5 of the best New Zealand travel blogs
Where to find the best New Zealand travel stories and advice online
My travel blogging set up in a cafe in Dunedin
The internet can be awash with junk, and a lot of travel blogs are massively over-commercialised (I get it — I want to make a living too. But I don’t feel comfortable ‘recommending’ something just so I can get people to make a purchase through an affiliate link. Yes, that happens a lot!
And don’t get me started on the number of ads plastered across most sites. I also try to keep ads on this site to a minimum, because I know they are intrusive).
These are the New Zealand travel blogs and websites that do a wonderful job of inspiring and informing. They all go far beyond standard top 10 listicles and give genuine advice.
If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand, these travel blogs can help inspire and inform you with genuine advice.
New Zealand travel blogs worth reading
Now that I’ve got my scathing opinions out of the way, here are some of the New Zealand blogs I actually like.
1. Petrina Darrah (I know what you’re thinking, but I have to put myself down as number one)
Yes, that’s me.
I know it’s a little bit poor form to self nominate, but hey — this is why I run my own New Zealand travel blog, so I can say whatever I want.
And I say a lot of good things.
I know New Zealand inside out, in much more detail than any of the travel bloggers who have visited for a few weeks, or even a few months.
My career has been within the travel industry, working with Tourism New Zealand (I managed the website newzealand.com) and before that Jucy, a campervan rental company.
I’ve updated a guidebook to New Zealand, and have written articles about our little country for big publications like the Washington Post and National Geographic Travel.
I’ve also travelled the entire country and paid for a lot of activities from my own dime.
2. Young Adventuress
Liz Carlson is a US transplant who has spent many years now living in Wanaka, in the South Island.
I am a big fan of Liz.
She writes beautiful essays that are real (no bullshit here) and from the heart. She’s not driven by writing for search algorithms or driving people to click on affiliate links — she just curates a gorgeous travel blog with outstanding imagery and her own genuine experiences fuelling it.
I also love that she covers some of the more off-the-beaten track parts of New Zealand, that don’t get as much love from other writers.
3. Abigail Hannah
Abigail is a talented photographer and her blog has some beautiful visual inspiration.
What makes her truly unique is her podcast — if you want to listen to stories of New Zealanders and travellers, and get a sense of what travel around New Zealand is like, this is a neat way to do it.
4. DOC conservation blog
While not technically a New Zealand travel blog, I still think this is worth checking out.
The Department of Conservation, known to everyone in New Zealand as simply DOC, runs a great conservation blog. It’s nice to see more of what’s going on behind the scenes in conservation efforts across New Zealand.
It’s nice to get some background on our endangered species and work to protect them, and get some insight into what DOC does — you will inevitably come across their green and yellow signage on walks around New Zealand.
5. Alice Adventuring
Alice behind Alice Adventuring is a down to earth New Zealand gal who writes about her hiking adventures around the country.
I have referred to her trip reports for various hikes multiple times, and trust the accuracy and honesty of all her information. She also just has a great, friendly style that is super approachable.
Other great New Zealand travel websites
I’m including these because although not strictly blogs, these magazines are where you will find some beautiful reading about New Zealand, as well as some fabulous insights and tips (Wilderness is where I go when I’m trying to scout out new hikes).
For me, these are some of the best New Zealand travel sites, with a combination of great storytelling and beautiful imagery.
Wilderness Magazine
Wilderness is all about the outdoors. The magazine covers things like the best huts and hikes around New Zealand, as well as gear reviews and stories on New Zealand adventurers.
I find it to be a great resource when I’m researching more remote hikes, as chances are it has been covered on the site.
It’s also nice for inspiration, as there are some great photos of the outdoors in there. If you would prefer to flip through a paper copy, you can find it the magazine aisle in most supermarkets.
New Zealand Geographic
Probably my favourite publication of them all, New Zealand Geographic has some of the best writers in the country putting together stunning reads on culture, science, and conservation in New Zealand.
I definitely recommend browsing through their articles before you visit New Zealand, and when you’re here grab a copy of the magazine from any supermarket — it’s ideal for reading over coffee in the morning, and easy to throw into any campervan or rental car.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope this helped you find a few resources for your New Zealand trip.
If you liked my style, you might want to read a few more of my articles:
