Wanaka
Wanaka (pronounced Wonaka) is one of the most picturesque, tranquil places on earth. Nestled along the shores of Lake Wanaka, views abound across the lake to Mt Aspiring, the Matterhorn of New Zealand. On a still day when you gaze across the lake, you would swear you are seeing double as you take in the reflections on the water.
The buildings and architecture are modern and stylish, as are some of the people that grace the streets. Wanaka is trendy with a distinct caffe latte set present, but there is also a grungy and laidback atmosphere, so it has been described by Australians as the Noosa of the South Island. It is quiet and peaceful on one hand, but the culture is evolving as tourism increases and the town becomes busier. During peak hour it is hard for pedestrians to cross the road. Nevertheless, Wanaka is essentially a relaxed resort town that doesn’t have the tourist hype of
Queenstown (yet!).
Wanaka is the gateway to the Mt Aspiring National Park and is located 428km SW of Christchurch, and 68km NE (about 1 hour) of
Queenstown. From Wanaka it is only a 30 minute drive to
Treble Cone, one of New Zealand’s best ski resorts. Other ski resorts including Cardrona, Snowfarm (a Nordic ski resort), and Snowpark (a park for free styling shredders) are about 35km away. Wanaka is also home to one of New Zealand’s hottest heli ski operations –
Harris Mountain Heliski.
The
accommodation in Wanaka is of good quality, and there is great diversity in the type of lodging available, ranging from backpacker style through to 5-star luxury. Some of the accommodation is in the centre of town, located along the shores of the lake, or a short walk or drive out of town. There is a plethora of cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants to keep all tastes of entertainment satisfied.
During winter Wanaka is a ski resort town, so it’s all about skiing and snowboarding. Some of the local workers have written into their contracts that they have the day off if it’s a powder day. Wow – I want to live in Wanaka!