North Island

Home to most of the country's population, the North Island blends bustling cities with volcanic peaks, subtropical forests, and world-class dive sites. Offshore, the Poor Knights Islands are considered some of the best diving, their walls and arches filled with rays, sharks, and shoals of fish in nutrient-rich waters. Inland, geysers and hot springs remind visitors of the island's volcanic heart. The North Island's energy is shaped by Māori communities and their traditional connection to mother Earth.