Lonely Planet New Zealand's North Island

Peter Dragicevich

Description

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's New Zealand's North Island is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Glide through turquoise waters past pods of orcas in Bay of Islands; try black-water rafting in astonishing Waitomo Caves; and sample craft beer and check out the arts scene in cool little Wellington. All with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of New Zealand's North Island and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet's New Zealand's North Island: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics Covers Auckland, Bay of Islands & Northland, Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula, Taupo & the Central Plateau, Rotorua & the Bay of Plenty, The East Coast, Wellington Region, Taranaki & Whanganui The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's New Zealand's North Island is our most comprehensive guide to the North Island, and is perfect for discovering both popular and offbeat experiences. Looking for wider coverage? Check out Lonely Planet's New Zealand for a comprehensive look at all the country has to offer. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Sujets

• Nueva Zelanda
• New Zealand
• Nouvelle-Zélande

Informations

• Publié par: Lonely Planet
• Date de parution: 01 septembre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781788681391
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 92 Mo

Extrait

New Zealand’s North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui)

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to the North Island
The North Island’s Top 15
Need to Know
What’s New
If You Like...
Month by Month
Itineraries
Getting Around
Hiking on the North Island
Skiing, Cycling & Scary Stuff
Eat & Drink Like a Local
Travel with Children
Regions at a Glance

On The Road

AUCKLAND
Auckland
Hauraki Gulf Islands
Rangitoto & Motutapu Islands
Waiheke Island
Rotoroa Island
Tiritiri Matangi Island
Kawau Island
Great Barrier Island
West Auckland
Titirangi
Karekare
Piha
Te Henga (Bethells Beach)
Kumeu & Around
Muriwai Beach
Helensville & Around
North Auckland
Shakespear Regional Park
Orewa
Waiwera
Puhoi
Mahurangi & Scandrett Regional Parks
Warkworth
Matakana
Leigh
BAY OF ISLANDS & NORTHLAND
Whangarei District
Mangawhai
Waipu & Bream Bay
Whangarei
Whangarei Heads
Tutukaka Coast
Bay of Islands
Russell
Paihia, Waitangi & Haruru
Urupukapuka Island
Kawakawa
Kerikeri
Puketi & Omahuta Forests
The Far North
Matauri & Tauranga Bays
Whangaroa Harbour
Doubtless Bay
Karikari Peninsula
Cape Reinga & Ninety Mile Beach
Kaitaia
Ahipara
Hokianga
Kohukohu
Horeke & Around
Rawene
Opononi & Omapere
Waiotemarama & Waimamaku
Kauri Coast
Waipoua Forest
Trounson Kauri Park
Baylys Beach
Dargaville
Matakohe
COROMANDEL PENINSULA & THE WAIKATO
Coromandel Peninsula
Miranda
Thames
Thames to Coromandel Town
Coromandel Town
Far North Coromandel
Coromandel Town to Whitianga
Whitianga
Coroglen & Whenuakite
Hahei
Hot Water Beach
Tairua & Pauanui
Opoutere
Whangamata
Waihi & Waihi Beach
Karangahake Gorge
Paeroa
Waikato
Te Aroha
Matamata
Maungatautari
Cambridge
Hamilton
Raglan
South of Raglan
Te Awamutu
King Country
Kawhia
Otorohanga
Waitomo Caves
South from Waitomo to Taranaki
Te Kuiti
Pio Pio, Awakino & Mokau
Taumarunui
Owhango
TARANAKI & WHANGANUI
New Plymouth
Mt Taranaki & Around
Egmont National Park
Inglewood
Stratford
Forgotten World Hwy
Surf Highway 45
Oakura
Okato & Around
Opunake
Hawera
Whanganui
Whanganui National Park
Palmerston North
TAUPO & THE RUAPEHU REGION
Lake Taupo Region
Taupo
Turangi
Ruapehu Region
Tongariro National Park
National Park Village
Ohakune
Waiouru
ROTORUA & THE BAY OF PLENTY
Rotorua
Rotorua Lakes
Bay of Plenty
Katikati
Tauranga
Mt Maunganui
Papamoa
Whakatane
Ohope
Opotiki
THE EAST COAST
East Cape
Pacific Coast Hwy
Gisborne
South of Gisborne
Te Urewera
Hawke’s Bay
Wairoa & Around
Napier
Hastings & Around
Cape Kidnappers
Central Hawke’s Bay
Kaweka & Ruahine Ranges
WELLINGTON REGION
Wellington
Kapiti Coast
Kapiti Island
Paekakariki
Paraparaumu
Waikanae
The Wairarapa
Masterton & Around
Greytown
Martinborough
Cape Palliser

Understand

Understand New Zealand
New Zealand Today
History
Environment
Māori Culture
The Arts

Survive

Directory A-Z
Accommodation
Climate
Customs Regulations
Discount Cards
Electricity
Food
LGBT Travellers
Health
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
Maps
Money
Opening Hours
Post
Public Holidays
Safe Travel
Telephone
Time
Toilets
Tourist Information
Travellers with Disabilities
Visas
Volunteering
Women Travellers
Work
Transport
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Language
Map Legend
Behind the Scenes
Our Writers
Welcome to the North Island

Packing in cosmopolitan cities, authentic opportunities to experience Māori culture, and the country’s bubbling volcanic heart, the North Island is an exceedingly versatile destination.

