Tasmania’s capital has been revitalised in recent years with a slew of new museums, restaurant openings and festivals. Hobart’s highlights include the provocative Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), the lively waterfront and a thriving foodie and craft beer scene.

Set amongst the dramatic beauty of the Tasman Peninsula, Port Arthur is a former convict settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the partially restored ruins really bring Australia’s colonial history to life. The Island of the Dead, a convict cemetery that sits on its own island, is said to be one of the most haunted places in the country.

Visitors to Dunedin are amazed by the extraordinary Victorian and Edwardian buildings dating back to the gold rush, which bring to mind the city's Scottish roots - not least when the sound of the pipes echoes through the streets.

Situated halfway between Christchurch and Dunedin on the east coast of the South Island, the pleasant town of Timaru has a well-preserved Edwardian centre, some interesting museums and galleries, a good range of shops and a nice coastal park along Caroline Bay.

The name Akaroa means ‘long harbour’ in Maori, and this sleepy town on the southern side of the Banks Peninsula is situated on a beautiful natural harbour created when a volcanic crater collapsed into the sea. The first Europeans to settle here were French, and the town still has a decidedly Gallic flavour.

Kaikoura sits amongst spectacular South Island scenery, and is renowned as a marine wildlife hotspot. The meeting of subtropical and cold southern ocean currents sustains an abundance of species including sperm whales, orcas, pilot whales, humpbacks, dolphins and seals, as well as birds including albatross, shearwaters and penguins.

Tauranga is the largest city on the Bay of Plenty, and is said to be one of the sunniest spots in the whole of New Zealand. There’s a real boom town feel here, with new restaurants, bars and hotels opening all the time, and neighbouring Mount Maunganui is a popular beach destination.