North Island, New Zealand: The Geothermal, Maori, and Urban Half

New Zealand’s North Island holds roughly three-quarters of the country’s population in about 40% of its land area. It is where Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua, and Northland are; where the geothermal activity concentrates; where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed; and where you arrive if flying into the country’s main international airport.

The South Island gets more visitors partly because Fiordland and the Southern Alps photograph better. The North Island is often the more interesting place to spend time.

Auckland

Auckland is built on a narrow isthmus between two harbours, with 53 dormant volcanic cones visible from the city. The highest, Maungawhau (Mount Eden), is a 10-minute drive from the CBD and has a good crater rim walk with views over both coasts and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.

Sky Tower (Victoria Street West): 328-metre concrete needle, the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere until 2012. Observation deck at 186 metres, around NZ$32 adults. The SkyWalk (walking around the outside on a platform) is NZ$145; the SkyJump (controlled descent on a wire from 192 metres) is NZ$225. Views extend to the Coromandel Peninsula on clear days.

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki (Kitchener Street): the main collection covers New Zealand and Pacific art from the 19th century to contemporary work. Free for the permanent collection. The building, partly housed in a 1887 French chateau and partly in a cedar-and-glass extension opened in 2011, is worth noting architecturally.

Waiheke Island: 35 minutes by ferry from the downtown terminal, a 92-square-kilometre island with wineries, olive groves, good beaches, and a distinct character from the mainland. The ferry costs around NZ$40-48 return. Mudbrick Vineyard, Stonyridge, and Cable Bay are all good for wine tasting and lunch. Onetangi Beach is the best swimming beach. You can drive the island in under an hour end to end.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the Taupo Volcanic Zone and the geothermal activity is constant and noticeable: steam vents from roadside cracks, sulphur smell in the air, boiling mud pools in public parks.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland (30km south of Rotorua on SH5): the most photogenic of the geothermal parks. The Champagne Pool is a 65-metre-wide hot spring edged with orange sulphur deposits and vivid mineral colours. The Lady Knox Geyser erupts daily at 10:15 (soap is added to the vent to stimulate it; the mechanism is explained). Entry around NZ$36 adults. Allow 2-3 hours.

Te Puia (Hemo Road, Rotorua): the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute is based here, alongside the Pohutu Geyser (the largest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere), and guided cultural performances. The carving and weaving schools are the most interesting sections - students learn traditional forms in a practical apprenticeship setting. Daytime entry around NZ$60; evening cultural performances (hangi meal included) around NZ$130.

Ohinemutu (lakefront Rotorua): a Maori village on the shore of Lake Rotorua, around the site of a major pa (fortified village). The St Faith’s Anglican Church has a Victorian Gothic interior with Maori carvings and a window depicting Christ wearing a cloak of feathers, positioned so he appears to walk on the lake. The church is open to visitors outside service times. The thermal steam rising from the ground throughout the village is unnerving and genuine.

Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest (Long Mile Road): a plantation of Californian coastal redwoods established in 1901. The trees are now 30-60 metres tall and the forest floor is cool, dark, and quiet. Free walking trails; an elevated treetop walkway (around NZ$35) runs through the canopy. Mountain biking trails are extensive and considered among the best in the country.

Tongariro National Park

Three active volcanic peaks - Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro - dominate the centre of the North Island. All three have erupted within living memory.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing (19.4km, 7-9 hours, grade difficult) is regularly described as the best one-day walk in New Zealand. It crosses the South Crater, passes the Emerald Lakes (vivid green from mineral deposits), and traverses the Red Crater rim. Transport to the start from National Park township or Turangi is essential as no self-parking is permitted at the trailhead. Shuttle companies run from NZ$35-45 per person. The crossing requires good weather and reasonable fitness; the sections around Red Crater involve loose scree and significant exposure. Do not attempt in poor visibility.

Mount Ruapehu has a ski field (Whakapapa) operating from June to October with a chairlift and good intermediate terrain. The mountain also has a crater lake at the summit (Te Wai a-Moe) with a warm acidic lake visible on guided summit climbs.

The Coromandel

The Coromandel Peninsula (about 2 hours east of Auckland) has the best beaches on the North Island. Cathedral Cove (Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve) is accessible on foot from the Hahei carpark (about 45 minutes each way) or by boat from Hahei Beach. A natural arch connects two coves; the walk passes cliff-top pohutukawa trees. Boat access is recommended in summer when the walking track is very crowded.

Hot Water Beach: about 10km south of Hahei, a thermal spring runs under the sand at low tide. Visitors dig holes in the sand with rented spades (NZ$8) and sit in pools of hot water. The specific zone of hot sand is only accessible 2 hours either side of low tide. A tidal chart is posted at the local shops.

Wellington

Wellington, the capital, sits on a harbour at the southern tip of the North Island. The central city is compact and walkable. The Te Papa Tongarewa national museum (Cable Street) is free and worth a full day: strong collections on Maori culture (including taonga/treasures not displayed elsewhere), New Zealand natural history, and Pacific cultures. The colossal squid exhibit (a 495kg specimen) is the most-photographed object.

The Zealandia wildlife sanctuary (Waiapu Road, 2km from the CBD) is a predator-fenced 225-hectare valley where species eliminated from the mainland have been reintroduced: tuatara, kaka, little spotted kiwi, hihi, and others. Daytime and nocturnal guided tours run daily. The best chance on the mainland of seeing a wild tuatara.

Food and Drink

New Zealand wine from Marlborough (in the South Island) is well-known; North Island regions are less internationally recognised but produce good Syrah and Chardonnay (Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Martinborough).

Fergburger is South Island - the famous Queenstown burger shop is not on the North Island. Auckland has its own burger culture: White Lady Burger (Shortland Street, Auckland) has operated since 1948 from a caravan and is the city’s late-night institution.

Seafood: green-lipped mussels are farmed in Marlborough Sounds and served throughout the North Island. Kumara (sweet potato) appears frequently on menus as a local staple. Pavlova is consumed regularly and contested as a national creation (Australia disputes this vigorously).

Getting Around

New Zealand’s InterCity bus network covers the main North Island routes. Rental cars are the most practical option for seeing the country outside Auckland and Wellington. Roads are well-maintained but often single-lane and winding; Google Maps times are unreliable and tend to underestimate journey times. Budget 20-30% longer than stated for any rural route.

Domestic flights between Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua, and Napier are frequent and often cheap (Air New Zealand, Jetstar): NZ$60-150 one-way if booked ahead. Useful for covering large distances quickly.