Pierre - We have friends (non riders) on the South Island in Oxford and visited them last year. We didn't make it the N island. Seems like that might almost seem like another country?
Yes
The South Island is very scenic, mountainous and comparatively sparsely populated.
Th North Island has got plenty of scenic areas but is not as majestic as the South Island, is generally more hilly than mountains and contains the bulk of New Zealand's population. Although a large part of that population is all concentrated in Auckland.
South Islanders believe they live in the Mainland of New Zealand. Aucklanders believe there is no life beyond the Bombay Hills just south of Auckland. I'm stuck somewhere in the middle and a little lost. All in jest and with a good dose of humour of course.