In summer, the roads to the coast are busy with surfboard-laden cars heading for the waves. But from July to October, travellers are heading inland and the roof-rack cargo switches to skis and snowboards.
There are around two-dozen ski fields throughout the North and South Islands, ranging from those with basic but adequate amenities to commercial fields boasting the full range of top-notch facilities.
In the central North Island, the active volcano, Mount Ruapehu, is the main ski area, while the South Island boasts a lot of fields clustered between the towns of Fairlie and Hanmer Springs. These less-crowded, inexpensive slopes offer good facilities and you can buy a season Chill Pass (www.chillout.co.nz; 03 318 4830, winter only), which allows you to ski on any or all of them.

The best-known fields are around Queenstown and Wanaka, with Queenstown in particular swinging into party mode during winter. The ski fields aren’t crowded by international standards, although it’s worth trying to avoid school holidays. If you really want your own space, consider heli-skiing or heli-boarding, where you are whisked away to a remote, pristine location with acres of unspoiled powder, possibly even on one of the country’s glaciers.

Larger ski fields invariably offer services such as ski hire, instruction and cafes. Some have on-field accommodation, but it is more common to stay in the nearest town.