13 impresionantes lugares al atardecer en Nueva Zelanda

Esta publicación puede contener enlaces de afiliados de los que gano una pequeña comisión sin costo para usted. Por favor mira mi página de divulgación para información.

Nueva Zelanda has some awe-inspiring vistas, from the southern alps to glistening lakes, volcanos and sheep, lots of sheep, like looooooooooots of sheep. However, with a Maori name like Aotearoa, or Land of the Long White Cloud, it probably shouldn’t be surprising that those clouds lend themselves to some epic sunsets all around the country.

We’ve been to Nueva Zelanda four times now, and every time, the beautiful light shows in the sky leave me in awe of God’s creation.

Normally when we travel, we try to cover as much ground as possible in a day, so that means we’re often driving into the dark (at least, in places where we are comfortable doing so). On our last major trip to Nueva Zelanda though, our 32-day North Island road trip, we specifically set aside days with time to just sit and watch the sun setting. We also got in a decent share of stellar sunrises too I might add.

It was totally worth doing. There is nothing quite like taking the time to find a good vantage point and just sit and watch the sun slowly sinking beyond the horizon until suddenly, almost like it had been moving at a rapid pace the whole time, it disappears out of sight. It’s so calming.

So, with that said, here are my favourite sunsets from our visits to Nueva Zelanda!

Sonido dudoso

The sun starting to set at the entrance to Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound is located right down the southern end of Nueva Zelanda’s South Island and it isn’t the easiest place to get to. Real Journey’s do a tour here, and the overnight one is your only chance at seeing the sunset. While the sun is setting over the ocean towards Australia, it creates some awesome reflections off the rocks, waves and, of course, clouds.

More info on Real Journey’s Overnight Doubtful Sound Tour

Lago tekapo

The sun setting over the Great Southern Alps behind Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo, also on Nueva Zelanda’s South Island, is a brilliant blue during the day, especially when the sun is shining straight on it. In a way, it almost feels like your eyes are playing tricks on you. At dusk though, the sun sets behind the Great Southern Alps, plunging the lake into darkness, and leaving behind the silhouettes of sleeping giants.

On a side note, there is a great little restaurant near the water called Mackenzies Cafe, Bar and Grill. We make a habit of visiting every time we pass through here. You can see why in this blog post.

Cape Palliser

The sunset towards Wellington from Cape Palliser

It’s a bit of a trek out to Cape Palliser, and I’ll admit, parts of the road made me wonder if we would make it safely, or perhaps even more important: if we would make it back afterwards! The cape is right at the south-east most point of Nueva Zelanda’s North Island and the road gently weaves around the rocky, wind-worn cliffs that make up this stretch of coastline.

The problem is, the elements are not so gentle, so there are lots of sections where the bitumen is gone, cliffs have collapsed onto the road, and even more concerning, parts of the road have collapsed into the ocean!

However, there are a surprising amount of people that live out this way and traverse the road frequently, so that should give you some confidence. Besides, we got out there and back safely!

What’s special about Cape Palliser though is that the geography of this part of the island is such that you can watch the sunset across Palliser Bay and over the mountain ranges that lie between here and the capital city of Wellington. If you are paying careful attention, and have a clear day, you can actually see past the mountains to the edges of Wellington itself.

It was pretty special to watch this sunset.

The Rolling Hills of the North Island

Sunset from the top of the cliffs at Ocean Beach, New Zealand

This sunset was actually from the top of the cliff road that leads down to Ocean Beach, just east of the city of Hastings in Hawkes Bay, Nueva Zelanda. However, you’ll find rolling hills like these ones all over the North Island of Nueva Zelanda. If you are out in the late afternoon, you can get enjoy some pretty special sunsets.

Napier

Sunset over the city of Napier

This one was not expected at all. Don’t get me wrong, Napier is a beautiful city and all, but it is on the east coast of Nueva Zelanda’s North Island. East. It gets pretty remarkable sunrises to be sure, but I was blown away how every single evening we spent here was painted with beautiful colours in the clouds. Except for the evenings that were raining. Not so much colour then, mostly just grey.

Realistically, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise considering the sunsets at nearby Ocean Beach..

Taupo

Sunset from our Airbnb in Taupo

We knew Taupo had good sunsets. However, the one night we decided not to go out to the lake or up to the Waipahihi Botanical Reserve, we actually got the most vibrant sky. Sitting in the top of our AirBnB (a really cool tiny house), we had the perfect view. It was so serene watching the clouds slowly change their hue with the sun.

