If you are planning a trip to New Zealand chances are you will have heard of Queenstown, the "adventure capital." After reading about it I expected it to be big, touristy and tacky but boy was I wrong!!
Queenstown is located in the south west of the south island of New Zealand. It has a population of 7500 people and is more like a small town or large village rather than an adventure "capital!" My first views on the place were what a beautiful place it was, it is situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu with mountains, quite suitably named The Remarkables making a breathtaking backdrop to the view. It is such a beautiful place that if you don't want to be involved with all the adventure sports and tourist activities you could quite happily just stay here, relax and take in the breathtaking scenery. There are plenty of leisurely walks to do or some good places to shop (albeit expensive places to shop!)
Alternatively there are thousands of things to do here including jet-boating, white-water rafting, bungy jumping, paragliding, canyoning, mountain biking, throwing yourself into a canyon on a huge swing, a "shotover jet" boat which can travel on just 3 inches of water, hiking and in the winter months this place boasts some of the best skiing in the world! This is the sort of place you could stay for months and not get bored and it is easy to see why many people do! I have a friend on a round the world trip who having been in Queenstown for a couple of days, decided this is where she would stay for a few months, get a job and set up a base. On her days off she gets to go skiing and she is loving every minute!
There are plenty of booking offices in the centre to book your activities so don't worry too much if you haven't anything planned before you get there, and tourist information centres to help you on your way. There are plenty of banks and places to exchange money or travelers cheques here as well and anything you would expect of a major, tourist town.
I only stayed in Queenstown one night but it had such a great atmosphere I wish I could have stayed longer. The views and things to do make this the perfect place for a holiday. There is an airport close to the town centre so it is easy to get a transfer flight here and they also accommodate international flights to and from Australia. All buses and backpacker tours stop here also so it is very reachable wherever you may be in New Zealand.
I stayed in the Bumbles backpackers which overlooks the lake. There is fantastic views from the lounge, kitchen and our bedroom. It cost $25 for 1 night in a 6 bed dorm with ensuite (about 10 pounds). This place didn't have any internet access but did give you vouchers to get money off at an internet café in the town centre.
I would definitely recommend a visit to Queenstown if you ever get the chance!
Pictures of Queenstown
View across the lake
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