Explore Your Own Backyard With The South Island’s Best Tourist Attractions
COVID-19 may have meant goodbye to this year's Euro trip, but now is the perfect time for us to explore our own beautiful country without the crowds that 3.5 million-plus tourists bring each year. We've put together a list of well-known (and a few more secret) spots around the South Island you need to check out now that tourist numbers are down—and the best part is, you can explore a lot of these places for free.
There's never been a better time to support local so without further ado, here are the best tourist attractions in the South Island that you need to see, stat.
RealNZ x Altitude Business Class Tours, Queenstown to Milford Sound
Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park
Image credit: Milford Sound Business Class | Supplied by RealNZ
If you’re going to do Milford Sound, you may as well do it properly. The Milford Sound Business Class experience from RealNZ and Altitude Tours takes the classic Milford trip and dials it all the way up. Think pick-up in a glass-roof Mercedes van, a lounge stop in Te Anau for coffee and morning tea, and a scenic cruise down one of New Zealand’s most spectacular roads, where you'll see waterfalls spilling down the cliffs and maybe a cheeky Kea along the way.
Once you arrive, you’ll board the luxury MV Sinbad, reimagined as an intimate floating restaurant set against the dramatic backdrop of Fiordland National Park. Enjoy a bespoke tasting menu by Michelin-trained Kiwi chef Tom Hishon (former co-founder of Kingi, co-owner of Daily Bread, and wild food company With Wild), who’s bringing his deep connection to Southland to the table. The menu champions regional ingredients so you can enjoy high-end Aotearoa cuisine while you cruise through the fiord’s towering cliffs and waterfalls — ideally with a glass of champagne in hand. Bliss.
Tap Into Tranquillity At Doubtful Sound
Doubtful Sound, Fiordland National Park
Image credit: Doubtful Sound | Lauren Sanderson
If you’re looking for a rejuvenating South Island escape, head further afield and soak up the serenity of Doubtful Sound. Tucked deep within Fiordland National Park, this remote fiord feels worlds away from the crowds of Milford Sound. The journey in is part of the magic—crossing Lake Manapouri before travelling over Wilmot Pass, where the landscape slowly opens into vast, misty wilderness. To truly experience it, opt for an overnight cruise, where cosy cabins, an onboard chef and uninterrupted views of towering cliffs and waterfalls set the tone for a seriously special stay. Spend your time kayaking through glassy waters, watching for dolphins, seals and penguins, or simply taking in the quiet—so still you can hear waterfalls echoing through the fjord. When the boat engines switch off at night, and the stars come out, the silence here feels almost magical.
Soak Up Local History On The TSS Earnslaw
Queenstown
Image credit: Walter Peak & TSS Earnslaw | Supplied by RealNZ
Step back in time with a cruise across Lake Whakatipu aboard the iconic TSS Earnslaw. Operating since 1912, this vintage steamship pairs old-world charm—think working steam engines and heritage interiors—with some seriously good views of the The Remarkables and Cecil Peak. For the full experience, add the stop at Walter Peak High Country Farm, where you can choose from a long lakeside buffet lunch at Colonel’s Homestead, afternoon tea, or the garden-to-table tour—all complete with sheep, working dogs, planting native trees, and a behind-the-scenes look at life on the farm.
Raise Your Pulse With The Shotover Jet
Queenstown
Image credit: Shotover Jet | Lauren Sanderson
For a true Queenstown adrenaline hit, it doesn’t get more iconic than Shotover Jet. Tearing through the dramatic canyons of the Shotover River, this high-speed jet boat ride is basically a rite of passage in the adventure capital. Expect heart-racing speeds, tight canyon turns and those signature 360-degree spins that leave you grinning (and possibly a little soaked). With sheer rock walls just metres away, it’s easily one of the most thrilling ways to experience Queenstown’s wild landscape.
