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The Atlas Obscura Guide To New Zealand

147 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in New Zealand

Updated November 22, 2024

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  1. Akaroa
  2. Auckland
  3. Cape Reinga
  4. Christchurch
  5. Dunedin
  6. Hamilton
  7. Invercargill
  8. Lake Tekapo
  9. Mount Creighton
  10. Napier
  11. Nelson
  12. Waimangu
  13. Wanaka
  14. Wellington
  15. Whanganui

Unusual Attractions in New Zealand

See All 147 Things To Do in New Zealand

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in New Zealand

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Stories About New Zealand

Kava is regarded as the national beverage of Fiji, where it is often served to welcome visitors.

Why Kava Laws Choose Tradition Over Commercialization

New Zealand regulations prevent the sacred beverage of the Pacific Islands from being watered down.
by Andrew Coletti
Relampago del Catatumbo is considered the "most electric" spot on Earth.

5 of Our Favorite Podcast Episodes Celebrating Earth's Natural Wonders

From everlasting lightning storms to magnificent bioluminescence, these classic episodes will delight and intrigue you.
by The Podcast Team
Which nation can claim the pavlova?

This Christmas Dessert Caused a Decades-Long Rivalry Between Two Countries

Two historians are trying to track down pavlova's origins once and for all.
by Leah Hudson
There are at least 20 Māori names for the New Zealand fantail, a beloved native bird often seen as a messenger between worlds.

Does the New Zealand Fantail Connect the Human and Spirit Realms?

The bird is sometimes considered an omen of death, but in Māori tradition, that's just one part of its story.
by Roxanne Hoorn
The pekapeka-tou-poto, found only in New Zealand, is also known as the lesser short-tailed bat.

The Race to Save the Pekapeka-Tou-Poto, New Zealand's Unique Bat

For scientists, monitoring the feisty, endangered burrowing bat includes moments of "actual madness."
by Monica Evans
The mysterious metal cylinder on the shore of Western Australia.

A Massive, Mysterious Object Washed Up on an Australian Beach

Experts say it’s likely space junk—and there’s plenty more where that came from.
by Roxanne Hoorn
The Tamil Bell, the broken crown of a ship's bell embossed with Tamil script, has fascinated and perplexed scholars for more than a century.

The Mystery of New Zealand's Tamil Bell, an Archaeological 'UFO'

The strange bronze artifact perplexed scholars for more than a century, including how it traveled so far from home.
by Petrina Darrah
The Milky Way and curtain-like auroras fill a clear southern sky off Nugget Point, at the edge of New Zealand’s remote Catlins. While the island nation is too far north to see the aurora australis regularly, aurora-hunters flock to the Nugget Point lighthouse area for its dark skies and unobstructed view off the South Island’s southeastern coast.

Aurora Hunters Capture the Wonder of the Northern (and Southern) Lights

A curated collection of images shows why this natural phenomenon has fascinated and inspired humans for millennia.
by Gemma Tarlach

Lists Featuring New Zealand

Fierce little cat.
Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
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