The island has nine national parks, including the Abel Tasman National Park, famous for its golden beaches and granite cliffs, and Fiordlands National Park, filled with snow-capped mountains, gorgeous lakes and deeply cut sounds.
The wine-producing Marlborough area, the whale-rich waters of Kaikoura, the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, and the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are just a few of the other highlights on New Zealand's South Island.
Queenstown, birthplace of bungee jumping, provides good access to the natural attractions of the Southlands. Christchurch, South Island's largest city and cultural center, is a good base to explore the beaches of the northeast. Nelson is close to the parks and wine regions of the north, and Dunedin is the hub of the southeast.
South Island has 16 commercial airports, the largest at Christchurch. InterCity and Newmans Coach Lines have comprehensive bus routes, while Tranz Scenic offers passenger train service connecting Christchurch with Picton and Greymouth.
The summer months, December through March, offer lots of sunshine, while the winter months, May through September, are cold and wet.
