest landscapes.

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Northland

New Zealand: Northland – Bay of Islands Vintage Railway

The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway offers a nostalgic and scenic heritage train ride through Kawakawa, blending local history, community spirit, and classic Kiwi charm.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Northland – Kawakawa, Hundertwasser Toilets

The Hundertwasser Toilets in Kawakawa turn a simple public convenience into a colourful, artistic statement, blending creativity, community spirit, and environmental design.

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Northland

New Zealand: Northland – Bay of Islands

The Bay of Islands combines calm seas, scattered islands, and a deep sense of history. It’s a region where Māori culture, early European settlement, and natural beauty come together, offering a relaxing yet fascinating experience in New Zealand’s subtropical north.

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Northland

New Zealand: Whangerei

Whangārei, Northland’s relaxed harbour city, combines coastal charm, art, and nature. From its impressive waterfalls to the vibrant Town Basin and world-class diving off the Tutukākā Coast, it’s an inviting stop on any northern New Zealand journey.

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Auckland

New Zealand: Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, perfectly blends natural beauty, cultural diversity, and coastal adventure across two sparkling harbours and dozens of volcanic hills.

Slowly mastering the sea kayaks on Lake Taupo, New Zealand

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Waikato

New Zealand: North Island – Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo. is located in the North Island of New Zealand. It is in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres (238 sq mi), it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second-largest freshwater lake by surface area in Oceania

The beautifulMilford Sound in New Zealand's South Island

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Southland

New Zealand: Southland – Fjiordland National Park

Te Anau and Milford Sound in Fiordland offer a calm lakeside gateway to vast alpine wilderness, where quiet township comforts contrast beautifully with the towering cliffs, waterfalls and deep waters of one of New Zealand’s most remarkable natural landscapes.

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Bay of Plenty

New Zealand: North Island – Rotorua

A journey of discovery into the explosive power of mother nature that grips New Zealand and a shallow dive into Maori culture. We visited the volcanic pools and vents of Hidden Valley before visiting the Maori Cultural Centre in Rotarua.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Giant metal dog and sheep ice-cream store.

We have a great liking for weird and quirky roadside attractions and were delighted to in Tirau, New Zealand, an enterprising local had exercised their creativity in building a wonderful example of functional art. Using their ingenuity, corrugated steel and paint they created two buildings, one shaped like a sheep and another like a dog. Much to my delight, the corrugated steel dog housed an ice cream store which served the most amazing creamy honey and fig ice cream. Yumm!

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Waikato

New Zealand: North Island – Hobbiton Film Set

Back in the 1990s Peter Jackson was looking for a location for sets for his upcoming Lord of the Rings Trilogy. One of the important locations was Hobbiton and for this he selected a sheep farm just outside Matamata on the North Island.

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Bay of Plenty

New Zealand: North Island – Whakarewarewa State Forest

Whakarewarewa State Forest is a vast, multi-use recreational forest on the outskirts of Rotorua, New Zealand, renowned for its soaring redwood groves, an extraordinary network of mountain bike and walking trails, and a dramatic volcanic landscape that makes every visit feel genuinely wild.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: UNESCO – Te Wahipounamu

Te Wahipounamu is a vast, UNESCO World Heritage wilderness spanning the south-west of New Zealand's South Island, uniting four national parks beneath some of the Southern Hemisphere's most spectacular — and ancient — natural landscapes.