If you're planning a New Zealand trip without a car, almost every itinerary you'll find online is built around the South Island. And fair enough: the South Island is extraordinary, and it kept me busy for weeks. But somewhere between Queenstown and Abel Tasman I started hearing the same thing: 'Are you doing the North Island too?'

I almost didn't. The embarrassing truth is, when I first planned out my New Zealand trip, I didn't include North Island at all. The plan was to spend 3.5 weeks in South Island — heaps of time to spend in one country, no? — then fly to Southeast Asia. I also assumed it would be harder to navigate North Island without a car, and quietly worried it might feel like a step down after all the dramatic landscape in the Southern Alps. How wrong I was! As soon as I landed in New Zealand, I knew I'd want to spend much longer in this gorgeous country. I cancelled my SEA booking and decided to stay for a couple of weeks in the North Island.

I visited 3 very different corners of the North Island — Waiheke, Mount Maunganui, and Taupo — and did considerably less in each of them than I did anywhere in the South. I was already tired from all the moving around and hiking. A cyclone passed through during my time in Mount Maunganui. High winds shut down the Tongariro Crossing the 4 days I was in the area. I walked, ran, ate, listened to the birds, and read by the water a lot. Some days I did almost nothing at all.

The North Island has a completely different energy to the South: warmer, greener, with a landscape that surprises you in quieter ways. If you have time to spare after the South Island, or you're building a longer New Zealand itinerary, here's why the North Island deserves more than an afterthought.

🚌 Travelling in New Zealand's North Island without a car

Getting around the North Island without a car turned out to be pretty doable. The distances between stops are longer than the South Island, but the connections are reliable once you know what you're working with. I used a combination of InterCity busses, ferries, local busses, regional flights. The main points I've learned are:

• Book the Gold premium seats for longer InterCity bus journeys. The upgrade is worth it.
• Local buses were good and reliable from my experience.
• Don't forget regional flights: it's easy to assume Air New Zealand only connects the big cities, but smaller towns like Taupo have airports too. Tiny terminals, zero faff, and a great way to save time on a longer leg. 🛫

📍Waiheke: costal walks, pristine beaches, and tūī songs

Waiheke has a wonderfully mellow, unhurried energy. There are excellent walking trails winding through headlands and native forests, gorgeous beaches with dramatic surf, and vineyards scattered across the hillsides. It's the kind of place where a full day can disappear without you doing anything that would qualify as sightseeing, and that feels entirely right.

The island sits just 40 minutes by the Fullers360 ferry from central Auckland, which means most people visit as a day trip, and most people are leaving too soon. I stayed there for 3 nights and would happily stay longer to just enjoy the simple days.

🛏️ Where to stay on Waiheke

Oneroa is the main village on the island, within a short bus ride from the ferry, and has all the shops, cafés, and amenities you need, plus the stunning Oneroa Beach with golden sand and pristine waters.

I stayed in a gorgeous cabin in Oneroa, and amongst all the lovely stays I've had throughout New Zealand, this one was my favourite. The interior is so thoughtfully designed. It's private and tucked away, yet bus stops and shops are just around the corner. My absolute favourite thing about this place was waking up to the beautiful tūī songs every morning! I fell in love with those birds in New Zealand, and became so fascinated with the sheer range of sounds they could make. 🎶

🗺️ See more accommodation options in Waiheke →

🥾 Best things to do on Waiheke

1. Walk the 'Te Ara Hura' trail
   Waiheke boasts an excellent network of walking tracks, named 'Te Ara Hura', over 100km, winding across the island through coastal headlands, native bush, and farmland, with sea views appearing around almost every corner. And of course, you get to enjoy the beautiful tūī bird song along the way! The trails vary in length and difficulty, so there's something whether you want a gentle morning stroll or a proper half-day out. The bus network on the island is pretty good, so it's easy to start the walk from Oneroa and take the bus back.
2. Beach days
   Waiheke's beaches are gorgeous, with golden or white sand, clear water, and dramatic rolling surf that makes them feel wilder and more untamed than you might expect this close to Auckland. Onetangi is the longest and most popular, but I found Palm Beach and Big Oneroa Beach just as beautiful. When I followed the Te Ara Hura track from Oneroa to Palm Beach, I also found some small, much calmer bays perfect for a mid-walk dip. 🐚
3. Visit a winery
   The island has a surprisingly well-regarded wine scene, with a cluster of vineyards producing excellent reds in particular. Most are within reach by local bus or a short taxi, and several have restaurants where you can sit with a glass and look out over the vines and sea. A lovely way to spend a slow afternoon. 🍷

📍Mount Maunganui: New Zealand's finest beach & the art of doing nothing

I booked Mount Maunganui as a 'reset' week, and as a result, I did the least there of anywhere on this trip. A cyclone passed through right after my arrival, which kept me indoors for a couple of days, and I spent the rest of the week in a very pleasant state of doing nothing much outside walking, running, and practising aerial (yes, there is an aerial studio in Mount Maunganui!). After weeks of hiking and moving between towns, that was exactly what I needed.

Getting to Mount Maunganui is pretty straight-forward. I took an InterCity bus from Auckland to Tauranga, but you can also take a regional flight. From Tauranga, I hopped on a local bus to Mount Maunganui.

As soon as the storm passed and the sun was shining again, it was immediately clear why people love this place. Mt Maunganui is a vibrant, outdoorsy, and yet deeply laid-back beach town: boutique shops, good cafés and eateries; water sports like surfing and windsurfing; and of course, that world-class white sand beach.

🛏️ Where to stay in Mount Maunganui

Staying close to the main beach strip puts you within easy walking distance of the water, and shops and cafés along Maunganui Road, and the base of the Mount itself. Both Maunagnui Road and Marine Parade could be busy depending on the season, so I'd suggest stay on one of the residential streets between those two main roads to avoid traffic noises.

