Top 10 Things to Do in Australia and New Zealand

The ocean connects these two nations, but its character changes dramatically across the Tasman Sea. In Australia, the water is a warm, technicolor playground of coral and tropical fish, teeming with vibrant life. In New Zealand, it transforms into a deep, mysterious realm of ink-black fiords and cold-water giants. Experiencing both on one trip offers a study in contrasts, from the vibrant chaos of the Great Barrier Reef to the silent, immense majesty of the Fiordland Sounds.

What to Expect

• Coral Gardens: Snorkel in the warm, clear Australian waters, hearing the crunch of parrotfish on coral while surrounded by a kaleidoscope of fish.
• Private Charters: Sail the Whitsundays on a private yacht, feeling the warm sun and wind as you drop anchor in a secluded, turquoise bay.
• Fiord Kayaking: Dip your paddle into the glassy, dark waters of Milford Sound, feeling small beneath the immense, sheer, waterfall-lined cliffs.
• Cage Diving: Feel the rush of cold water and your heart pound as you make eye contact with a great white shark from the safety of a cage.
• Rich Ecosystems: Dive the Poor Knights Islands, experiencing the unique chill of the water and the sight of vast kelp forests and subtropical species.

Best Places to Experience Adventure Activities

• Great Barrier Reef
• Lord Howe Island
• Ningaloo Reef
• Stewart Island
• Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve
• Tonga Island Marine Reserve

See how you can explore these waters on our by taking a look at our sample Best of the Great Barrier Reef Tour.

In Australia and New Zealand, the beach is a reflection of each country’s geology and personality. In Australia, you find long, warm stretches of pure, blindingly white silica and iconic, bustling surf breaks that embody a laid-back lifestyle. In New Zealand, the shores are often framed by dramatic, fiord-like cliffs, volcanic black sand, or perfect, mountainous curves. These coastlines encourage  a deep appreciation of their power.

What to Expect

• Silica Sands: Feel the cool, soft silica sand of Whitehaven Beach beneath your feet. It is so pure, it squeaks.
• Iconic Surf: Smell the salt spray and sunscreen at Bondi Beach, watching the expert surfers navigate the famous, crashing waves.
• Secluded Coves: Arrive by private boat to a hidden cove in the Bay of Islands, the only sound the gentle lapping of waves on the shore.
• Dramatic Backdrops: Stand on the beach at Wineglass Bay, taking in the perfect, pink-granite curve of the mountains that frame the turquoise water.
• Coastal Walks: Walk a scenic coastal path, the scent of bush flora in the air, to be rewarded with an empty, pristine beach all to yourself.

Best Places to Experience Beaches

• Whitehaven Beach
• Bondi Beach
• Wineglass Bay
• Noosa Main Beach
• Awaroa
• Moeraki
• New Chums Beach

Find your perfect stretch of sand with our sample Best of New Zealand Vacation in 10 Days.

People travel to the far corners of the Southern Hemisphere to witness life that exists nowhere else on Earth. Australia’s wildlife is defined by ancient marsupials like the hopping kangaroo and the curious quokka, as well as brilliant tropical birdlife. New Zealand’s fauna evolved in isolation, leading to flightless birds like the kiwi and vast marine reserves teeming with whales and seals. An itinerary here offers the rare privilege of seeing creatures that are a study in evolution, all in their pristine natural habitats.

What to Expect

• Island Sanctuaries: Hear the distinct snuffling of a kiwi on a guided night walk in a private sanctuary, a rare and privileged encounter.
• Kangaroo Encounters: Watch the sunrise at Kangaroo Island, seeing kangaroos and wallabies browse in the soft morning light.
• Marine Giants: Feel the mist from a whale's blowhole as it surfaces near your boat in Kaikoura, its sheer size awe-inspiring.
• Curious Quokkas: Observe the famously cheerful quokkas on Rottnest Island, their curious nature a delight.
• Rainforest Sounds: Hear the rustle in the Daintree Rainforest canopy, searching for the elusive, dinosaur-like cassowary.

Best Places to Experience Wildlife

• Rottnest Island
• Kangaroo Island
• Daintree Rainforest
• Great Barrier Reef
• Kaikoura
• Otago Peninsula
• Paihia

Plan your next great encounter with our sample Wildlife Tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The islands around Australia and New Zealand are pockets of profound isolation, where evolution and culture took their own path. These islands are sanctuaries, home to birds found nowhere else, unique heritage bees, and ecosystems largely free from mainland pressures. Visiting them is an invitation to experience a deep sense of removal from the everyday, whether you are stepping onto the warm volcanic sands of a wine-growing haven or feeling the rugged, remote wilderness of the far south.

What to Expect

• Tropical Escapes: Step off a seaplane into the warm, shallow water of the Whitsundays, your private villa just steps away.
• Volcanic Vistas: Hike Waiheke Island's coastal trails, the scent of olive groves in the air, before a tasting at a world-class vineyard.
• Untouched Wilds: Explore Rakiura, feeling the sense of remote, untouched wilderness and hearing the calls of native birds.
• Gourmet Havens: Visit Kangaroo Island, tasting honey from heritage bees and gin from local botanicals, surrounded by rugged nature.
• Penguin Parades: Huddle in a private viewing area at Phillip Island, watching the small penguins emerge from the surf and waddle up the beach at dusk.

Best Places to Experience Isolated Islands

• Rakiura
• Waiheke Island
• Chatham Islands
• Kangaroo Island
• Whitsunday Islands
• Phillip Island

Explore these unique destinations on our sample Forgotten Islands of Oceania Tour: Rarotonga, Te Waipounamu, Tasman, and Whitsundays itinerary.

The wine regions of Australia and New Zealand are a testament to New World boldness, freedom, and geological fortune. In Australia, ancient soils and generous sunshine produce rich, powerful reds like Barossa shiraz. Across the Tasman, the cool, dramatic mountain climates of New Zealand yield crisp, aromatic whites and elegant Central Otago pinot noir. A private wine tour becomes a sensory journey that mirrors the unique climate, landscape, and spirit of each nation.

What to Expect

• Full-Bodied Reds: Taste the deep, peppery, and dark-fruit notes of an old-vine Barossa shiraz in a private, historic stone cellar.
• Crisp Whites: Sip a chilled Marlborough sauvignon blanc on a sunny terrace, its bright, grassy aroma a perfect match for the vineyard views.
• Velvet Pinot: Savor a complex, velvety pinot noir from Central Otago, its cherry and spice notes warming you on a cool evening.
• Coastal Wineries: Enjoy a cabernet in Margaret River, the scent of the nearby ocean mixing with the aroma of eucalyptus trees.
• Chauffeured Tours: Relax in a private, luxury vehicle as your guide takes you to boutique, family-owned wineries not open to the general public.

Best Places to Experience Wine

• Swan Valley
• Barossa Valley
• Hunter Valley
• Central Otago
• Nelson
• Hawke’s Bay

Discover the best vintages with our sample Winery Tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Beneath the surface of this corner of the Pacific, the earth is very much alive. New Zealand’s North Island bubbles and steams with volcanic energy, visible in spouting geysers, boiling mud pools, and smoking craters—a dramatic, ever-present link to the planet’s core. In Australia, that same subterranean heat manifests in quiet, clear-watered hot springs and thermal pools. Experiencing this geothermal activity offers a rare window into the powerful, often surprising geological forces that shaped both countries.

What to Expect

• Active Geysers: Feel the ground rumble and the warm mist on your face as a geyser in Rotorua erupts, sending a tower of water high into the air.
• Luxury Spas: Soak in a private, mineral-rich thermal pool on the Mornington Peninsula, the steam rising around you as you overlook the landscape.
• Bubbling Mud: Hear the thick, rhythmic plop of boiling mud pools, their sulfuric scent sharp in the air.
• Cultural Cooking: Watch Māori guides use the natural steam vents to cook a traditional hangi meal, an ancient and practical use of the earth's heat.
• Volcanic Hikes: Walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, feeling the volcanic scree underfoot and seeing the steam rise from the crater's edge.

Best Places to Experience Geothermal Activity

• Rotorua
• Tongariro National Park
• The Blue Mountains
• Innot Hot Springs
• Mornington Peninsula

Relax and rejuvenate with our sample Ultimate Australia and New Zealand Tour.

You cannot fully grasp the true scale of Australia or New Zealand from the ground. Whether it is the miles-deep canyons of Fiordland, the sprawling, intricate coral network of the Great Barrier Reef, or the vast, silent horizon of the Australian desert, a flight reveals patterns and perspectives that are hidden at eye level. Private helicopter, seaplane, or hot-air balloon rides offer an unforgettable, privileged vantage point, often culminating in breathtaking landings on isolated glaciers, remote mountaintops, or empty beaches.

What to Expect

• Glacier Landings: Take off in a helicopter and feel the jolt as it touches down on the ancient, blue ice of Fox Glacier, the silence immense.
• Reef Views: See the abstract, turquoise and blue patterns of the Great Barrier Reef from a seaplane, grasping its sheer scale.
• Desert Sunrises: Float silently in a hot-air balloon over the Red Centre, watching the first light hit Uluru and turn the desert floor a deep, rich orange.
• Fiordland Flights: Soar over Milford Sound, your flight path taking you so close to the granite cliffs you can see the mist from the waterfalls.
• Coastal Panoramas: Fly over the 12 Apostles, the drama of the limestone stacks against the wild Southern Ocean visible all at once.

Best Places to Experience Aerial Tours

• Great Barrier Reef
• Fox Glacier
• Milford Sound
• Bay of Islands
• Uluru
• Broome
• Atherton Tablelands

See it all from above on our sample Touring the Great Barrier Reef, Red Centre, and South Australia.

To truly understand the landscape, you must move through it on foot or by bike. The trails in Australia and New Zealand are immersive journeys into the untouched splendor of mountains, coastlines, and ancient forests. From the relentless red rock and wide skies of the Australian Outback to the lush, mossy tracks of New Zealand’s Great Walks, these routes peel back the layers of the scenery, revealing the solitude, scale, and rugged character of both lands.

What to Expect

• Coastal Hikes: Walk the Abel Tasman Coast Track, the path winding through lush forest before opening onto a perfect, golden-sand beach.
• Desert Rims: Feel the morning sun's warmth on the red rock of Kings Canyon as you complete the Rim Walk, the views into the gorge stunning.
• Island Cycles: Pedal a bike around Rottnest Island, with no cars in sight, stopping for a swim in a new, empty turquoise bay.
• Vineyard Trails: Cycle the Hauraki Rail Trail or a Hawke's Bay route, the easy, flat path leading you from one cellar door to the next.
• Ocean Drives: Bike a section of the Great Ocean Road, feeling the cool sea breeze and hearing the roar of the surf from above.

Best Places to Experience Incredible Scenery

• Abel Tasman Coast Track
• Mount Gower
• Kings Canyon Rim Walk
• Tongariro Alpine Crossing
• Hauraki Rail Trail
• Queen Charlotte Track
• Rottnest Island
• Great Ocean Road

Find your perfect path on our sample Endless Natural Splendors of New Zealand itinerary.

From June to August, Australia and New Zealand offer a twin-destination winter escape unlike anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia provides the singular experience of skiing slopes scented with eucalyptus, while New Zealand’s dramatic peaks around Queenstown and its dormant volcanoes deliver world-class terrain, from groomed pistes to heli-skiing on untouched powder. A winter itinerary here lets you chase the thrill of fresh snow by day, then retreat to the cozy luxury of a roaring stone fireplace by night.

What to Expect

• Queenstown Slopes: Ski Coronet Peak, the snow crisp under your skis, with breathtaking views of the deep-blue Lake Wakatipu far below.
• Heli-Skiing: Feel the rush of a helicopter dropping you on an untouched mountain, your first tracks cutting through pristine, deep powder.
• Lodge Comforts: End a day on the slopes in Queenstown, sipping a local pinot noir by a roaring stone fireplace in your luxury lodge.
• Australian Alps: Ski Mount Buller, the scent of eucalyptus in the crisp air, a uniquely Australian alpine experience.
• Volcano Skiing: Snowboard down the wide, open slopes of a dormant volcano at Whakapapa on Mount Ruapehu.

Best Places to Experience Seasonal Sports

• Falls Creek
• Mount Buller
• Queenstown
• Whakapapa
• Coronet Peak

Plan your winter escape after taking a look at our Australia in Winter and New Zealand in Winter articles.

In Australia and New Zealand, the road becomes an immersive destination. Scenic drives carry you through the full, striking contrast of these landscapes: the monumental rock walls and waterfalls of New Zealand’s fiords, the endless, meditative horizon of the Australian Nullarbor Plain, or the intimate sweep of the Sea Cliff Bridge curving out over the ocean. These routes celebrate geology and wild beauty at your pace, ensuring every bend in the road reveals a new, frame-worthy panorama.

What to Expect

• Coastal Roads: Drive the Great Ocean Road, pulling over to feel the ocean spray and hear the boom of the Southern Ocean against the 12 Apostles.
• Fiordland Drives: Navigate the Milford Road, the granite mountains looming on either side, their peaks lost in the clouds, with waterfalls at every turn.
• Outback Stretches: Experience the vast, meditative emptiness of the Nullarbor Plain, the straight road stretching to a shimmering, endless horizon.
• Lakeside Views: Wind along the road from Queenstown to Glenorchy, every corner revealing a new, stunning view of the lake and snow-capped mountains.
• Bridge Crossings: Drive the Sea Cliff Bridge near Sydney, the road curving out over the bright blue water, with the ocean on one side and cliffs on the other.

Best Places to Experience Scenic Drives

• Great Ocean Road
• Sea Cliff Bridge
• Nullarbor Plain
• Milford Road
• Gateway to Paradise (Glenorchy)
• Great Coast Road (New Zealand)

Get inspired for your road trip with Zicasso’s Scenic North and South Island New Zealand Discovery.

Australia’s vast, untamed land and New Zealand’s unique geological formations offer a world of contrasts. From volcanic landscapes to artistic cities, both countries provide grand scale and intimate moments.

Spend more time enjoying your trip with a travel specialist who can design your perfect vacation around your schedule and preferences. Find inspiration for your next trip with our Australia and New Zealand tours or Australia and New Zealand travel guide.