Volcanic Thrills
Welcome to one of the planet’s youngest countries, at least in geological terms. Ascend the volcanic cones surrounding Auckland for super city views, before heading south to Rotorua for hot mud spa treatments and helicopter journeys to the jagged volcanic summit of Mt Tarawera. Journey due south to Lake Taupo, the legacy of one of the planet’s biggest-ever volcanic eruptions, and now gateway to Tongariro National Park. Ski or snowboard on Mt Ruapehu’s still-active slopes, or negotiate a steady path past Mt Ngauruhoe’s brooding volcanic cone on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Māori Culture
The influence of New Zealand’s indigenous culture is more keenly felt in the North Island, where Māori make up a much higher percentage of the population. Across Te Ika-a-Māui (the island’s Māori name) you’re more likely to hear the Māori language being spoken, see main street marae (meeting houses), join in a hāngi (Māori feast), or catch a cultural performance with traditional Māori songs, dancing and a blood-curdling haka (war dance). Venture to the North Island’s East Cape for the most authentic Māori experiences. Northland and Rotorua are also cultural hotspots.

Outdoor Experiences
New Zealand’s South Island usually steals the attention, but the North Island also has a sublime combination of forests, mountains and beaches. In the latter, the North has a clear lead – particularly in subtropical Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula and the west coast, with its wild surf beaches. Tackle one of the Great Walks – one even offers a river journey by canoe or kayak – or spend a few hours wandering through the accessible wilderness of the Coromandel. Day trips from vibrant Auckland range from kayaking to dormant volcanoes, or canyoning and abseiling down forested waterfalls.

Food, Wine & Beer
Kiwi food was once a bland echo of a British Sunday lunch, but these days NZ chefs take inspiration from the New World, especially the Pacific with its abundance of seafood and diverse cuisines. Try some Māori faves: paua (abalone; a type of sea snail), kina (sea urchin) and kumara (sweet potato). Thirsty? NZ’s cool-climate wineries have been collecting trophies for decades now, and the vineyard restaurants of Hawke’s Bay are seriously good. The booming craft-beer scene also deserves some scrutiny. And with a firmly entrenched coffee culture, you’re never far from an artfully prepared brew.

Cathedral Cove , Hahei | CHRISTIAN_B/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Why I Love the North Island
By Brett Atkinson, Writer
Born in Rotorua, and now a proud resident of Auckland, I’ve been exploring the North Island with friends and family for most of my life. Favourite places include the bush, beaches and hidden coves of the Coromandel Peninsula, the wine and food scenes of Hawke’s Bay, and the rugged and remote volcanic landscapes of Tongariro National Park. For craft beer, coffee and culture, the national capital of Wellington is always appealing, and Auckland’s growing ethnic diversity and cosmopolitan vibe makes me proud to live in NZ’s most exciting city.
For more about our writers, see our writers
The North Island’s Top 15

Hauraki Gulf
A yachtie’s paradise, the island-studded Hauraki Gulf is Auckland’s aquatic playground, sheltering its harbour and east-coast bays, and providing ample excuse for the City of Sails’ pleasure fleet to breeze into action. Despite the busy maritime traffic, the gulf has its own resident pods of whales and dolphins. Rangitoto Island is an icon of the city: its near-perfect volcanic cone provides the backdrop for many a tourist snapshot. With beautiful beaches, acclaimed wineries and upmarket eateries, Waiheke is Auckland’s most popular island escape.

Waiheke Island | TROY WEGMAN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
Urban Auckland
Held in the embrace of two harbours and built on the remnants of long-extinct volcanoes, Auckland isn’t your average metropolis. It’s regularly rated one of the world’s most liveable cities, and with some recent regeneration projects, its star is in the ascendant. Auckland is also blessed with good beaches, flanked by wine regions, and it has a large enough population to support a thriving dining, drinking and live-music scene. Cultural festivals are celebrated with gusto in this ethnically diverse city, which has the world’s largest Pacific Islander population.

Sky Tower , Auckland | SAM DCRUZ/SHUTTERSTOCK

Top Experiences
Waitomo Caves
Waitomo is a must-see – an astonishing maze of subterranean caves, canyons and rivers perforating the northern King Country limestone. Black-water rafting is the big lure here (similar to white-water rafting, but through a dark cave), plus glowworm grottoes, underground abseiling, and more stalactites and stalagmites than you’ll ever see in one place again. Above ground, Waitomo township is a quaint conglomeration of businesses: a craft brewery, a cafe, a holiday park and some decent B&Bs. But don’t linger in the sunlight – it’s party time downstairs.

Champagne Pool, Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland | LUKAS BISCHOFF PHOTOGRAPH/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
Geothermal Rotorua
The first thing you’ll notice about Rotorua is the smell of sulphur, meaning this geothermal hot spot is a tad whiffy. But volcanic activity is what everyone comes to see, with gushing geysers, bubbling mud, steaming cracks in the ground, and boiling pools of mineral-rich water. Rotorua is definitely unique, a fact eagerly exploited by some commercially savvy local businesses. But you don’t have to spend a fortune: there are plenty of affordable (and free) volcanic encounters to be had in parks and Māori villages, or just along the roadside.

JESPER BüLOW/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences
Bay of Islands
Turquoise waters lapping in pretty bays, dolphins frolicking at the bows of boats, pods of orcas gliding gracefully by – the chances are these are the kinds of images that drew you to New Zealand in the first place, and these are exactly the kinds of experiences that the Bay of Islands delivers so well. Whether you’re a hardened sea dog or a confirmed landlubber, there are myriad options to tempt you out on the water to explore th