New Plymouth

Sunset at New Plymouth Foreshore

Where do I even start! New Plymouth is magical as the sun starts to come down. Our first visit to New Plymouth was very quick, so the second time, we spent a few days here and made sure to take in a sunset.

New Plymouth is located on the west coast of Nueva Zelanda’s North Island, which means the sun does go down over the ocean. However, much of the foreshore of New Plymouth is actually facing north. This means the light shines straight down the cities many western lines, like the foreshore, the train line, the main roads and so on.

Sunset at New Plymouth Foreshore

New Plymouth also has a big rock right on the water’s edge, as well as a couple of islands nearby. These all make for some great light play. So much so, I just had to include some bonus photos!

Sunset at Paritutu Rock New Plymouth

The one above is Paritutu Rock, taken from Mount Moturoa Reserve.

Raglán

Raglan Sunset

Raglan is one of those lesser-known gems. You never really hear about it (or I don’t), but it reminds me a lot of Byron Bay in Australia. It’s got great surf, white sandy beaches, and is a pretty chilled out town.

It is also perfectly situated for glorious sunsets.

Michael Hope Lookout above Ngarunui Beach is the perfect spot to sit back, enjoy a picnic dinner, and watch the sun dancing on what looks like silky, undulating waves.

In reality, the waves are much bigger than they look from up so high.

Tauranga From The Sea

Tauranga Sunset from Golden Princess

To be fair, sunsets from the sea can often be quite amazing. Some of the best ones I’ve seen though have been around Nueva Zelanda.

Tauranga is on the east coast of the North Island, so normally the sun is going to set with land views, although you can catch some great reflections across the harbour and bay. The best ones I’ve seen though have always been sailing out of the harbour with Mount Maunganui in the foreground and the city, and nearby hills silhouetted in the background.

Playa de agua caliente

Sunset at Hot Water Beach Coromandel

During the day, Hot Water Beach was a hive of activity every day we were there. Everyone was out digging, trying to find the elusive hot water – or sitting in one of the prized pools of it! As the sun began to go down though, it became a calm, tranquil place.

Of course, the sun will be setting behind the beach, but that doesn’t stop the colours coming out.

I suppose this could be different if low-tide happens to fall around sunset. If that’s the case then the hordes will likely still be there!

Bay of Islands

Bay of Islands Sunset from Radiance of the Seas

The Bay of Islands is located towards the far north of the North Island of Nueva Zelanda, and as the name suggests, there are a lot of islands in this bay. You can also see it from multiple angles. Head over to Russell and you can look west across the bay towards the town of Paihia. Unfortunately, we haven’t had the opportunity to be in Russell at sunset. We have gotten pretty close though, sailing out of the Bay of Islands on a cruise ship as the sun waves goodbye.

Oamaru Bay, Coromandel

Oamaru Bay Sunset Coromandel

All the way up the west coast of the Coromandel Peninsula are opportunities for divine sunsets, including from the town of Coromandel itself. On our trips though, the best we’ve seen was from Oamaru Bay.

From here, you are looking across the Firth of Thames towards Auckland and the islands that lie in between. Yes, you did read that correctly, the Firth of Thames can, indeed, be found in Nueva Zelanda.

Auckland

Auckland Sunset from Radiance of the Seas

It’s kind of funny. I’ve been to Auckland 5 times now, including once where I spent the night from 1 am until 6:30 am in the airport. Not the most rivetting airport at that time of the morning, I can assure you. The only thing open is the duty-free shop that you have to walk through after going through customs. Long story as to why I was there at that time of morning, but it ended with my first ever flight on a LATAM plane which was pretty cool.

Anyway. I digress. Auckland is unique because it straddles the peninsula and thus touches two oceans. Conveniently, it has bays on both sides, and there are nearby islands. It also has Sky Tower which can get you up high for sunset.

So, Auckland presents an awful lot of opportunities for sunset photographers. My favourite sunset shot of Auckland though has to be this one, sailing out on Resplandor de los mares.

There is just something about sitting on a cruise ship, feeling the bob of the waves and watching the sun sink below the horizon as you are headed off to your next destination.

I love it.

Where is your favourite sunset place in New Zealand?

