Te Waikoropupu Springs contain some of the clearest water ever measured, and the beautiful colours it reveals are reason enough to be in our number one slot. The springs are the largest cold freshwater springs in the southern hemisphere, releasing a staggering 14,000 litres of water per second.

Close to the town of Tanaka, a half-mile (1km) loop trail threads through forest and across streams to a platform suspended above the still, crystalline water, where you gaze down into a blue-tinged underwater forest. Please note that swimming is forbidden here due to the springs’ spiritual significance to the Maori people.

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New Zealand's most beautiful natural wonders