New Zealand South Island

A resort town, Queenstown boasted 220 adventure tourism activities in 2012. Skiing and snowboarding, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, mountain biking, skateboarding, tramping, paragliding, sky diving and fly fishing are all popular. Queenstown is a major center for snow sports in New Zealand, with people from all over the country and many parts of the world travelling to ski at the four main mountain ski fields (Cardrona Alpine Resort, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Treble Cone). Cross country skiing is also available at the Waiorau Snowfarm, near Cardrona village.

Te Anau is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and second only within New Zealand to Lake Taupo. Tourism and farming are the predominant economic activities in the area. Lying as it does at the borders of Fiordland National Park, it is the gateway to a wilderness area famed for tramping and spectacular scenery. Many tourists come to Te Anau to visit the famous nearby fiords Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound. Visitors to the area also partake in activities such as kayaking, cycling, jet boat riding, fishing and hunting, farm tours and seaplane/helicopter sightseeing.

Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. While Tauranga, Napier-Hastings and Hamilton have eclipsed the city in size of population in recent years to make it only the seventh-largest urban area in New Zealand, Dunedin is still considered one of the four main cities of New Zealand for historic, cultural and geographic reasons. Dunedin is a regular venue for touring ballet and dance companies, and also has multiple dance studios. Dunedin lends its name to the Dunedin Sound, a form of indie rock music which was created in the city in the 1980s.

Picton is a town in the Marlborough Region of New Zealand's South Island. Picton is a major hub in New Zealand's transport network, connecting the South Island road and rail network with ferries across Cook Strait to Wellington and the North Island. The town is the second-largest town in the Marlborough Region behind Blenheim. The town is named after Sir Thomas Picton, the Welsh military associate of the Duke of Wellington, who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo.

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. The Christchurch urban area lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula. It is home to 381,800 residents, making it New Zealand's third most-populous urban area behind Auckland and Wellington. The river that flows through the center of the city (its banks now largely forming an urban park) was named Avon at the request of the pioneering Deans brothers after the Scottish River Avon, which rises in the Ayrshire hills near what was their grandfather's farm and flows into the Clyde.

Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The town is located at the mouth of the Grey River, on a narrow coastal plain close to the foot of the Southern Alps. In clear weather, Aoraki / Mount Cook can be clearly seen to the south from near the town. The mouth of the river divides the town into three areas: Blaketown, close to the river's mouth on the south bank; Karoro, to the southeast, separated from Blaketown by a series of small estuarine lakes; and Cobden, formerly a separate town, on the river's north bank.

Lake Tekapo is the second-largest of three roughly parallel lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand. The lake is fed at its northern end by the braided Godley River, which has its source in the Southern Alps to the north. The lake is a popular tourist destination, and several resort hotels are located at the township of Lake Tekapo at the lake's southern end. The Lake Tekapo Regional Park, administered by Environment Canterbury, is located on the southern shore of the lake. An astronomical observatory is located at Mount John, which is to the north of the town, and south of the small Lake Alexandrina.

Franz Josef / Waiau is a small town in the West Coast region of the South Island of New Zealand. The town is named after the Franz Josef Glacier - itself named by Julius von Haast in honour of the Emperor of Austria Franz Josef I of Austria. Following the passage of the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998, the name of the town was officially altered to Franz Josef / Waiau. The glacier's terminal face is 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the town and its accessibility makes it a major tourist attraction and the reason many people visit Franz Josef. The town is within the Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

Wanaka is a popular ski and summer resort town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, and is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Its economy is based on the many outdoor opportunities this offers. The town was originally settled during the gold rush of the 19C. With its lake and mountain views, Wanaka has become a popular tourist resort, considered less commercialised than Queenstown. Wanaka boasts a growing number of restaurants, cafes and a diverse nightlife. There are a number of wineries in the area. In winter, Wanaka is an excellent place to see the Southern Lights.

Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1, 180 km north of Christchurch. Kaikoura became the first local authority in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve recognition by the EarthCheck Community Standard. At the time of the 2013 census, the permanent resident population was 1,971, a 9.3% decrease since the 2006 census. The town is the governmental seat of the territorial authority of the Kaikoura District, which is politically a part of the Canterbury Region. The District has a land area of 2,046.41 km sq (790.12 sq mi) and a 2013 census population of 3,552 inhabitants.

Methven is a small town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located near the western edge of the Canterbury Plains. It is a rural service town throughout the year, but undergoes a stark transformation in winter. Mount Hutt skifield is around half an hour away from Methven, the closest town. As such, a number of cafes, bars, and restaurants lie relatively dormant over the summer months. In addition to skiing, another popular attraction is hot air ballooning, the annual Mountain Thunder motorcycle street-races and the annual rodeo.

Oamaru is a large town in the South Island of New Zealand. The Victorian precinct in southern part of Oamaru's main commercial district ranks as one of New Zealand's most impressive streetscapes due to the many prominent 19C buildings constructed from this material. The Victorian theme has been embraced by local shops and galleries in this part of Oamaru in terms of shopfittings and decor. Further enhancing the "olden days" feel of the precinct are several arts & crafts shops, a transportation museum, an antique furniture shop, and traditional businesses such as book shops, antique clothing shops, and a book binder/