Franz Josef Glacier Heli Hike
Franz Josef Glacier | West Coast
Image credit: Franz Josef Glacier Hike | Lauren Sanderson
If there’s one way to experience the West Coast’s wild side properly, it’s the Franz Josef Heli Hike. You’ll lift off in a helicopter and land straight onto the icy terrain of Franz Josef Glacier — no long approach hike required. From there, crampons on, you’ll follow your guide through a surreal world of towering ice formations, deep blue crevasses, and constantly shifting glacier caves. It’s equal parts adventure and jaw-dropping scenery, with views across the Southern Alps that feel almost unreal. If you’re going to tick off a glacier experience in Aotearoa, this is easily one of the most unforgettable.
The Ultimate Ice Adventure
Mount Cook National Park
Image credit: The Tasman Glacial Lake | Lauren Sanderson
If you want to get properly close to a glacier without strapping on crampons, the Glacier Explorers boat trip in Mount Cook National Park is hard to beat. You’ll cruise across the icy waters of Tasman Lake, weaving between giant floating icebergs that have calved off the face of Tasman Glacier. The scale of it all is pretty mind-blowing — chunks of ancient blue ice drifting past while sheer alpine peaks tower overhead. Your guide breaks down the glacier’s history along the way, and if you’re lucky, you might even get to hold a piece of ice that’s thousands of years old. It’s easily one of the coolest (literally) ways to experience Aoraki.
Horse Trekking and Adventure Tourism
Queenstown
Ahh, Queenstown. The southern Mecca for tourists in NZ, and for good reason. If you're wanting to take a horse trek through the gorgeous scenery, why not do a trek through LOTR country. Now's the perfect time to put you big kid pants on and head to the Shotover Jet too, which zig-zags through tight canyons for the ultimate thrilling experience. If Bungy jumping's not your thing, you should definitely at least try out the Nevis Swing, a giant swing through a canyon that'll have you screaming and laughing—and possibly crying—all at the same time.
Abel Tasman National Park
Near Nelson
With crystal clear water, untouched beaches and New Zealand bush teeming with birdlife, Abel Tasman National Park is not to be missed. Plan a multi-day hike through the park and stay at the campsites and DOC huts, or book yourself a day trip full of kayaking to pristine beaches, seeing penguins and seals and short hikes through the park. If kayaking for two hours sounds like too much work, book yourself a sailing trip and see all the best parts of the park without breaking a sweat.
Whale Watching
Kaikoura
Although currently closed, we're sure Whale Watch Kaikoura will be back up and running soon. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing to tick off your bucket list, and you will not regret sign yourself up for this. Kaikoura is basically the whale-watching capital of the world, and depending on the day you will almost definitely see sperm whales, plus you could also be treated with seeing a whole variety of dolphins and other species of whale depending on the season. When summer comes, end your day with dinner at Nins Bin, famous for their fresh crayfish dinners.
Arthur's Pass
near Hokitika
A gorgeous spot for tramping and a bit of bird-watching, Arthur's Pass is high up in the mountains between the east coast and west coast of the South Island. Be back to your car within three hours with this track which will take you to waterfalls and through wetlands with views of nearby mountains. Afterwards, you could check out Hokitika Gorge and it's amazing blue-green waters, and in the evening head to the Glow Worm Dell for a magical up-close encounter with some glow worms.
Stargazing
Tekapo/takapo
The South Island is famous for its clear night skies, perfect for gazing up at the stars. Make the most of it at the Mt John Observatory, which sits on top of a mountain for the ultimate viewing experience. Spend two hours looking at the stars and learning from expert guides, then travel down to Skyscape to stay the night in an epic glass-roofed room. You could even head back up to Tekapo to spend the next day splashing at Tekapo Springs, an awesome swimming pool complex complete with a spa, with views overlooking the lake and mountains.
Snorkelling
Stewart Island
This place is really a barely-touched national treasure, and which is more reason to head there ASAP and get stuck in and experience as much as you can. Take an hour ferry-ride from Bluff and get right into it with a snorkelling tour in the pristine waters of Rakiura. Follow that up by making your own Stewart Island trip souvenir at a greenstone carving workshop, and walk away with your own hand-carved piece of New Zealand pounamu.
Looking for more NZ travel ideas? Check out the beaut tourist hot spots in the North Island.
Image credit: High Country Horses, Whale watching in Kaikoura by Graeme Murray, Tekapo by Miles Holden, Mt John Observatory by Vaughan Brookfield, Stewart Island by Matt Crawford.