Discover North Island, New Zealand

According to Ma-ori mythology, the North and South Islands of New Zealand arose through the actions of the demigod Ma-ui. Ma-ui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the South Island) when he caught a great fish and pulled it from the sea. While he was not looking his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up.

• Top Destinations on the North Island

» Destination Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland has a warm-temperate climate, with warm, humid summers and mild, damp winters, and is the sunniest and warmest of New Zealand's main centres. Auckland is home to many cultures. The majority of inhabitants claim European - predominantly British - descent, but substantial Maori, Pacific Islander and Asian … see all Destination Auckland

» Destination Rotorua, New Zealand

Rotorua is home to not only geothermal interests, but botanical gardens and some interesting historic architecture. Known as a spa town and major tourist resort for more than a century, many of the buildings hint at this history. The formal Government Gardens close to the lakeshore at the eastern end. Rotorua is a major destination for tourists … see all Rotorua

» Destination Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington showcases a variety of architectural styles from the past 150 years - nineteenth century wooden cottages, such as the Italianate Katherine Mansfield Birthplace in Thorndon, some streamlined Art Deco structures such as the old Wellington Free Ambulance headquarters, the City Gallery, and the Former Post and Telegraph Building … see all Wellington

• Destination North Island A-Z

» Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty, often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name. The bay was named by James Cook after he noticed the abundant food supplies at several Ma-ori villages there, in stark contrast to the earlier observations he had made in Poverty Bay …

» Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel Peninsula was named for HMS Coromandel, a ship of the British Royal Navy, which stopped at Coromandel Harbour in 1820 to purchase kauri spars and was itself named for India's Coromandel Coast. The peninsula is steep and hilly, and is largely covered in subtropical rain forest. Numerous small islands and island groups lie offshore …

» Gisborne, North Island

The harbour at Gisborne was host to many ships in the past and developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. Now the harbour is the home of many smaller fishing boats as well as ships loading logs for export. The city maintains a rural charm and is a popular holiday spot …

» Hamilton, North Island

Hamilton, on the Waikato River, is a bustling retail precinct. The entertainment area is quite vibrant due to the large student population. Many of the city's venues and attractions are located on the old Town Belt, including Hamilton Gardens, Waikato Stadium, Seddon Park, Founders Theatre and the Hamilton Lake Domain …

» Hawkes Bay Region

Hawkes Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The Hawke's Bay region includes the hilly coastal land around the northern and central bay, the floodplains of the Wairoa River in the north, the wide fertile Heretaunga Plains around Hastings in the south, and a hilly interior stretching up into the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges …

» Lake Taupo, North Island

Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres, it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray (Papua New Guinea). Lake Taupo has a perimeter of approximately 193 kilometres, a deepest point of 186 metres …

» Napier, North Island

Napier's major tourist attraction is its architecture, which draws Art Deco and architecture enthusiasts from around the world. The rebuilding period after the 1931 earthquake coincided with the short-lived and rapidly changing Art Deco era and the Great Depression, when little "mainstreet" development was being undertaken elsewhere …

» Ninety Mile Beach

Ninety Mile Beach is a beach located on the western coast of the far north of the North Island of New Zealand. It stretches from just west of Kaitaia towards Cape Reinga along the Aupouri Peninsula. It begins close to the headland of Reef Point, to the west of Ahipara Bay, sweeping briefly northeast before turning northwest for the majority of its length …

» The Northland Region

The Northland Region, one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, is, as the name suggests, the northernmost of New Zealand's administrative regions. The main centre is the city of Whangarei. Northland is located in what is often referred to by New Zealanders as the Far North, or, because of its mild climate, The Winterless North …

» The Taranaki Region

The Taranaki Region in the west of New Zealand's North Island is named for the region's main geographical feature, Mount Taranaki. The large bays north-west and south-west of Cape Egmont are prosaically named the North Taranaki Bight and the South Taranaki Bight. Mount Taranaki, the dominant feature of the region, is second-tallest mountain in the North Island …

» Tauranga, New Zealand

Tauranga is located around a large harbour that extends along the western Bay of Plenty, and is protected by Matakana Island and the extinct volcano of Mauao. Situated along a faultline, Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty experience seismic activity, and there are a few volcanoes around the area (mainly dormant) …

» The Waikato Region

The Waikato Region stretches from Coromandel Peninsula in the north, to the north-eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu in the south, and spans the North Island from the west coast, through the Waikato and Hauraki to Coromandel Peninsula on the east coast. Broadly, the extent of the region is the Waikato River catchment …

» Waitomo Caves

The Waitomo Caves are a village and cave system forming a major tourist attraction in the northern King Country region of the North Island of New Zealand, 12 kilometres northwest of Te Kuiti. The community of Waitomo Caves itself is very small, though the village has many temporary service workers living there as well. The caves are believed to be over two million years old …