New Zealand is the sixth largest island country in the world with a sprawling landmass of over 268,000 sq km. Even so, most of us limit our travels to the most popular (and populous) cities like Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown and Christchurch, passing by small towns and hidden gems while rushing for the usual tourist hotspots.
However, going off the beaten path can yield truly some delightful finds, both in terms of pristine nature and sublime cultural experiences.
My unexpected journey began in Auckland with a fellowship of three seniors and a 30-year-old. We had set aside a mere eight days to drive from Auckland to Queenstown in New Zealand back to the start – a journey totalling more than 3,000km.
While I was looking forward to the adventure, the thought that we would have to gird ourselves for extended hours of driving filled me with considerable dread.
Thank goodness for chatty companions and granola bars (the modern equivalent of lembas bread).
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Warkworth, where ancient New Zealand native kauri trees touch the sky
We started off to the town of Warkworth where we were staying for three nights. The town was in a part of New Zealand – the northlands – I hadn’t been to during my first visit, some 30 years ago and I was eager to explore it.
Looking as English as it sounds, Warkworth — located on the North Island — was named in 1853 by an early settler who took the name from Northumberland in the United Kingdom. In the centre of the town is a striking bridge that sits above a historic weir, which provided water for the town’s original industry, timber milling.
Today, that location houses a riverside restaurant and artisanal shops selling chocolates and knitting wool. Unfortunately, the shops close at the early evening hour, just 5pm.
But our interest was piqued by something else- the scenic Parry Kauri Park. Here, the 50m-tall kauri trees, native to New Zealand and culturally significant to Maoris, are used for their timber and gum.
Equally breathtaking are Warkworth’s night skies.
What was inescapable was getting the sense of how tiny humanity is, in this vast universe. New Zealand’s clear skies and little light pollution make it an ideal place for stargazing, especially when there are dedicated observatories for this in South Island.
Wander through nature’s art gallery at Matakana
About 9km away from Warkworth is Matakana. The village is home to restaurants, cute boutiques and wine bars.
The surprise here was the Brick Bay Sculpture trail – an open-air gallery of over 60 sculptures by New Zealand’s artists.
I love art and what added to the thrill was the way some pieces take a bit of sleuthing to spot.
Some sculptures were also exceptionally witty. There was one of a road sign of falling rocks that read ‘Funky capitalism’, another of five plastic tubes sitting on top of the other that read, ‘Every good boy deserves figs’. There’s a lot of humour in art.
I saw some young kids playing around a sculpture of a long-eared rabbit and bright silver triceratops, and made a mental note that I would tell my friends with grandchildren about this place after my return.
The Matakana area is not short of picturesque restaurants. The Farmers Daughter, where we had lunch the next day, had an equally gorgeous view of an estuary and the dishes were artistically presented — with the vegetables grown in-house.. There, we lingered over Leigh Fish crudo and market fish with potatoes and fennel.
Tirau, the quirky corrugated New Zealand town that captivates
Leaving the northlands, we drove through the Waikato region as we made our way to Wellington. Here, we came across the cute town of Tirau.
The sight of cheeky dog and sheep-shaped buildings in corrugated metal brought a smile to our faces and we made the surprising find that we had actually come upon the purported corrugated capital of the world.
I was dreading the public toilet with its metal door as it looked like an old-fashioned amenity from Singapore’s kampongs of the ’60s. It brought back memories of smelly toilets and the urgency to get out from one. But the toilet in Tirau was modern and clean.
Hidden gems and golden heritage in New Zealand’s Arrowtown
Most people who visit the South Island tend to stay in Queenstown – as did we. Beautiful though Queenstown is, it is touristy. If you’re looking for a quieter (and less pricey) option, Arrowtown has a range of accommodation from secluded stone cottages to five-star resorts to choose from.
Right before us and larger than life were frontier-feel facades, and storefronts with large windows to display their goods. I half expected a cowboy to walk through a set of swinging saloon doors.
I felt as if a movie set from some John Wayne film had been reconstructed here, though it shouldn’t have been a surprise – this town has a history of gold mining era in the 1860s and hasn’t changed much since.
Venturing into the Lakes District Museum & Gallery, we discovered that much like the California Gold Rush, Chinese miners had been invited to come and work here.
The museum has on display the artefacts (including an old-style toilet which opened to a startlingly lifelike statue sitting inside – a dose of Kiwi humour, anyone?) and stories of the gold miners. You can round off your visit by hiring gold pans and giving panning a try.
Arrowtown also has a treasure trove of shops retailing everything from wool products to pounamu (New Zealand jade), puau shell and opal jewellery. It was interesting to note that possum (a protected species in Australia) is used for its wool in New Zealand.
The farmyard adventure at Glenorchy
An hour away from Arrowtown is Glenorchy. With its spectacular landscapes, the area has been depicted in many movie scenes from The Lord of the Rings as well as The Chronicles of Narnia.
Though a forested area near Glenorchy (intriguingly named Paradise after a breed of duck endemic to New Zealand) offered potential hiking opportunities, we opted instead for the more-relaxing Glenorchy Animal Experience.
There, we encountered kunekune pigs (a breed of domestic pigs from New Zealand), which we unanimously agreed were the “ugliest pigs we’d ever seen”.
Strangely, there were a few alpacas and llamas — native to South America — on the farm. Alpacas were introduced to New Zealand in the 1980s and are bred for their soft, lustrous fur.
I recalled having seen alpaca sweaters in the wool boutiques in Queenstown and noted that they are even more pricey than the merino wool ones. The llamas are used much like packhorses in New Zealand although on the farm itself, they were kept as companions to the alpacas, so we were told!
At first, I couldn’t differentiate between the two but this was sorted when the farmer explained that alpacas have shorter, more pointed ears than llamas.
A word of warning to any incoming travellers: Dress warmly as the winds here are strong and I felt chilly even though it was summer.
Lake Tekapo: purple lupins by day, celestial wonders by night
Lake Tekapo is a must-visit if you are in the area. The beauty of the turquoise lake surrounded by golden-hued tussock grass took my breath away.
Adding to the postcard perfect scene was a stone church — built in 1935 and possibly, the most photographed church in the country — and the statue of a dog, built to honour the border collies brought in by Scottish shepherds.
A sea of purple and pink greeted us. They were growing by the side of the lake, adding a dash of vibrant colour to the scene.
Lake Tekapo lies within Aoraki MacKenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, making it one of the best places to stargaze in the entire southern hemisphere.
New Zealand’s small towns are underrated hidden gems
Quirky, arty and hospitable, New Zealand’s small towns provide an escape from the hustle and bustle. Driving through both islands allowed us to experience so much of this incredibly beautiful country – along with the flexibility to enjoy its hidden gems.
Here are six takeaways from my driving road trip around New Zealand:
- Choose your vehicle carefully. While a hatchback for our group of four was adequate, an SUV (sports utility vehicle) would have been a more spacious option.
- To avoid road fatigue, plan for no more than 4 hours’ drive at a stretch.
- Getting to Glenorchy was a challenge as we had to drive on gravel roads. Here, a raised four-wheel-drive would have yielded a less bumpy ride.
- To break the tedium and the problems of being cooped up for long hours, plan for days when you don’t have to drive. There are full-day trips where you can get picked up near your residence.
- Factor additional days to take in spectacular starry nights as well. For instance, Lake Tekapo is also famous for their night skies.
- Book the space on the ferry early if you’re going from North to South Island as they are popular, especially in summer.
