Queenstown
The town of Queenstown, New Zealand, is located within a spectacular lakeside and alpine setting. The views are second to none, and you will never tire of looking at The Remarkables soaring above Lake Wakatipu. Photography buffs will have a field-day in this place, with colours that change across the seasons and during the day.
Whilst the vistas are serene, the culture of the town is anything but tranquil. Queenstown is a tourist and adventure activity mecca, and the hype associated with this is rather crazy. The size of the town has exploded to rapidly accommodate the increasing population of tourists. Whilst the town still tries to portray a relaxed feel, the more dominant feature is that of a glitzy resort town that has some similarities to the Gold Coast in Australia.
Tourism is “quieter” in winter, and skiing becomes the main focus. Queenstown is within easy reach of
Coronet Peak Ski Resort (about 20 mins) and
The Remarkables (about 40 mins). You can also easily access resorts such as
Treble Cone (about 90 mins) and Cardrona (about 60 mins). There are also a couple of Heli Ski operations based in Queenstown.The skiing at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables is not really suited to powderhounds because the snowfall is quite low compared to resorts further north. Fair weather skiers love the Queenstown area, and there’s a high likelihood of getting a tan and finding an opportunity to wear a cleavage top (well for the girls anyway).
If skiing is not enough for you, Queenstown is also known as the “adventure capital of the world”. You’ll be overwhelmed by the choice of non-skiing
activities and if the snow conditions are not great at the resorts, you will never ever be bored. Queenstown is famous for adrenaline-raising activities such as bungy jumping, white water rafting, and jet boating. Other tourist pursuits include scenic flights or winery tours. The only problem is that many of the activities are so expensive that you could blow your holiday budget in one day. Skiing seems like a relatively cheap endeavour in comparison.
Queenstown isn’t just all go during the day. There is also a vibrant nightlife that starts with apres in the afternoon and continues on well into the evening. There are hundreds of restaurants, nightclubs and bars.
In regards to
accommodation, Queenstown has both quantity and quality ranging from backpackers to 5-star resorts. The
shopping is also fabulous, so ladies (and gents) make sure those credit cards have a healthy limit!
Getting to Queenstown is relatively easy as it has its own international airport located only 10 minutes from the town centre. Direct trans-Tasman flights are available, but any cheap options sell quickly. An alternative is to fly to Christchurch and then drive or get a shuttle bus to Queenstown.
Everyone who has visited Queenstown would agree that it is a very special place for a holiday. It's a great base for skiing, adventure and other tourist activities, partying, shopping and enjoying the majestic views. Queenstown even has a beach. This town has it all! OK the beach is just some pebbles on the shores of the lake, so it doesn’t really count.