New Zealand is a country blessed with beautiful landscapes, with ancient forests and glacier-covered mountains, which is why many movie directors come here from all over to shoot their films. Most famous of all the Lord of the Rings trilogy was shot here as well as many others. 

They say the best way to see New Zealand is by hiring a camper van and just hitting the road. 

At the top of the North Island is Auckland as known as the “City of Sails”. Auckland is a great starting point on your adventure as it is situated at the top of North Island and has a major airport for most international flights. While there is plenty going on in Auckland, a must is a visit to the wineries on Waiheke Island which is a short ferry ride away. 

 Waiheke is home to a number of wineries and vineyards which blend into the landscape. This is the perfect place to visit if you want to escape the city and experience some beautiful landscapes and watch the sunset. There are also some great eateries on Oneroa village which are well worth a try. The beaches are fantastic and there is also plenty to do for the adventure seekers such as the flying fox zipline, horse riding, archery etc. This place is great for a day trip but you could easily spend a couple of days here as well depending on your itinerary. 

The Bay of Islands is also a must see. This tranquil beach region with turquoise waters is only 3 hours drive from Auckland. Dotted with 144 small islands. There is plenty to do up here including swimming with dolphins. One of the more popular trips is ‘Hole in the Rock Cruise’ where you cruise around the islands in a catamaran. 

Read Part Two next week for more travelling around the North Island…