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Christchurch, New Zealand
There are plenty of things to see in Christchurch, from its parks to discovering its thriving arts scene. The city is home to an impressive collection of street art, with over 300 murals adorning its buildings. Visit the Street Art Christchurch website to take a self-guided tour and discover the works of local and international artists.
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Greymouth, New Zealand
With a population of 8,000 residents, Greymouth is the largest town on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island. Although there is not much to see within the town, I’d highly recommend checking out the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes at Punakaiki, which is a 30-40 minute drive from Greymouth.
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Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
Our self-driven journey across New Zealand’s South Island begins from Greymouth.
The 180 km drive is mostly flat with some good scenery along the way. There are a couple of lakes to stop by, but other than that not much in the way of things to see. As you get closer to the Southern Alps, the drive does start getting more scenic.
Here’s a time-lapse video of our drive from Lake Ianthe to Franz Josef.
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Wānaka, New Zealand
is was the drive I was most looking forward to. Often described as the most scenic drive in all of New Zealand’s South Island, I couldn’t wait to see it for myself. We made sure to set out early from Franz Josef because the drive is close to 300 km long and there is a lot to see along the way.
The two major highlights of our drive were the town of Haast and the Blue Pools of Haast. I’ve written a complete post on our drive to the Blue Pools of Haast for you to read. I’d recommend taking your sweet time on this drive. Appreciate the Gates of Haast, the Blue Pools, the seals, and the Hectors Dolphins (if you’re lucky).
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Queenstown, New Zealand
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Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand
The scenery changes often and fast. It was one of my most memorable drives, especially because I was in the passenger seat. The moment you get to Mt Cook National Park, you will see a sight so beautiful that it’s hard to describe in words. I’m of course talking about Lake Pukaki.
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Christchurch, New Zealand
Epic in the start, and then it just fizzles out as you get closer to Christchurch.
We had tears in our eyes after we’d realized what we had left behind. It’s a rude shock, sort of like descending from heaven to Earth.
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Kaikōura, New Zealand
Oh wow, there is so much to see and do in Kaikoura. From whale watching (book tickets) to admiring seals and dusky dolphins! Kaikoura is a marine life extravaganza. It has incredible views of the sea on one side and the mountains on the other.
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Akaroa, New Zealand
Akaroa is a former French settlement southeast of Christchurch. With a population of fewer than 1000 residents, the town is a perfect getaway spot from Christchurch. You can read more about Akaroa in this post of mine.
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Christchurch, New Zealand