Waitomo Glow Worm Caves (45 min drive)
Guess what? There are spots around us with glow worms. But if you want to see the Big One, visit Waitomo Caves. There are 300 caves around Waitomo, but three (Glowworm, Ruakuri and Aranui) are the most spectacular and tours are well organised to visit them. Waitomo caves complex are the most visited natural caves in the southern hemisphere and rated one of the top 15 things to do in NZ (Lonely Planet). There is a range of different options to explore the caves, from walking to black-water rafting while you take in one of nature’s most beautiful light displays – thousands on glow worms on the cave roofs. Tickets are not cheap, but the experience is well worth it.