Top 10 Instagram Spots for 2017

Famously known as the surrounding setting for ‘Lake-town’ in ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’, Lake Pukaki is like a shimmering blue jewel within a grand alpine setting. You have to stop, look and capture.

Shaped like a lightning bolt and as blue as it looks in the pictures, Lake Wakatipu is an ideal spot to capture the beauty of this region. It streteches from Glenorchy to Queenstown (it's big!) and there are plenty of options for you to get epic shots.

A vibrant beachside with city rythm, Takapuna is one of Auckland's most popular North Shore beaches. A short drive from the CBD over the Harbour Bridge gets you to this relaxed beach with views out to Rangitoto and the Waitemata Harbour. 

If you want to climb Mount Doom, do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. This stunning day walk, one of the world's best, features lava flows, an active crater, steam vents, emerald-coloured lakes and magnificent views... every dramatic ingredient you cuold wish for in a frame.

Left behind by a glacier from the last Ice Age, this charming lake sits next to the quaint town of Wanaka. Lounge on its gravel beach and enjoy the views of a lone tree (#ThatWanakaTree) on the serene lake surrounded by craggy mountains.

Poised in the middle of unbelievably blue lakes and the rugged Mackenzie landscape, Aoraki Mount Cook is a striking and iconic peak. New Zealand's highest mountain, it stands above and beyond the surrounding Southern Alps. Enjoy walks, star-studded skies and glaciers in the surrounding Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. 

This seaside town is just as perfect from the top of 'The Mount" (Mauao / Mount Maunganui) as it is from the white sandy beaches. Definitely some of the best surfing beaches this side of the island.

Looking across Lake Tekapo towards the towering Aoraki Mount Cook you can’t help but be in awe. The glass-like lake and towering Southern Alps are an Instagrammer’s dream, picturesque by day and dazzling by night.

A Mecca for film fans who travel from far and wide, the Hobbiton Movie Set sits within the gentle rolling hills of Matamata - just three hours from Auckland. Besides hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn and the Party Tree make Hobbiton a truly deserving runner-up.

There are some sights that take your breath away. Milford Sound is one of them. Carved by glaciers during the Ice Ages, the fiord's cliffs rise vertically from dark waters and are a stunning sight in any weather and any time of the day.