This list is by no means exhaustive, these are just my favourites from our trips. So, what about you? Where in Nueva Zelanda is your favourite spot to catch the sunset? Let me know in the comments!

Mate

Read More: Parque Nacional de Fiordland de crucero, Nueva Zelanda

If you liked it, pin it!

13 Gorgeous NZ Sunsets 1
13 Gorgeous NZ Sunsets 3
13 Gorgeous NZ Sunsets 2
13 Gorgeous NZ Sunsets 4

Si este artículo le ayudó a hacer su vida un poco más fácil, considere reservar o comprar a través de uno de nuestros enlaces. No le costará nada, pero le ayudará a mantener este sitio en funcionamiento.

Ahorre dinero en sus vacaciones

Conversión de moneda y dinero de viaje: Usamos ambos Up Bank y Sabio para obtener las mejores tasas de conversión de moneda con soporte para Apple Pay y Android Pay, además de una excelente atención al cliente en la aplicación mientras viaja.

Vuelos: Verificamos algunos sitios para conocer los diferentes precios. Viajando desde Australia, siempre verifico Qantas directamente para ver si hay vuelos de recompensa, pero de lo contrario, verifico y comparo el costo de los vuelos con SkyScanner. Siempre vale la pena consultar rutas y días alternativos, especialmente cuando hay varias opciones de escala o aeropuertos alternativos cercanos.

Alojamiento: Normalmente reservamos a través de Agoda ya que encontramos que sus precios son los más bajos y las políticas de cancelación + los beneficios de lealtad funcionan mejor. También usamos Airbnb de vez en cuando.

Alquiler de coches: Usamos AutoEurope para comparar los precios de los coches de alquiler con las de las grandes marcas internacionales como Europcar, Budget, Hertz y Avis. Por lo general, terminamos usando Avis o Europcar ya que ofrecen las mejores ofertas (asegúrese de consultar sus ofertas actuales para obtener descuentos adicionales) y ambos mantienen bien sus vehículos con flotas relativamente nuevas.

Tours y actividades: Por lo general, intentamos reservar actividades a través de uno de estos sitios de terceros. ViatorObtenga su guía Y Klook debido a sus políticas de cancelación flexibles (nos ahorraron mucho dinero tratando de viajar después de COVID) y garantías de precio (a menudo mejores precios que reservar directamente). También reservamos a través de Globo rojo en ocasiones para actividades más exclusivas en Australia y Nueva Zelanda.

2 comentarios en “13 Awesome Sunset Locations In New Zealand”

  1. Wow! I have never been to New Zealand, but I’d love to visit. The photos are absolutely beautiful! I especially liked the Hot Water Beach, Doubtful Sound and Cape Palliser ones. To be honest, New Zealand is a long way away from home and the journey seems a bit daunting, but your itineraries are very detailed and I’ll be sure to refer to them when I plan to visit 🙂

    Responder
    • Thanks for your comment Georgianne! New Zealand is such a beautiful country. I recently discovered the world is a lot smaller than I thought. Coming from Australia, the UK is just about the furthest place you can go. It used to be pretty daunting and seemed so far away. As far as time goes, it is 11 hours behind Australia so almost completely on the opposite side of the world. However, after doing the flights, it really isn’t that far away at all. It seems so much further than it actually is. It probably helps also that there are so many cultural similarities between the UK and Australia that it felt a lot like home too. Definitely keep New Zealand in mind! I hope you can get there one day, it’s worth it!!

      Responder

Responder a Georgianne Cancelar respuesta

Este sitio usa Akismet para reducir el spam. Aprende cómo se procesan los datos de tus comentarios.

¿Quién soy?

Matt in Noumea

Matt trabaja casi a tiempo completo dirigiendo su negocio de marketing digital, TerraMedia. Sin embargo, en su tiempo libre, le encanta viajar con su esposa, por lo que generalmente terminan haciendo mucho.
El hogar es Australia, y aunque no pasan todo el tiempo viajando por el mundo, a Matt y a su esposa les gusta tomarse el tiempo para explorar y conocer un lugar, incluso si eso significa pasar mucho más tiempo allí de lo que los turistas normales podrían .

Puedes leer más sobre Matt y su historia AQUÍ.

Actualmente leyendo

Patrocinado

Suscríbase ahora para recibir las últimas actualizaciones