New Zealand's North Island
is a great place for cycling but the South Island is one of the best road
cycling locations in the world. 
South Island cycle touring provides a good mix of people in little towns and cities where you need them, then long peaceful stretches of almost uninhabited countryside and spectacular scenery. New Zealand roads are generally well-sealed and maintained.
Popular
routes in the South Island include the relatively easy Marlborough Explorer
at the top of the South Island; the six-day West Coast ride from Wanaka
to Greymouth; the Southern
Alps circuit (including the Kaikoura Coast/Hanmer Springs ride); the Catlins
Coast ride (Dunedin to Invercargill); the Southern Scenic Route; the Canterbury
Hinterland ride (flat); and the Mackenzie
country ride.
The
ideal time for cycling is from February to April, when New Zealand's school
holidays are over, and tourist destinations are less crowded. 
Another
option is October/November, but the weather tends to be less settled in spring
than in autumn. Despite the South Island's mountains, gradients tend to be
easier in the South Island than the North.
Many people prefer to cycle unguided, but the South Island has some excellent guided tour cycling operators.
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