🗺️ See accommodation options in Mount Maunganui →

🌊 Best things to do in Mount Maunganui

1. Beach activities
   Mount Maunganui Beach has been named not only one of the best beaches in New Zealand, but also in the world. Expansive fine white sand stretching as far as you can see, enormous rolling waves, drift logs scattered along the shore, and tufts of grass where the beach meets the dunes. There's something wild, elemental, and atmospheric about it that's hard to articulate, and the backdrop of Mauao, an extinct 232-metre-high lava dome, makes it even more special. The paved Marine Parade coastal path along the beach is a treat for walkers, runners, and cyclists. Depending on the weather, you'll see plenty of people surfing or wind-surfing.
2. Visit McLaren Falls and Lake McLaren
   A beautiful waterfall park about 30 minutes from town, with walking trails through native forest alongside the Wairoa River. You could also do a kayak tour on Lake McLaren into the gorgoue Mangapapa canyon!
3. Visit Hobbiton Movie Set
   If you're a Lord of the Rings fan, Hobbiton in nearby Matamata is an unmissable day trip as it's just one hour away. ⚠️ Book in advance as the tickets can sell out fast! I unfortunately couldn't make it work on this trip thanks to awful planning and the cyclone, which just means I have a very good reason to come back. 🧙
4. Join a dolphin wildlife cruise
   If the weather allows, you can take a boat tour out into the Bay of Plenty with good chances of sighting pods of dolphins, and if you are lucky, orcas. Book through GetYourGuide.

⚠️ Sadly, all Mauao access and walking tracks are still closed following the unfortunate landslides in January 2026.

Taupo: New Zealand's underrated geothermal lake town

I came to Taupo primarily to hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Devastatingly, it didn't happen due to high winds on the mountain, which cancelled my transport every single day I was there, right up until I left. If Tongariro is on your list, definitely build plenty of flexibility on your itinerary.

However, Taupo itself is such a lovely town to explore for a few days, and it gave me something I hadn't quite expected: a bookend to my New Zealand trip. I started my New Zealand journey by a glacier lake in Queenstown, and I ended it at a geothermal one. ♨️

I took an InterCity bus from Tauranga to Taupo, which took 2.5 hours. Taupo itself also has a tiny airport which makes it easy to reach from Auckland.

🛏️ Where to stay in Taupo

While there are plenty of hotels by the lake, I stayed on one of the residential streets by Waikato River, away from the traffic. That area is so peaceful and quiet! In the morning you can see mist rising above the river, tinted orange as the morning sun shines through. Absolutely stunning. 🧡

🗺️ See accommodation options in Taupo →

♨️ Best things to do in Taupo

1. Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
   The Tongariro Alpine Crossing was the reason I went to Taupo. It is supposed to be one of the best day hikes in New Zealand, crossing an active volcanic landscape of emerald crater lakes, ancient lava flows, and dramatic ridgelines. As it's not a circular hike, you'll need a shuttle even if you have a car. There are several companies that offer transport from Taupo or Turangi. They monitor the weather conditions pretty closely and would let you know if they need to cancel the transport. Unfortunately even though I baked in 3 days of flexibility in my schedule, the weather gods still weren't on my side. I hope you will have better luck than me and get to do this epic hike! 🌋
2. Walk the Huka Falls track
   A flat, easy, and gorgeous riverside walk along the Waikato River leading to Huka Falls — where the full force of New Zealand's longest river squeezes through a narrow gorge and thunders out the other side in a torrent of brilliant blue-white water. The walk was low effort, high reward. At the start of the track you'll find Otumuheke Stream, which was supposed to be semi-warm, not quite warm enough on the day I went, but could be pleasant late summer!
3. Soak in the free geothermal hot spots
   One of the most special things about Taupo is that you can enjoy geothermal activities for free. Along the lake, you can see steam rising off the lake in places, and that's free you could have a nice and warm foot bath! You can even go into the lake for some contrast therapy. I spent hours soaking my legs in the Taharapa Hot Water Baths right in town, which was deeply restorative on increasingly cold autumn days. ♨️
4. Visit Taupo Thermal Springs
   For a more structured soak, Taupo Thermal Springs has proper pools at varying temperatures, including a cold plunge pool. I spent my last evening in New Zealand there and I loved the peaceful atmosphere. It was truly the perfect way to wrap up my New Zealand trip!
5. Walk or run along the lake
   The path along Lake Taupo from the marina out to Wharewaka Point is one of my favourite things about Taupo. Calm, beautiful, well maintained, with little beaches, benches, and picnic tables dotted along the way, and the lake spread out beside you and the mountains in the distance. I could easily spend a whole day wandering along the lake and lose track of time.

The North Island wasn't part of my original plan when travelling through New Zealand, and in many ways it showed: a cyclone, a cancelled hike, days spent doing very little. But that's precisely what made it such a good addition. After the relentless beauty and activity of the South Island, the North gave me something different: beaches that felt expansive and wild, a lake that steamed and glowed, endless native forests with sweet melodic bird songs. The landscapes are quieter here, more subtle, and overall, I had a more soothing and cosy time there, but everything was no less special. When I go back to New Zealand (and I truly cannot wait for that day to come true!), I will definitely include more places in the North Island in my itinerary without hesitation. 🖤

New Zealand is easily one of my favourite countries I've ever visited, and I hope this post goes some way towards showing why. If you're lucky enough to make it to that very special corner of the earth, I have no doubt it'll get under your skin the same way it did mine. And if you're still piecing together your route, my car-free New Zealand South Island itinerary is a good place to start.