Cover image via Francois FourieAs your Instagram feed gets peppered with breathtaking shots of the Northern Lights by world travellers, all you can do is marvel at their adventures through your phone screen
Image via Tumblr
It really doesn't help that you can only view them in faraway places (with correspondingly hefty airfares) like Canada and Alaska.
But WAIT. What about the Southern Lights much, much closer to home…in New Zealand and Australia?
Image via Instagram @talman
Just like their Northern cousin, the Aurora Australis offers a stunning display of ethereal lights in unbelievably gorgeous hues in the sky
Image via stevoss/Weather Underground
Image via Johan Lolos
If you're up for some Southern Lights stalking, plan your trip somewhere between late March and late September
The Southern Lights can be quite elusive, so keep these must-haves in mind to increase your chances of catching them in action:
Here are some of the best places to view the Southern Lights:
1. Stewart Island, New Zealand
Image via TEARA
**How to get there:**
Stewart Island is an hour's ferry ride away from the southern port city of Bluff. You can also choose to fly there from Invercargill Airport, which takes about 15 – 20 minutes.
2. Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Image via Fraser Gunn/Youtube
**How to get there:**
Scheduled air or rail travel are not available to Lake Tekapo; the only way to get there is by road. Christchurch International Airport is the closest to the location, and is about a 3-hour drive away. A number of bus lines, including InterCity, also serve routes to Lake Tekapo.
3. The Catlins, New Zealand
**How to get there:**
The Catlins is accessible from Christchurch International Airport, Queenstown International Airport, Dunedin Airport, and Invercargill Airport. Travellers often prefer flying to Queenstown and taking an incredibly scenic 3-hour ride down to The Catlins.
Image via Stephen V/Youtube
4. Tasmania, Australia
Image via Matt Glastonbury
**How to get there:**
Tasmania is only accessible via air or sea. Flights to Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania are available from Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. The Spirit of Tasmania sails from Melbourne to Devonport, and allows for cars to be brought onboard as well.
Basically, check out the Southern Lights if you're just DONE moving 'seeing the auroras' on your list from one year to another
Image via reactiongifs.us
Need just one more reason to justify your plane-hopping plan? AirAsia X will commence daily flights to Auckland (via Gold Coast) from March 2016 onwards from Kuala Lumpur!
Not only is it just in time for the winter season, travelling to New Zealand is about to get a whole lot cheaper too! For a limited time from now until **7 February 2016**, book flights to Auckland (via Gold Coast) for only RM599. Take that first step to tick the Southern Lights off your travel wish list; get access to the best AirAsia X deals **[here](http://www.airasia.com/my/en/promotion.page?rr=rx8120511&icid=iag006hpmba)**.
