If you've never visited New Zealand then you're missing out; it's a little piece of paradise, just across the Tasman, where humans make up only 5% of the living population. You're never more than 130km from the coast. and a staggering one third of the country is a protected land or marine area, making it the perfect option for any traveller looking to add a little 'social distance' between themselves and the hustle & bustle of modern life. 

Despite the many attractions (just a handful of which we've looked at below) New Zealand tends to find itself excluded from world maps. This has lead to a couple of fantastic New Zealand Tourism videos (take a look at the original here) but it also presents us Australians with a great opportunity to explore the islands before the rest of the world wakes up to its full potential. Scroll down for our best go at the when, where & what of New Zealand. 
     

  
New Zealand's seasons loosely match those of Australia, and whilst Summer offers the best overall weather it's also the busiest time of year for tourists and that means there's not as much value for money on offer; that's why we tend to favour Spring instead. 

In Spring the ski season is still coming to an end, so the mountains look majestic with a light blanket of snow. As this starts to melt it presents an incredible opportunity for white water rafting if you're feeling adventurous! Spring is also the time when the new flowers and leaves start appearing; a very special time of year if you're going to be visiting the many parks (of course you are!!!) But which ones? Scroll down for a few of our favourites.