THE SKI VACATIONS
North Island Mount Ruapehu
If the idea of skiing on an active volcano doesn’t thrill you, you’re on the wrong holiday. Should you need a (slightly) less daring reason to visit Mount Ruapehu, the North Island’s most memorable ski destination, consider this: it includes Whakapapa, New Zealand’s largest ski area, and its sister district, Turoa – accessed on the same pass – which has the longest vertical drop in Australasia and the highest chair lift in the country. Stay at the elegant Chateau Tongariro
Hotel (chateau.co.nz) and wake up each morning to a view of the volcano.
South Island Wanaka
If you were judging on looks alone, Wanaka would top any poll of New Zealand’s ski fields. But the appeal of these popular slopes is more than skin deep for powder hounds: Treble Cone is one of the country’s most challenging ski areas, with 45 per cent of the terrain rated black. A lively lakeside aprés-ski scene and luxurious accommodation at Whare Kea Lodge (wharekealodge.com) ensure even the most timid snow bunnies will have a good time.