You’re in the southern hemisphere now – if you’re from “up there” somewhere, remember that the seasons are opposite down here. Summer is Dec-Feb and winter is Jun-Aug.

Not only that – because the South Pole isn’t too far away, it’s colder in the south of New Zealand than it is in the north, which is closer to the equator.

Don’t worry about the sun though – it still rises in the east and sets in the west!

Climate

As isolated islands in the vast Pacific Ocean, New Zealand has a maritime climate. This means it avoids extreme heat in summer and extreme cold in winter, but that the weather is very changeable.

That said, the weather generally comes from the west, meaning lots of rainfall for the west coasts of both main islands and drier weather on the east coasts.

Daylight savings

Kicks in late September and finishes in early April.

Festivals & Events

There are always lots of events going on throughout the country. For 100% Pure New Zealand’s extensive lists, see:

By genre

By region

Our pick of Festivals & Events are sorted by season below.