South Island Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
one of the two main New Zealandian islands
About South Island
The South Island of New Zealand is the larger of the two main islands and is sometimes referred to as the 'Mainland' (especially by South Islanders) despite having just 1.2 million of New Zealand's 5.2 million population – or about 20 per cent of NZ's population. Geographically the South Island is dominated by theSouthern Alpswhich divide the island and affect both climate and flora. Most of the South Island's national parks are strung out along this main divide. Christchurch,Dunedin,InvercargillandNelsonare the main settlements, but many attractions are outside the cities. All four cities are very different. Christchurch is the largest and had a certain English feel to it until earthquakes and shopping malls took their toll. Nowadays it is definitely a New World city. Dunedin was settled
Top Attractions in South Island
Explore the best things to see and do in South Island:
- ★Mountain biking
South Island Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: