New Zealand Seaside Delights

New Zealand is a nation of islands with over 18,000km of coastline. If there weren’t water activities galore, something would be seriously wrong. Not for the faint of heart, South Island’s chilly waters reward with rare animal sightings at the protected Farewell Spit and not-so-rare student sightings at Dunedin’s St. Clair Beach . Christchurch’s summer retreat, Sumner , has South Island’s best surfing. Captured by the classic surf flick The Endless Summer, Raglan’s Manu Bay with its endless lefthander is one of the world’s most famous breaks. Other surfer-friendly beaches abound on North Island on the Taranaki Coast and remote Northland . To escape the crowds, visit the electricity-free Hauraki Gulf Islands , a short ferry ride from downtown Auckland. For a method to your beach-crazed madness, see Go Coastal.

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.