South Island map of must-see places
An interactive map with all of the best places to visit in New Zealand’s South Island
If you’re planning your visit to the South Island, you might want to visualise your route around the (surprisingly large) island.
The challenge with the South Island is that it’s large enough you’ll probably want to move most days — it’s hard to use any one spot as a base, without going on very long day trips.
To help you save time and plan your trip to the South Island, I’ve put together this interactive travel map of must-visit attractions, hidden gems, and hiking trails.
About this map
This interactive map of the South Island has more than 200 points of interest.
These are all marked with icons and divided into layers according to categories: hiking trails, national parks, and activites, recommended accommodation and campsites, practical information, activities, etc.
In addition, all places include a short description and links to official sources of information.
How to use this map
Hit the square in the upper right corner of the map to open it in a separate window (which will make it easier to view):
Click on each icon to see more info — I have added notes on each one with further details:
You can also check or uncheck each layer (for sights, accommodation, and so on) so that you only see pins for one layer:
It can take weeks to drive around the South Island
On my most recent trip around the South Island, I arrived in Picton, stopped in Nelson for a friend’s wedding then went to explore Golden Bay.
After that I made my way down the east coast of the South Island, through Christchurch, to Dunedin, and finally to Invercargill.
South Island itineraries and driving routes
These are some of my favourite itineraries around the South Island:
If you found this South Island map useful, you might also like some of my other resources for planning travel around New Zealand:
