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New Zealand; Is the North Island or South Island better?

Alright, my blog gets quite a few hits these days so I should maintain (begin?) some level of professionalism and give a balanced argument. However, I have no intention of doing that. If you are googling north or south island New Zealand and hoping for a clear answer rather than fence sitting, this is it.

I’ve recently returned from driving a campervan around New Zealand and if you’re trying to choose which island to visit in New Zealand, north or south, the answer is simple. The South Island.

North or South Island New Zealand Which One Should You Choose

Most people searching north or south island New Zealand are short on time and only picking one island. If that is you, the decision matters more than blogs pretending both are equal. They are not. They offer very different trips.

The North Island is busier, warmer, and more urban. The South Island is colder, emptier, and dramatic. One feels like travel. The other feels like a lifestyle destination. Neither is bad, but one is clearly better if your goal is seeing New Zealand at its best.

If this is your first time deciding between the north or south island New Zealand question, landscapes should decide it for you. The South Island gives you glaciers, fjords, alpine lakes and empty roads in a way the North Island simply cannot match. You drive for hours without seeing towns, traffic, or crowds. That sense of scale is why people fall in love with New Zealand in the first place.

If you are choosing between the north or south island New Zealand question based on logistics, here is the blunt version. The North Island is easier without a car and cheaper day to day. The South Island is harder to get around but rewards the effort ten times over. If you have wheels, time, and even a small sense of adventure, the South Island wins every time.

Why The South Island is better

Natural Beauty

All of New Zealand looks good, that’s what makes it so attractive to us backpacking folk. However, the South Island beats the North hands down when it comes to natural beauty. The North island is more forest, bush and beachy. The South island is what you hope and expect New Zealand will look like – glaciers, lakes, fjords, endless vistas. Any iconic image you’ve seen of NZ was probably taken in the South Island

Activities

If I had to choose where to live in New Zealand, I’d probably choose the north island, but to travel? It’s a no brainer, head south. The North Island activities tend to revolve around the fact that they have the majority of the population. Big city life, nightclubs and beach visits. Personally speaking, I find that New Zealand north island tastes very similar to Australia. Now that’s not a bad thing, I lived in Australia a few years ago (come on, it’s an Irish right of passage these days). But if you want the true NZ experience, it’s not to be found up north.

The South Island however, it’s the home of the backpacker. Hiking, zip lines, kayaking, bungee jumping, skydiving, Queenstown has more activities per person than any other town in the world, so if you haven’t been here and done some adrenaline orientated activity with a dirty hangover well my friend, you haven’t traveled.

The People

You don’t come to New Zealand to look at a concrete jungle, forget big city life. Part of the beauty of traveling is the people that you meet on the road. And although the South Island is much more sparsely populated than the north, the kinda people you meet on the South Island are just generally more awesome than the people in the North (sorry to offend, actually no I’m not).

Backpackers in the south wanna ‘really travel’, they wanna see the true New Zealand. They want to camp in an RV rental, or sleep in a campervan, trek and bungee jump. They wanna drink cheap booze and have fun.

North or South Island New Zealand FAQ

Is the North or South Island New Zealand better for a first time visit

If this is your first trip and you are choosing between north or south island New Zealand, pick the South Island. It gives you the version of New Zealand people imagine before they arrive. Big landscapes, empty roads, lakes, mountains and places that feel remote. The North Island is fine, but it feels more everyday.

Can you visit both islands in one trip

Yes, but only if you have enough time. If you have less than two weeks, trying to squeeze in both islands usually means rushing everything. If you are short on time and deciding north or south island New Zealand, do one properly rather than two badly. Again, go south.

Which island is better for backpackers

The South Island. Easily. The backpacker scene down south is built around travel and adventure. Campervans, hostels, hiking, adrenaline activities. The North Island backpacking scene is more city based and social. Depends what you want, but most people travel for the South Island vibe.

Which island is cheaper to travel

The North Island can be cheaper day to day because of competition and population. More supermarkets, more hostels, more transport options. The South Island costs a bit more, but you are paying for space and scenery. If budget is tight, that might push you north. If experience matters more, go south.

Is the weather better in the North or South Island

The North Island is warmer overall. The South Island is colder and more unpredictable, especially in the mountains. That said, the best scenery in New Zealand comes with changing weather. If you are choosing north or south island New Zealand purely for sunshine, north wins. For drama and variety, south wins.

Which island is better without a car

The North Island is easier without a car. Public transport and buses connect cities better. The South Island really shines when you have your own wheels. If you are deciding north or south island New Zealand and cannot drive, that is one of the few reasons to lean north.

How long do you need in the South Island

Bare minimum one week. Two weeks is ideal. Anything less and you will leave feeling like you missed too much. This is another reason why, when choosing north or south island New Zealand, people regret not spending all their time in the South Island.

Is Queenstown overrated

No. It is busy, yes. But it earns the hype. Queenstown is the adventure capital for a reason. Even if crowds are not your thing, it is worth seeing once. Then get out into the surrounding areas where it empties fast.

So, north or south island New Zealand?

People ask me all the time whether they should choose the north or south island New Zealand route for their trip. My answer has not changed after multiple visits. If you want nature, adventure, and that feeling of being far away from everything, go south. If you want comfort, cities, and familiarity, go north. Most people travelling to New Zealand want the first option.

The North Island is more designer jeans and designer haircuts, which certainly has its place, but they’re not my people. At least not when I’m on the road.

The locals in the South Island are famously friendly, so get your traveling asses here asap and confirm my beliefs on the North South debate. If you only have one shot at New Zealand and you are stuck choosing north or south island New Zealand, stop overthinking it and go south.

Happy travels!