14-Day New Zealand Yacht Harbors

A city of stunning natural beauty, Auckland blends the best of the modern cosmopolitan world with that of a Polynesian paradise. Nestled between two beautiful harbors, this marine playground offers breathtaking views and more than 1,000 bays and beaches. Shop the colorful Victorian Park Market or the charming boutiques of Parnell Village. Explore museums brimming with artifacts of the Maori culture. Or enjoy the natural splandor of the city, from English-style rose gardens to extinct volcanic sites. Popular landmarks are One Tree Hill and Mount Eden.

With its miles of parks and tranquil gardens, striking Gothic architecture, and meandering Avon River, Christchurch is resplendent with English style and charm. Bustling Cathedral Square is the heart of the city, dominated by the spired Christchurch Cathedral. The serpentine Avon River invites strolls along its banks, dotted with weeping willows
and small romantic bridges. And throughout the “Garden City,” carefully tended streets and parks are ablaze with the color of classic English landscaping. Christchurch is the base for Antarctic exploration programs–visit the International Antarctic Centre located to the east of the city.

Sydney, capital of New South Wales, is Australia’s largest city, chief port, and main cultural and industrial center. Manufactures include ships, refined oil, chemicals, textiles, and automobiles. Sydney Harbour and Port Botany are the main ports. Founded as a penal colony in 1788, Sydney is Australia’s oldest settlement. Its population surged during the Australian gold rushes of the 1850s. Sydney replaced Melbourne as the nation’s largest population center after World War II. Landmarks include the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932); the Gladesville Bridge (1964); the modernistic Sydney Opera House complex (1973); and the Centrepoint Tower (1981), Australia’s tallest building. The city has several universities and museums, including the National Gallery of Art and the Australia Museum.

The region surrounding Rotorua offers both thermal features and insights into Maori culture. Trout fishing is abundant
as well as golfing at the famed Mount Maunganui.

Timaru is located on an island off the east coast of New Zealand, between Christchurch and Dunedin. It is a main sea port for industry and farming, as well as a popular port of call, especially around the Christmas Holidays. Originally named “Te Maru – The Place of Shelter”, this port town was built as a whaling station until immigrants from England arrived in 1859, and the town was finally declared a city in 1948.