New Zealand: the North Island, the South Island, or both?

The North Island: warmth, volcanoes and Māori culture

The North Island is often unfairly treated as a prelude to the South. In truth it's a world of its own. In the north lies the Bay of Islands, with more than a hundred islands and Waitangi, where the country's founding treaty was signed; on the west coast, the old kauri forests of the Hokianga and the giant tree Tāne Mahuta. At the island's centre, Rotorua's geothermal valleys steam, and in Tongariro National Park the one-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing passes craters and emerald lakes, weather permitting.

The North Island suits those for whom culture and history matter: meeting Māori hosts, learning what the place names mean, the museums of Wellington. It also suits families who value shorter drives and warmer beaches. It's generally warmer here, and the distances between places are a little kinder.

The South Island: mountains, fiords and space

The South Island holds the views that bring most people to New Zealand. Aoraki/Mount Cook above the glacial lakes Pukaki and Tekapo, the dark skies of the Mackenzie Basin, Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu and the vineyards of Central Otago, the fiords of Milford and Doubtful Sounds in Fiordland, and in the north and west the coast of Abel Tasman and the glaciers and rainforest of the West Coast.

It particularly suits walkers, couples and anyone who wants mountains and space. It's also home to celebrated multi-day tracks such as the Milford and the Routeburn, where hut or lodge places usually need booking well ahead. But the scenery comes at a price: longer drives, more dependence on the weather and, in Fiordland, the need for a spare day if rain or wind rearranges the plan.

Two weeks on one island almost always gives more than two weeks rushing across both.

Both islands: when it makes sense

The two islands join beautifully in one journey if you have at least three weeks, and better four. The route then flows naturally from north to south: arrive in Auckland, travel through Rotorua and Tongariro to Wellington, cross Cook Strait by ferry to Picton and leave from Queenstown or Christchurch. A route with no doubling back saves more than one day of driving.

The ferry itself is more than logistics. The final stretch winds between the forested headlands of the Marlborough Sounds, and for many it becomes one of the calmest moments of the trip. It's worth knowing that the strait is famous for its winds, so sailings are sometimes delayed or cancelled: one more reason not to plan anything important for the same day.

A few practical pointers

• The seasons are reversed: New Zealand's summer (December–February) coincides with Lithuania's darkest weeks, while spring and autumn are often quieter with beautiful light. In winter some mountain roads and tracks may close.
• The time difference with Lithuania is around half a day, and the journey with connections often takes more than a day. Plan the first two days to be light and close to your arrival point.
• Traffic drives on the left, and driving times are almost always longer than the kilometres suggest. Plan no more than a few hours at the wheel each day.
• Stay at least two or three nights in each place, especially in Fiordland and around Aoraki, where the weather decides what you'll see.

If you can't decide, think about what matters more: culture, warmth and shorter drives, or mountains, fiords and long walks. And if New Zealand is likely to be a once-only journey, it may be worth finding a third week. Tell us how you imagine the trip, and together we'll work out which island, or both, suits you best.