Great Kiwi Escapes | Southland | AA New Zealand Travel Guide

Southland's friendly locals, rich cultural heritage and impressive scenery combine to make the region a great place to visit. Around each corner, you'll find something new to discover...

Stewart Island

Nature dominates on beautiful and secluded Stewart Island. Rakiura National Park covers more than 80 percent of the island. Boasting some of the country's most inspiring walking tracks, the island also shelters some of New Zealand's rare and iconic birds, including an estimated 20,000 kiwi.

Gore / Eastern Southland

The sky is the limit for high-flying Eastern Southland. Its colourful heritage and vibrant culture is reflected in its many events, exhibitions, and attractions. Eastern Southland will have you hooked on brown trout, fascinated by fashion and intoxicated by its illicit whisky distilling history.

Northern & Central Southland

You don't just visit Northern and Central Southland - you experience them. Here you can be part of the land, get a first-hand account of farming and spend time with the locals learning about the area that is their playground and livelihood. With a breathtaking backdrop, Northern and Central Southland are New Zealand's rural heartland.

Invercargill & Bluff

The city's long daylight hours provide ample time to take in the grand parks, exquisite art galleries and classic architecture, or drive along Oreti Beach and follow in the tracks of local motorcycling legend Burt Munro. Just 25 minutes south of Invercargill is the small port town of Bluff. Famous for the iconic Bluff oyster, it’s a place with a strong historical and cultural heritage. This, combined with its nature walks and panoramic views, makes Bluff a surprising treat for any visitor.

Western Southland

Idyllic beaches and small seaside towns reflecting the quintessential New Zealand holiday can be found scattered around Western Southland. Exploring inland, you will find rolling green pasture bordering on the wild and breathtaking scenery of Fiordland National Park - home of the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track and the hidden lakes of Hauroko and Monowai.

The Catlins

The Catlins' natural beauty and seclusion are magnetic. From the ancient fossilised forest at Curio Bay, to the dolphins that play in the pounding waves, around each corner is intoxicating scenery with lush rainforests and old coastal towns waiting to be explored. Pure magic.

Long Hilly Track, Western Southland

Canton was the name of the Chinese gold-mining settlement at Round Hill. What remains of it and other gold-mining relics is now accessible via Southland's newest scenic walk, Long Hilly Track (2 hours 15 minutes return).

Coast to Coast on Stewart Island

Fly from Invercargill to Masons Bay on the west coast of Stewart Island. Look for kiwi and overnight in a DOC hut. Next day, walk 4-5 hours across the island to Freshwater River for a water-taxi ride to Oban village. See www.stewartislandflights.com for more details.

Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, Western Southland

This 3-day loop track starts on the southern coast and takes you uphill to the Hump Ridge for spectacular alpine flora and fauna, then down again to historical wooden viaducts. Check www.humpridgetrack.co.nz for more information.