New Zealand, Oceania (Point of interest)

A delightful mixture of indigenous art - Maori and settlers' - with a sprinkling of the international, the Auckland Art Gallery is a great success. Please note the Gallery is undergoing renovation and extension works which may cause disruption and ... Continue reading →

Christchurch Art Gallery is home to one of New Zealand's most important public art collections, with works by both international and local Canterbury artists. The gallery's striking curvy glass structure was designed by the Buchan Group after an in... Continue reading →

Christchurch's 19th-century Botanic Gardens encompass 21 hectares of New Zealand's "Garden City". Crisscrossed with walking trails and partly looped by the Avon River, the area blooms with exotic and indigenous plants, trees over a century old and ... Continue reading →

See the city shrink as you travel up Mount Cavendish in a four-person Christchurch Gondola. The sweeping views take in Lyttleton Harbour and the mighty snow-capped Southern Alps. At the top, visitors can explore the extinct volcano's Crater Rim Wal... Continue reading →

The grand neoclassical Auckland Museum provides a great introduction to Maori culture, New Zealand's natural environment and the New Zealand people. Formally called Auckland War Memorial Museum, it offers comprehensive, often interactive displays a... Continue reading →

Originally modelled on Leipzig's Gewandhaus, Auckland's Town Hall is the city's most important heritage building. It now forms one of the four constituent parts of The Edge centre, alongside the Civic Theatre, Aotea Centre and Aotea Square, Aucklan... Continue reading →

Part of Auckland's The Edge, the Aotea Centre stages cultural events. Opened in 1989 by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, the centre comprises the 2256-seat ASB Theatre (suitable for ballet, opera and large-scale productions) and the intimate 186-seat studio sp... Continue reading →

The Arts Centre of Christchurch (Te Pokapû Toi o Ôtautahi) is the South Island's cultural hub, encompassing the University and Court Theatres, Southern Ballet Theatre, Academy Cinema, Te Toi Mana Maori Art Gallery, plus shops, restaurants and a p... Continue reading →

Admire the metropolis of Auckland and its array of surrounding islands and beaches from Mount Victoria. This extinct volcano stands north of the main city, set in the rich suburb of Devonport. You can even drive to the top if you're feeling lazy! ... Continue reading →

With its classic volcano shape, formed in eruptions about 600 years ago, Rangitoto Island looms over the bay north-east of Auckland. Now deemed extinct, it's ideal for a picnic, barbecue or hike to escape the bustle of the city. With 200 species o... Continue reading →