vanlife
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The Southern Scenic Route: The Long Way, and the Better One
A slow arc along the South Island’s southern edge. Around 610 km from Dunedin to Queenstown, or reverse if you prefer. It starts in farmland and rough coast, threads through the Catlins, skirts Invercargill, then climbs to Te Anau and Fiordland before easing into Queenstown. I’ve driven it both directions. Once in spring when the Catlins…
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One Road Leads In. Many Roads Carry You On.
South Island Theme Roads, New Zealand The South Island is where a New Zealand road trip stops being an introduction and starts becoming a commitment. Distances stretch. Landscapes sharpen. Mountains, glaciers, and coastlines begin to dominate the drive. These are not roads you rush through. They are routes you follow—often longer than planned—because stopping feels inevitable.…
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The Adventure Highway: Where the Road Forgets You’re There
A quiet run through the Ruapehu heartland. Roughly 180 kilometers from National Park village south on SH4, then east on SH49 toward Waiouru. It links Tongariro National Park to the wild western edge of Whanganui National Park. No postcard views forced on you — just deep bush, empty valleys, and the kind of silence that…
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The Thermal Explorer Highway.
A central spine through the North Island’s volcanic heart. From Auckland south to Hawke’s Bay, mostly along State Highway 1 and 5. Steam rises from the ground, lakes fill old craters, mountains stand sharp against the sky. I’ve driven it north to south and back. Summer brings clear days for hikes, winter fog in the…
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The Pacific Coast Highway New Zealand
New Zealand’s east coast run along the North Island. Not one straight highway, but a chain of roads — State Highway 2 mostly — linking Auckland south through Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, to Hawke’s Bay. Pohutukawa trees fringe the edges in December, red against blue water. The drive mixes tight coastal curves with flat vineyard…