New Zealand is a beautiful country known for its devastatingly gorgeous scenic natural wonders. From towering mountain peaks capped in snow to rugged, unspoiled coastline, New Zealand’s top attractions are all part of pristine natural surroundings. New Zealand is so scenic that it has become a popular place for filming locations, with movies like Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia choosing to base their fantastic, surreal locales here.

Milford Sound

Part of New Zealand’s fjordlands on the western tip of the South Island, Milford Sound is other-worldly. This unendingly beautiful fjord is home to striking waterfalls that flow like white strings from the cliffs that, cloaked in clouds and mist, jut up out of the water.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Pools

Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland is a series of thermal pools located not far from New Zealand’s Taupo Volcanic Zone in the central part of the North Island. These naturally colorful hot springs derive their stunning hues from a saturation of metalloid compounds that form the beautiful orange deposits along the rims of the pools. Now a protected zone, Wai-O-Tapu is open to tourists, but only for admiring the pools, not swimming in them.

Mount Cook

New Zealand’s highest peak, Mount Cook, or Aoraki as it is known in the Maori language, is part of the Southern Alps Mountain Range on the South Island. Mount Cook spears to a height of 3,754 metres (12,316 ft) and remains capped in snow for most of the year. It is a popular sight for tourists, as it can be seen for miles away, and has also been the object of obsession for mountain climbers, who attempt to ascend its peak.

Moeraki Boulders

These incredibly unusual rock formations are located along Koekohe Beach on the South Island’s east coast south of Christchurch. Though they look strangely like ancient lava bubbles, the boulders were actually formed by sediment that built up in gaps and petrified, exposed centuries later by the tides.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Red Crater, shown here, is part of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – a day hike that passes through one of New Zealand’s most spectacular national parks, including Mt. Tongariro, an active volcano. Further along the trail, you come to the Emerald Lakes, whose bright blue color stems from mineral deposits inside the ancient volcano craters. Perhaps the most unusual scenic wonder in New Zealand, Tongariro is noted for its stark, almost lunar landscape.

Punakaiki

Better known as “Pancake Rocks”, Punakaiki is a series of flattened rock formations along the west coast of the South Island. Formed as limestone was pushed by intense pressure over thousands of years, the rocks appear like stacked pancakes. The area is also known for several blowholes, where ocean water sprays up through eroded fissures in the formations.