The sun sets over Palliser Bay in the southern reaches of the North Island, New Zealand.

Facing the infamous Cook Strait of New Zealand which is renowned for regular gale and storm force winds, Palliser Bay is a graveyard of many ships. It's rocky shores are unforgiving towards the hulls of floundering ships.

Despite it's wildness, Palliser Bay is a beautiful coastline with interesting formations which have resulted from movement along a large active fault line called the West Wairarapa Fault.

Palliser Bay is also a region where several scenes in the Lord of the Rings trilogy were filmed.

Situated at the southern tip of the North Island, Palliser Bay should be included during a visit to New Zealand.