Although the North Island is the smaller of the two main islands of New Zealand, it is much more vastly populated. It is home to the largest city in New Zealand, Auckland, also known as the 'City of Sails', and the Capital City of New Zealand is Wellington. The North Island has four national parks that are home to thermal fields, hot springs, ski areas, local forest, rivers and significant Maori sites.

Rotorua is renowned as the heartland of Maori culture. The mountains on North Island are volcanic in nature, and many remain quite active. The country's largest lake, Lake Taupo occupies an extinct volcanic crate. Along the northeastern coastline, the Bay of Islands is famous for its 125 (or more) scenic islands and secluded coves and, with nearly 100 km of white sand, the Bay of Plenty is New Zealand's premier beach area.

The overall climate of New Zealand is influenced by two main geographic features: the mountains and the ocean. Although its northern reaches enjoy a temperate climate, weather can change quickly across the country as weather fronts and tropical cyclones travel through this region of the South Pacific frequently.

Temperatures are generally warmer in the north than in the south, however, the climate differences can to be minuscule. In the summer months (Dec-Feb) the average high temps are in the low 70's F (21º C), while in the winter months (Jun-Aug) the average highs are near 40º F (4º C). The far-northern reaches of North Island experience sub-tropical weather throughout the year and freezing conditions are quite rare.

The autumn months (Mar-May), are a bit cooler than summer, but for most of the time, the weather is refreshing, with clear, crisp air. Moderately high rainfall is common (25 to 59 inches per year), but so are many hours of sunshine throughout the country. In fact, many places in New Zealand receive over 2,000 hours of sunshine annually. 

Car
The best and easiest way to get around is by car. There are a number of car rentals to choose from. The minimum age for renting a car in is 21. Some companies require you to have either a current New Zealand or international license while others will allow you to use your country’s license so check beforehand. You will need a credit card for security.  Every so often rental car companies need a car relocated, and the best place to find out about these offers are on message boards in hostels. The only draw back is you usually only have a few days to get the car from a – b and all you have to do is pay for petrol. Another option is to buy a car as cars in New Zealand are reasonably cheap, you can pick up a reasonable car for about NZ$1500 if you shop around.

Bus
There are two major bus companies in New Zealand, Intercity and Newmans and both these bus companies go to all the major destinations although Newmans is somewhat limited in the South Island. Shuttles are another great way to get around although they don’t run as frequently as the two larger companies.

Backpacker Buses
One of the most popular ways to get around for backpackers are the Kiwi Experience or Magic Bus. These offer more freedom as you can decide what place you get on and off and stay as long as you want. They are also a great way of meeting other travellers and exchanging stories and places to see that you may not have considered. The Kiwi Experience is mostly popular with olds whereas Magic Bus has a wider age group.