6 Questions to Choose North vs. South Island of New Zealand
New Zealand is a vast, and disparate country covering two islands. Most tourist choose to explore the North Island’s volcano cones, sparkling cities, gorgeous beaches, hot springs, and Maori culture over visiting the South. However, we chose to focus solely on the South Island of New Zealand for our upcoming adventure.
6 Questions to Choose the North vs. South Island of New Zealand
When considering 1-2 week trip to New Zealand, know that it will be a driving holiday regardless of which island you choose. Attempting to explore both requires a packed schedule and long days on the road, with at least one ferry ride.
For our upcoming trip, we knew a slow paced trip required travel on only one island. But which one fit our desire for alpine landscapes, dazzling lakes, and wild animal encounters?
Well, honestly both.
So how did we choose our destination for this 10 day campervan trip? Read below for our thoughts.
Christchurch, NZ
Can you fly directly to the South Island of New Zealand?
The metropolitan North Island houses the country’s largest international airport in Auckland. If you must fly for 10+ hours to reach New Zealand, it might be worth skipping additional flights.
On the other hand, what’s another hour or two after all that travel?
Fortunately, Sydney is close enough that flights regularly depart from Sydney to Christchurch and Queenstown. Even better, JZ snagged our flights during a short fare sale, with Qantas point hacks for a $446 out-of-pocket cost. Not a bad deal for three round-trip international tickets.
Are you looking to make friends?
Living in Sydney, we enjoy the daily accoutrements of city living. We live 20 minutes away from excellent museums, world-class zoos, exhilarating activities, breathtaking skyline views, and a superb culinary scene. In short, we’ve seen enough amazing cities because we live in one. We want to travel as far away from the cities as possible for this adventure.
Driving on the South Island in October, we are searching for solitude. We seek empty campgrounds, serene undisturbed lakes, and undisturbed frolicking with penguins and sea lions.
Are volcanoes still on your travel bucket list?
One of the biggest draws to the North Island for us is the geothermal and volcanic activity at Rotorua, and White Island, respectively. Rotorua is volcanic capital of New Zealand. Situated on immense geothermal activity, the area offers natural hot springs, mud baths, and spraying geysers. White Island is 100km to the Northeast, and boasts the most active volcano in the country.
The caldera and marine volcanoes offer a very different experience from the relentless creep of Hawaiian lava. We got our fill of volcanoes on the Big Island, so this iss not as big of a draw as it would have been otherwise.
Do children challenge astrophotography opportunities?
We wet our feet wet with star photography at Mauna Kea on the Big Island, and want to hone these skills! However, with a toddler, bedtime is sacred. Spending several hours outside and away from the city, with cameras and a sleeping little one, is not a regular occurrence. A campervan on the South Island is (hopefully) a perfect way to experience the glory of an unpolluted night sky, while CZ snoozes nearby. I am looking forward to Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shephard which is part of a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, making it perfect for photographers.
Do you prefer mountains or the sea?
We love Sydney’s coastal cliffs, but they cannot compare to the stunning alpine peaks of New Zealand. We want to photograph, climb, and possibly cruise through majestic mountains, making the South Island our place.
While both islands have gorgeous mountains and beaches, the warmer climate of the North Island makes it a better fit for beach days. And nothing can compare to the Alpine mountains and glaciers on the South Island.
photo credit: Tim Adams
Culture or Campervan?
If you desire to experience a live Haka, admire the sweeping ceilings of an intricately carved Marae, or witness the fascinating (and painful) process of traditional Ta Moko, the North Island is for you. The Maori population and their history, cultural exhibits, and performances are embedded in the North.
While JZ and I are intrigued by the culture and history of these indigenous people, it is more stressful than spiritual to tour sacred places with a toddler. We barely managed to teach CZ the importance of quiet during weekly Mass. Starting this lesson again in a new place is not our idea of a holiday. We plan to save the North Island for a later visit, when we will travel slow and stay with locals. This time we are heading out on our own in a camper van.
So, what’s the best fit for you? North or South?
We believe the South Island is indeed the less crowded one of the two. We’ve visited New Zealand in April and May earlier this year, and apart from Milford Sound and Queenstown we had to share our experiences with few other people. We barely saw anyone else while hiking at Lake Tekapo, we were alone with the NZ fur seals at Shag Point, and hiked the Sandymount Loop Track together with some sheep. Lake Matheson and Wanaka are definitely worth a visit too! It was fall while we were there, so probably a lot less crowded anyway. We’re currently posting about the South Island of New Zealand, so you can keep track on our blog.
Enjoy your trip!
Yeah, really enjoyed reading through your posts so far. Taking notes, and looking forward to seeing what’s next!