Discussion on defining regions for South Island is in progress. If you know the area pretty well, please share your opinion on the talk page. |
The South Island of New Zealand is characterized by grand open landscapes. Divided by a backbone of mountain aptly called the Southern Alps, the South Island is known for spectacular mountains and fiords, large beech forests, golden sand beaches and broad plains. Generally cooler in climate than the North Island but don't forget sunhats and t-shirts - temperatures are routinely in the 30°C's in summer. In winter the sea buffers the temperatures which rarely drop much below 0°C except in mountainous regions.