Cross the Waikato River from downtown Hamilton, New Zealand‘s fourth-biggest city, to find some of the country’s best artisanal ice cream at this East Hamilton spot. The rural area surrounding the city is a major center for dairy farming, and Duck Island crams gallons of organic-milky goodness into its ever-changing selection of flavors. Innovative ingredients could include white chocolate, pomegranate, and macadamia nuts, or maple, honeycomb, and smoked almond. Don’t worry if you’re an indecisive ice cream fan—trying a few free samples before you settle on your heart’s desire is encouraged. For a thoroughly local taste sensation, get the pear-and-chocolate hokey-pokey, a much-loved spin on the classic New Zealand vanilla-and-honeycomb-toffee treat.
