Two New Zealand destinations have made TIME magazine's coveted World's Greatest Places list for 2024.
To compile the 2024 list, TIME solicited nominations of places — including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, parks, and more — from its international network of correspondents and contributors.
The final list of 100 places to go and stay include active travel in China's Aranya, a guided cycling safari in Botswana, Antarctica's White Desert, and Maui Cultural Lands in Hawaii — along with two that may be more familiar to Kiwis.
Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat in the South Island's Lake Pukaki region and Dive Tutukaka in the waters off the North Island were both named among the "extraordinary destinations to explore" for this year.
TIME contributor Brad Japhe listed the many features of Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat, with heavy emphasis on the abundant star-gazing possibilities thanks to its proximity to the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.
"Perched atop a high mountain plateau in the sparse terrain of New Zealand's South Island, the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is among the best places on the planet to gaze up at the stars," he said.
In a post to social media, Mt Cook Retreat said it was "thrilled" to be recognised on the list.
Dive Tutukaka was also on the list, with another TIME contributor saying the destination brings adventurers of all levels and abilities to the waters of Poor Knights Island in the Marine Protected Area off the country's North Island.
The company is noted as the first in New Zealand to achieve a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) accreditation, and gets a nod for its inclusive infrastructure and services that allow people of all abilities to access some of the world's best subtropical underwater sights.
Fraser Bathgate, the Adaptive Techniques Coordinator for PADI who was paralysed in a climbing accident in his 20s and later learned to scuba dive, said the company "epitomises PADI's commitment to cultivating diversity and inclusion across the dive industry".
"At Dive Tutukaka's lodge, that means wider door entrances, sloped floors and ramps, and signage placed at an appropriate level for wheelchair users; on its fleet of boats, railings were removed and access widened throughout."
In a post to social media, Dive! Tutakaka said it was "thrilled" to have been included on the list.
"The best thing for me personally is that we work hard, and have the resilience to keep doing what we love, opening eyes to the amazing marine world - conservation is a cornerstone for us."
The full list of the World's Greatest Places from TIME can be found here.
SHARE ME