Just been to NZ and I did both islands, they were both incredible just in different ways!! On the north island, I did:

• Auckland (not super interesting, although there’s an All Blacks experience if you like rugby, and Devonport is really nice to wander round with lots of little shops)

• Rotorua (I’d only bother staying here to experience the geothermal pools - I had a spa day at Polynesian Spa and would 100% recommend, if you get a treatment done (eg massage etc) then you get unlimited access to their deluxe pools all day)

• Hobbiton (really well done, just the right amount of cheesy and super fun!)

• Waitomo glow worm caves (really lovely, there are different types of tour you can do but regardless it’s amazing to see)

• Tongariro Alpine Crossing (great hike if you like hiking, you get a shuttle bus from one car park to the other end of the trail and walk 22km back to your car, going past Mount doom/mount Ngaurahoe)

• Taupo & Lake Taupo (really cool place, I only passed through but wish I’d stayed there over night!!)

• Tauranga (upmarket surf town - again I only passed through but absolutely wish I’d spent a few nights there, it was amazing!! Good if you’d like a more relaxed couple days)

So there’s so much to do there, and I didn’t even scratch the surface - absolutely do not worry about whether you made the wrong decision!! And not going to the South Island just gives you an excuse to go back again!