There is a bad side of traveling in NZ,  and that is our laws regarding highway advertising.

Some of the most amazing places are not sign posted for you to even know they  exist.

You just get one of these on the side of the road.

So here is my tip.

When travelling on a highway and  I see the little yellow sign up front I do the following

1/ Look in the rear vision mirror for traffic following

2/ No traffic, slow down to read the sign and stop if you need to.

Following this example I have found incredible places to see. Often they are on coastal roads because there may be an amazing beach with some history attached, a bird colony, a lighthouse, a water fall or some other place of interest. 

The South Island in particular I found this recipe to be extremely successful in finding those hidden gems.

Sometimes a 2 hour journey has taken 6-8 hours to do with all the stops and detours I found of interest.

Tip #2

Always allow those extra few hours for your journey if you have the time. Never rush a good holiday. Return home with the most memories possible.