The Best Scenic Drives in New Zealand

New Zealand is surrounded by 15,000 km of coastline. Tips for Buying Used Engines . All towns in New Zealand lie no more than 130 km from the sea. It is no wonder, then, that there are scenic drives right throughout the country. Many tourists choose to fly to Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, and then start at the very top of New Zealand, working their way down the North Island, and ending their journey at the southern most end of the South Island. Some again choose to work their way down one side of the coast, and return to their starting point driving up the opposite coast, stopping at central-island tourist destinations on the way.



The first scenic drive to pursue is the Twin Coast Discovery Highway. Beginning in Auckland, you can drive up the Eastern coast, stopping off in Paihia in the Bay of Islands – a key tourist destination with its idyllic sandy beaches, pohutukawa trees and sub-tropical climate. Head further north to Cape Reinga – New Zealand's northernmost tip where you can see the white line where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Next, wind your way down the precipitous Western coast, with its rugged beaches and massive Kauri trees.



The Pacific Coast Highway from the Coromandel Peninsula, all the way along the Eastern coast to Napier and the Bay of Plenty, is the second scenic drive. You will see stunning white sandy beaches, while Gisborne boasts to be the first city in the world to see the sun rise.



The third scenic drive is the Thermal Explorer Highway, which combines Maori culture and historic geothermal activity, visiting touristic areas such as Rotorua, Taupo and one of New Zealand's top skiing destinations, Mt Ruapehu.



Next is Surf Highway, from New Plymouth to Hawera on the Western side of New Zealand. This region, known as Taranaki, is home to some of Aotearoa's best surf beaches, as well as Egmont National Park.



The final scenic drive in the North Island is the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, which winds down from Hawke's Bay on the East coast to Marlborough, at the top of the South Island. The beauty in this trip is that you can see iconic country towns whilst visiting rustic cafes with award-winning wine.



New Zealand's roads are generally well maintained – in fact many of the roads are continuously being repaired and upgraded to maintain the high standard New Zealand roads are renowned for. It is best to drive slowly where there are road works; otherwise you may find yourself needing windscreen repairs with all those sharp jumping stones. car engine grounding cable. Overseas tourists must remember to drive on the left-hand side of the road, and not to drive whilst tired, particularly if you have just flown in on a long-haul flight from overseas.