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New Zealand's two main islands - North Island and South Island - are replete with beautiful beaches, mist-shrouded mountain valleys, and straight-out-of-a-painting landscapes which are amongst the most scenic in all of Oceania. There's plenty of scope for activities ranging from skiing and trekking to mountaineering, and when you need a breather, you can always head for the vibrant, vivacious cities of New Zealand- nearly all of them along the coast.
North Island, a neat blend of modern cities and unspoilt wildernesses, is home to the country's capital, Wellington, a city known not just for its cafes and entertainment, but also for its breezy weather; further north lies the trendy and cosmopolitan city of Auckland.
For those who want a taste of the wilds, North Island offers trips to volcanoes, rivers, lakes, islands, waterfalls,national parks, hot springs .....take your pick. New Zealand's largest lake, Lake Taupo, lies almost at the very centre of the isle, and the famous Mt Bruce Wildlife Centre is just about two hours' drive from Wellington.
For the very best of beaches lapped by the bluest of seas, North Island offers up the delights of the Kapiti Coast and the highly picturesque, albeit windswept Bay of Islands, just two amongst its many attractions.
Die-hard lovers of the outdoors will invariably want to head south, to South Island's many wilderness areas: the Mt Cook National Park, the Kahurangi National Park, and the pretty lakeside town of Te Anau.
Along the coasts of the island lie further attractions: the pristine white sand beaches of Southland, the whale-watching centre of Kaikoura, and the breathtakingly beautiful Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound. For lovers of skiing, a visit to the ski resort of Wanaka is a must, while the Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers, amongst South Island's most spectacular expanses of snow and ice, merit at least a short trip.
When you've had your fill of the wilds, head for South Island's cities - picturesque and pretty Queenstown, Scottish Dunedin and tranquil Christchurch, so reminiscent of England that you'd be forgiven for imagining you'd taken the wrong flight!
Yes, New Zealand isn't a place you're likely to get bored- you're much more likely to be spoilt for choice.
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