[Travel] New Zealand Tourism Board Spotlights Wairarapa as Prime Stargazing Destination
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
New Zealand Tourism Board on the 23rd highlighted Wairarapa, in the southeast of the North Island, as an ideal stargazing spot. About an hour from Wellington by car or train, Wairarapa offers both easy access and very dark night skies, and was listed in Lonely Planet’s "Best in Travel 2026" top 25. By day visitors can enjoy wine and gourmet food around Martinborough and explore Victorian wooden architecture, galleries, and cafes in Greytown and Carterton. After sunset, Wairarapa’s roughly 3,600 km² international dark sky reserve allows naked-eye views of the Milky Way without light pollution. (Martinborough; Greytown; Carterton)
