chloedickensonLast Updated on 18th November 2022
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Are you planning a trip to New Zealand and you want to know about the best places to visit in South Island NZ? Perhaps you’re looking for unique things to do in South Island New Zealand to add to your travel itinerary? If so, you’ve come to the right place!
Having spent 5 weeks travelling around in a campervan, we managed to hit so many of South Island New Zealand’s top sights and it’s forever got a special place in my heart thanks to its unique charm, diverse landscapes and extraordinary scenery.
There are so many amazing places to visit in New Zealand’s South Island, but if you only have a limited time there, here are the absolute best things to do in South Island New Zealand!
New Zealand South Island must-see map
1. Admire the views from Victoria Domain in Picton
Residing near the very top of the South Island, Picton is most commonly known for being the gateway for the ferry to and from Wellington.
However, it’s also home to a stunning harbour with a spectacular view over the water and surrounding hills from the top of Victoria Domain.
It’s a relatively gentle walk to the top of the Domain and on a clear day, you’ll be blessed with stunning views of the clear blue water of the harbour below.
2. Be astounded by a Milford Sound Cruise
Milford Sound is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in South Island New Zealand
A cruise along Milford Sound is an absolute must-do when in South Island New Zealand and tours run almost every day, come rain or shine.
I’d advise going on the early morning tour as even though it’s likely to be cold (it’s unbelievably freezing in the winter!), it’ll be such a remarkably beautiful and peaceful way to start your day!
Book your Milford Sound Cruise here!
3. Admire the impressiveness of Mount Cook
Mount Cook is another place in South Island New Zealand that you absolutely cannot miss! Pictures and photographs don’t do this giant beauty justice and you really do have to see it in real life to appreciate and admire its overwhelming impressiveness.
The drive to get to the base of Mount Cook is an entire experience in itself and if you’re lucky enough to visit on a clear day, you’ll be able to get a crystal-clear view of the tallest mountain in New Zealand!
4. See the wildlife along the East Coast of South Island New Zealand
While there’s wildlife to be seen all over South Island New Zealand, I found some of the best to be along the East Coast.
Wild seals and penguins can be found between Timaru and Oamaru and you’ll also see plenty of sea creatures along the way (see the point below for more)!
Read more: The Ultimate 5-Week South Island New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary
5. Go whale watching in Kaikoura
Speaking of wildlife and sea life; Kaikoura is one of the best places in South Island New Zealand to embark on whale-watching tours and it’s something I really wished we’d have done while we were there (the weather was too bad on the day we visited so we couldn’t go on a tour).
Book a whale-watching tour in Kaikoura here!
6. Get your thrill on in Queenstown
Queenstown is an absolute haven for all things adrenaline based and is a central hub for thrill-seeking activities!
Skiing, skydiving, bungy jumping, zip lining, canyon swinging, jet boat riding and white water rafting are all incredibly popular things to do in Queenstown and regardless of which season you visit, you’ll definitely find something worth doing!
Book a Shotover River Jet Boat Ride here!
7. Spend lots of time in Fiordland National Park
I mentioned above my absolute adoration of Milford Sound but I was also completely obsessed with the entirety of Fiordland National Park as well.
The whole drive to get to Milford Sound is an absolute dream road trip destination and I’d highly recommend adding it to the very top of your South Island New Zealand bucket list!
Read more: Book a Milford Sound scenic cruise here!
8. Walk up the world’s steepest street in Dunedin
If I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Dunedin at all. It just didn’t have the right “feel” to it for me and it’s the one place in South Island New Zealand that I’d probably tell people to skip if it wasn’t for Baldwin Street.
Officially dubbed as the steepest street in the world until just a couple of weeks ago when a town in Wales snatched it from Dunedin, it’s hard to comprehend from pictures just how steep it really is!
It’s a crazy sensation to walk up the unfathomably steep street and it’s way more exhausting to hike up than it looks! It’s definitely worth doing if you’ll be passing through Dunedin but I wouldn’t necessarily suggest going out of your way to see it…
9. Visit the southernmost point in South Island New Zealand
One place I would suggest going out of your way to see is Slope Point; AKA the southernmost point of South Island New Zealand.
There’s not an awful lot at the site apart from a lighthouse and a sign indicating how far away from both the Equator and the South Pole you are, but the views out to sea are absolutely phenomenal. It was definitely a highlight of our trip to be there and I would definitely recommend visiting if you’re on a self-driven campervan trip around the South Island!
10. Indulge in a wine tour in Marlborough, Blenheim
As soon as we arrived in the Marlborough wine district I instantly knew it was a place that my mum would absolutely adore as she’s been drinking New Zealand Marlborough white wine for years now!
Almost everywhere you drive around the region, you’re greeted with endless vineyards, breweries and fancy accommodations in stately manors where you can enjoy a tipple or two of the infamous wine!
Book a full-day wine tour in Marlborough here!
11. Tuck into a delicious Fergburger in Queenstown
If there’s one place I can recommend eating in the whole of New Zealand (not just the South Island, the whole country!) it would be Fergburger in Queenstown.
I’ve genuinely never eaten a burger that tasted as good as the ones from Fergburger; I had the Chief Wiggum which consisted of belly pork, a hash brown, lettuce and a delectable sauce. It’s a tad on the pricey side and you’ll likely be queuing for a short while but it is so worth it.
I guarantee you won’t have ever had a burger this good (and if you have, please let me know in the comments so I can try it)!
12. Spend some time discovering Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier
Unfortunately, I can’t vouch for the Glaciers from personal experience as when we visited, the weather and visibility were so bad, we could barely see a couple of metres in front of us (just take a look at the picture above)!
However, I do have it on very good authority from fellow travellers and bloggers who’ve visited the spectacular Glaciers and have said that they’re well worth doing (if you can bloody see them)!
Book a Fox Glacier and Franz Glacier helicopter tour here!
13. Drive through the iconic Arthur’s Pass in South Island New Zealand
The drive through Arthur’s Pass often gets a bit of a bad rep as the weather can sometimes be so torrential that it closes quite a lot due to landslides and snowfall.
However, if you do manage to make the drive through it, you definitely won’t regret it and it was actually one of my favourite drives in the South Island!
14. Go on a hike in Abel Tasman National Park
Spanning across an impressive 237.1 km² area of land, Abel Tasman National Park is a beautiful place to embark on a hike in the South Island.
It’s home to numerous lengthy walking tracks, but it also boasts several shorter walks too (such as the Harwoods Hole Track that we completed).
15. Visit the Moeraki Boulders – South Island New Zealand things to do
The Moeraki Boulders are about halfway between Timaru and Dunedin and are a definite must-stop if you’re driving along the East Coast of the South Island.
They reminded me somewhat of dinosaur eggs and they definitely have a Jurassic feel to them!
It’s a great place to wander along the beach and admire these impressive rock formations that seemingly come from nowhere!
16. Visit Punakaiki and see the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes
On the opposite side of the island, the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes put on a natural show that can’t be missed if you’re driving along the West Coast.
The Pancake Rocks are a remarkable sight to see and they look so weird jutting out from the sea where they’re stacked on top of one another!
The blowholes are also great to see if you catch them at the right tide time!
17. Watch the sunset/sunrise in South Island New Zealand
There are so many places in South Island New Zealand that are perfect for capturing a glimpse of some of the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life.
We saw some beautiful ones on the East Coast (the picture above is sunrise at a spot called All Day Bay) but we were also lucky enough to see them around the entire island as well.
It’s definitely worth getting up nice and early to experience New Zealand’s stunning sunrise at least once during your visit.
18. Jump into the Blue Pools (in summer!)
The beautiful blue pools in South Island New Zealand reside on the outskirts of Haast and really are as blue as they look in pictures!
They get incredibly crowded during the summer months, with people jumping off the swing bridge into the refreshing water below; it’s a definite must-do on a hot summer’s day!
19. Go stargazing in Tekapo or Ahururi River
As well as being home to some of the most extraordinary sunsets and sunrises I’ve ever seen, South Island New Zealand was also the place where I saw the most incredible stars in my life.
We were even lucky enough to see the Milky Way and it was an experience that I’ll never, ever forget!
We saw the particular starry sky above when we were parked near the Ahuriri River but Tekapo is notorious for being the best place in the South Island for spectacular stargazing opportunities.
20. Visit the incredibly Instagrammable Burke’s Pass in South Island New Zealand
I’d heard/seen Burke’s Pass on Instagram a couple of times before we went to New Zealand so when I discovered that we’d be driving passed it on our South Island New Zealand road trip, I just knew we had to make a stop.
It’s one of the most Instagrammable places in New Zealand and it’s such a quirky place to spend a little time admiring the weird and wonderful antiques that are hidden inside the small stores.
Read more: The 19 Most Instagrammable Places in New Zealand
Related posts:
- The Ultimate 5-Week South Island New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary
- North Island vs South Island New Zealand – Which Island Is Better?
- New Zealand North Island Itinerary – Ultimate Guide Of The Best Things To Do
- The Best Paid Campsites in South Island New Zealand
- 15 Best Freedom Camping Spots In South Island New Zealand
I think it’s safe to say that South Island New Zealand is an absolute hub of all things beauty, adventure and sprawling, spectacular scenery. It’s home to such a diverse landscape of things and you’re sure to find a plethora of things to see and do that you fall in love with just like we did!
Pin for later – things to do in South Island New Zealand
Would you add anything else to this list of the best things to do in South Island New Zealand? Is it somewhere that’s on your bucket list? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @imjustagirl_16.
