What to see and do in New Zealand

Most of the Nelson region's economy is based on natural resources such as fishing, horticulture, forestry and agriculture. Visit Nelson and chat with locals while picking apples in an orchard, discover creative marvels in a studio gallery, or wander through the city's bustling outdoor Saturday market. There are three national parks within 90 minutes of each other, yet they offer totally different experiences; the Abel Tasman (coastal), Nelson Lakes (alpine) and Kahurangi (wilderness). Superb food, boutique wineries, hop growing, local breweries, hillsides covered in pip-fruit orchards and berry fruit, and roadside stalls are all part of Nelson's charm. Add to that a generous amount of sunshine hours and some of the best beaches in the country. Activities in the region include walks, sea kayaking, tandem skydiving, 4WD biking, Skywire flying fox, mountain biking, caving, river rafting, skiing, sailing, horse riding and fly fishing.