The Southern Way is the name Tourism New Zealand has given to the network of routes linking the south of the South Island into one explorable loop. From Oamaru and Dunedin on the east coast, down to the Catlins and Stewart Island, through Murihiku Southland and into Fiordland before the icing on the cake of […]

Most first-time visitors to New Zealand’s South Island put Queenstown on the itinerary without much deliberation. It’s the world’s adventure capital – a title and a reputation deservedly earned and as such one of the headline ‘must-visit’ destinations in New Zealand. Most people will have heard of Queenstown even if they can’t tell you where […]

The poplar trees that line the fence rows and creek beds of the Wānaka basin were planted for practical reasons: erosion control, shelter, farm boundaries. Yet every April, they turn a shade of gold that stops visitors in their tracks, provides a sense of familiar knowing for locals and draws photographers and selfie takers alike. […]

Wānaka has a habit of making you feel as if the world has been turned up a notch. What we call locally the ‘big skies’, and the varying blues of the glacial rivers and lakes settle a light on the landscape that photographers love and that’s best seen from a helicopter.  The mountains look close […]

When winter comes to the Southern Alps, Wānaka transforms from lakeside retreat into alpine resort and the epicentre of New Zealand’s most accessible skiing. All being aligned on the weather front, from June through October visitors and locals alike trade the lake for the peaks. What sets Wānaka apart: you can ski New Zealand’s largest […]

If you are visiting New Zealand’s South Island from overseas, it’s understandable for you to have visions of lakes and mountains, hopes of spotting whales, dolphins and kea, and you’ll doubtless know many Marlborough sauvignon blanc brands. Central Otago is the bit that often surprises people, so much so it’s often missed entirely or just […]