5 Instagram Photos that Will Have You Buying a Plane Ticket to New Zealand’s South Island
7 Mar 2014
Yes, I know, that title is a whopper. And yes, it might seem that I am promising to do rather a lot with five instagram photos. But if you’re doubting, just look at these pictures and tell me (BE HONEST!!), are your fingers twitching towards Expedia or what?!? Because the South Island is just so great that I can stick my old iPhone 4 out the car window and, SNAP, just like that, convince you that New Zealand is the most spectacular country on earth.
Moke Lake, Queenstown
Picton Harbor
Outside of Wanaka, looking towards Mt. Aspiring and Rob Roy Glacier
Milford Sound after fresh snow
Kaikoura, on a windy day
Beautiful photos! I can’t wait to go. I’ll be there for almost 2 weeks before heading to Australia later this year – I don’t think 2 weeks is going to be nearly enough, but it’s all I’ve got for now!
Haha, I don’t feel like 10 weeks is enough either! I think with New Zealand it’s basically impossible to get enough, so you just have to make the most of the time you have…
Been convinced for awhile…I actually love the picture of your car with bikes on top. Seeing that makes me want to go on a road trip and go biking! Excited to read more of your NZ adventures!
Haha, I totally recommend it!
Beautiful photos, Syd :)
Thank you!
For years I’ve never even given NZ a second thought because they speak English and we have mountains here at home…but over the last 6 months I’ve read so many blogs about travelling there and have slowly become totally hooked on the idea! The scenery is just out of this world…I’m already wondering what sort of campervan we should hire. Thanks for the beautiful pics.
I literally cannot wait for my work holiday visa to arrive and for me to explore New Zealand later this year! Great photos, specially the one with the bike-car :D
Work holiday visa yay! I’m so jealous of people who took that route because they get to stay a whole year. haha. I still have seven years until I’m 30 though, so it will probably have to happen :)
Absolutely stunning photos, especially the one at Kaikoura! Very inspiring and want to book that ticket NOW! Planning to visit New Zealand as a side trip from Australia late next year. I may want to swap it around and spend more time in New Zealand! I have four weeks to travel between both places…definitely not enough time, so a second trip will be required :-)
Haha it’s impossible to have enough time in NZ. I’ve been here for 10 weeks—originally I was going to try to go to Australia, too. Then just ended up staying here.
Ohhh it looks so awesome. Even though I am an Aussie, I never made to it to visit my neighbours. Silly, silly girl i am, those photos are stunning and I can see why you never went to Aust!
I do plan on going to Aussie one day! I just didn’t happen on this trip. Plus, I just really like traveling slowly… so I’d want to make sure I have plenty of time to explore Australia…I’m sure a two week long trip would be totally insufficient :)
We are planning to go to New Zealand at the end of the year along with Singapore and Australia and even before I saw these pictures, NZ was probably the country I am most excited about visiting next!
But these images have just made these feelings even stronger, especially with the amounts of beautiful landscapes you have highlighted. I am really looking forward to exploring both North and South Islands. How long would you recommend needing to explore both? We were planning to spend between 7-10 days total in NZ but I am concerned it won’t be long enough – either way, it will give us a perfect excuse to head back there again if we don’t experience everything!
Haha, Chris, I’m here for 10 weeks and it’s not enough. Not saying you won’t have fun in 10 days! My advice would just be–don’t try to do it all! Pick one area (depends a little bit on what you like to see, but you could do a good loop from dunedin to christchurch and see fiords and glaciers and queenstown and lots of cool stuff in 10 days if you were willing to drive a decent chunk). And, yes, you’ll probably have to plan a return trip! I know I will… And I’m hoping to be in Singapore this december as well (if I don’t run out of money) so perhaps we’ll connect :)
Stunning pictures! Beautiful scenery!!
I would have posted this comment earlier, if I hadn’t just lost two hours on Expedia searching for the best options for traveling to NZ. Seriously, these photos are gorgeous, and the fact that you just snapped them on the go, and with your iphone shows how beautiful the South Island actually is.
I know, I’m actually a terrible photographer and look how pretty it is!
Love the photos – I definitely want to go, thanks for the scenes!
the first time i looked Moke Lake, Queenstown, it looks like the water is moving !!
I do NZ, have been to the South sialand snowboarding in Queenstown
Cant wait to go bakc – maybe next year i think
I always feel so nostalgic when I see photos from New Zealand! The colors can’t be matched! We spent a month there (3 in the South island) and were amazed by the beauty of this country. Your photos brought me back there for some instants, thanks so much for that!
Absolutely gorgeous photos! You’ve already convinced me to visit, so these are just icing on the cake :)
NZ = sorta close to SE Asia…