A Kiwi once told me that “Queenstown is for tourists, and Wanaka is for travelers.” Visit this quaint, quiet lakeside enclave, just an hour’s drive from the much busier Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island, and you’ll see what they mean.
Whereas Queenstown has developed into the area’s preeminent destination for international travelers, darling Wanaka (population 12,150) has long been a haven for domestic tourism. It’s centered around the base of a cerulean alpine lake, with a charming village filled with coffee shops and restaurants, and a network of hiking and biking trails spiraling out in all directions. There’s also a reason that Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy filmed in this region—the rugged Southern Alps are so untapped, so unspoiled that they appear to be not just from another time, but another world altogether.
Photo: Ray Tiddy / Courtesy of Lake Wanaka Tourism
That being said, scenery isn’t Wanaka’s only specialty. Where else can you find a dazzlingly clear lake, skiing, a town with fantastic restaurants, wineries, and every adventure outfitter all within spitting distance of each other? And why navigate the crowds of the nearby and much more touristy Queenstown when you could go just slightly further afield and feel like a true local?
Queenstown is an indispensable part of any South Island visit—but just know that in peak summer season, its streets become choked with tourists, you’re as likely to hear an American accent as you are a Kiwi one. Wanaka on the other hand is just as scenic, and a whole lot more serene. If visiting this Kiwi hideaway sounds enticing, here’s how to make the most of your trip.
Getting There
