Queenstown - Adventure Town of the South Island |
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Get ready to marvel at this adventure town of the South Island. Seeing it in a rental car in New Zealand is a totally refreshing experience.
For me, this is also the home of many luxury New Zealand accommodation.
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Picturesque of Queenstown from the Gondola
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There are a couple of routes to Queenstown, South Island if you are coming from the West Coast in your rental car in New Zealand. Highway 6 is a easier drive all the way from Wanaka to Queenstown; the drive is less than 2 hours. You will drive around the edge of Lake Dunstan, bypassing Cromwell, through Kawarau River Gorge, then into Gibbston Valley and then to Queenstown. Alternatively, you can travel via Crown Range; it’s a winding uphill drive which takes a slightly shorter traveling time. On our way to Queenstown, we stopped by at the A.J. Hackett’s Kawarau Suspension Bridge, the world’s first commercial bungy operation – the ‘original’. You don’t have to bungy to visit. You get a nice view of the rushing waters of the Kawarau River. It’s equally fun to share the excitement of the jumpers too. Before coming to Queenstown, I asked friends who had holidayed in New Zealand on which was their favourite city. All of them surprised me with a common answer…… Queenstown! With that in mind, we planned a longer stay here. With so many people echoing the same sentiment, it can’t be wrong. The first thing that impresses me as I set foot in this well-talked about town are the mountain ranges of the Remarkables and the calm waters of Lake Wakatipu. We spent alot of time at the Queenstown jetty during our days here. It is a simple and enjoyable way to have a true holiday and for us, a great way to spend quality time with little Clayton. I soon understand the popularity of this adventure capital. The streets are filled with booking offices. You can find all sorts of fun and crazy activities of all kinds! Shopping in Queenstown is excellent particularly if you are an outdoor seeker. There are also nice shops for the serious fashion shoppers. Here, shops are open til late everyday. Yet, with all the crowd and touristy stuff, Queenstown is a beautiful place to linger, relax, unwind or go crazy and wild.
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One shop that stands out from the rest is ‘In The Pink’, this pinkish and colourful shop with lots of designer and quirky knick-knacks from all over the world. It’s a lady’s favourite! Lake Wakatipu is a lovely place to just relax, read a book, sip a coffee and enjoy...
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| What's really great: |
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The awesome landscape in the entire region - Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables. The drive to Glenorchy. The serenity and beauty of the surrounding mountains.
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We marvelled at this beautiful landscape
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Drive to Glenorchy and Milford Sound
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Shotover Lodge; The heritage; Garden Court Suites
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The nice and casual Vudu Cafe
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Have lunch or afternoon tea at Vudu Cafe. Hop into the Gondola and catch the best view of Queenstown from the top of the hill.
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Hang gliding at The Remarkables
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Shotover Jet; Hang Gliding at The Remarkables
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Published on Saturday September 2th, 2006 by dorischua
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