Fabulous Skiing Down Under

New Zealand is known for its adventure sports, and particularly in skiing. Many people who come down to the Southern Hemisphere winter would generally go to New Zealand to try out the white powder on the slopes, many of them offering a fantastic scenery. The biggest attraction with New Zealand ski fields is the quality of the snow and the price. It has one of the cheapest ski lift passes in the Southern Hemisphere, and the snow is more consistent and deeper than some of the ski fields in Australia (and this is according to many people, so Aussies, please don’t take offense.. ).

I had my first taste of snowsports in the South Island, as I was living in Christchurch for 5 years. Christchurch was an excellent base to numerous ski fields around the Canterbury region. Though, having said that, I did learn my skiing  in Wanaka, when I went with a bunch of friends and stayed in a cottage for a week just to go skiing. There is so much variety with the different slopes and fields around, that it is totally worth to come skiing in the South Island of New Zealand.

I’ve only been to a few ski fields in New Zealand, but here is a list of my favourite ski fields in the South Island of New Zealand:

1.) Mt Hutt

This is probably one of my favourite ski fields in the South Island. Mt Hutt only 90 minutes away from Christchurch, and has the best facilities amongst all the ski fields in the Canterbury region. It’s also the biggest skifield in the Canterbury area, and offers a wide range of ski runs for the different levels of expertise. Being someone in between a beginner and intermediate, I’ve managed to find an enjoyable run, mainly traversing along the long green run called “Highway 72″. If you are ever going to ski in Christchurch, I would say this is the best ski field in terms of variety, accessibility and facilities that is also close to Christchurch.

2.)Porter Heights

Porter Heights is actually the closest ski field from Christchurch. It claims to be only 80 minutes away from the city. Porter Heights started out as a club field, but has now been developed into a full-size ski field. The facilities at Porter Heights have now improved since I first visited back in 2003. They have replaced their pommers with T-bars, but they have yet to install a chair lift. The field in Porter Heights is not as big as Mt Hutt, and it is more catered to intermediate to advanced skiers. There is a tiny beginners run, but otherwise, not much option for those still learning to ski or snowboard. Nevertheless, it’s a great option for those who love to challenge themselves with blue and black runs.

3.) Cardrona

This is the ski field where I actually learned to ski. Cardrona is a 40 minute drive from Wanaka. It offers a great range of green and blue runs, as well as a wide variety of black runs. Cardrona is actually one of the bigger ski fields in New Zealand. It even has a snow park where people who are into freestyle skiing can have a go at the half pipes and jumps. Many freestyle skiers and exhibitionist display their talent here, and some World championships have taken place in the snow park.

4.) Treble Cone

Treble Cone is a 30-minute drive from Wanaka, and offers a great view of Lake Wanaka and the Mount Aspiring National Park. This is the nearest ski field to the town of Wanaka. Treble Cone has a decent stretch of learners and green runs, but it has a better selection of black and blue runs than Cardrona. Most advanced skiers prefer Treble Cone over Cardrona, but those who want an easy but fun time on the snow tend to go to Cardrona. Facilities are fantastic in this ski field. I also learned to ski in this ski field, though I only managed to do a lesson.

There are other ski fields like Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in Queenstown, but I haven’t yet explored them. A lot of tourists who come to the South Island to ski would go to Queenstown, and hence, would have tried skiing in either Coronet Peak or Remarkables. I’ve generally avoided Queenstown during that time, as it can be too crowded and accommodations can be overpriced. Christchurch maintains good value for money as a base for skiing, and there is more variety in terms of ski fields.

Ski season in New Zealand generally starts on the 2nd weekend of June and finishes on the 3rd weekend of October each year. I hope you can venture out to the South Island of New Zealand for the ski season, be it this year or the next!

Getting There:

If you’re coming from Australia, you can fly direct to Christchurch from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast, and direct to Queenstown from Sydney. Check out great deals for your flights and accommodations with Expedia or Zuji. Christchurch is the main gateway to the South Island, and has direct connections to Australia, Singapore, Dubai, Tokyo and Fiji.

If you have been to New Zealand before and just loved the scenery and lifestyle of the place, moving there is not a bad idea. I certainly have lived there, and would consider retiring there in the future. If you want to know how to move to New Zealand, check out this website here.

Auckland – City Of Sails

Auckland

It’s the largest Polynesian city in the world, and it’s often called “City Of Sails”. Auckland is the biggest city of New Zealand, and holds one-third of this nation’s population. It has a very proud maritime history, having hosted 2 America’s Cup events and being the home base of the first America’s Cup team outside the US to win the championship and defend it. Most people who arrive into New Zealand would land in Auckland and explore a little bit of this harbour city before moving on to lush New Zealand countryside and the spectacular views that this great country has to offer.

Many people don’t spend enough time to explore this city to know it well enough. I haven’t lived in Auckland, but I had the good fortune of having visited this city a few times and seeing different parts of it. There’s definitely more to it than the Skytower and the harbour. Here’s my list of places to explore outside the CBD of Auckland:

1.) Devonport

Devonport

This seaside suburb is on the North Shore area, across the harbour from the Auckland CBD. It offers great views of the city over the harbour, and a nice seaside promenade to stroll on. There are also a few unique and quirky shops and cafes around its centre. You can have good coffee or high noon tea at one of its cafes, or just have a relaxing stroll through its main centre. There’s a great view of the harbour if you go up to the top of Victoria Road. The best way to get to Devonport is via ferry from Auckland CBD, near the Viaduct Basin on Quay St.

2.) Parnell

New Zealand’s oldest suburb, Parnell is just a stone’s throw away from Auckland CBD. The quaint Victorian-style houses along Parnell Road have been converted into boutique shops and cafes, and have become the creative quarters of Auckland. One place that I love visiting is The Chocolate Boutique. Being a choco-holic, I can’t resist stopping by this delectible shop. A number of boutique and upmarket shops offer great shopping to those who love to shop. Some of New Zealand’s top designers have a shop in Parnell. You can take a bus from Auckland CBD and in 10 minutes, you will reach this interesting suburb.

3.) Mission Bay

Mission Bay, Auckland

This seaside suburb of Mission Bay is only a 10-minute drive from Auckland CBD. It has great beaches that is close to the city centre and has lots of cafes and restaurants. Across the water, you have a view of Rangitoto Island. I always love coming to this suburb, especially on a nice sunny day. It’s possibly Auckland’s answer to Bondi Beach in Sydney in terms of proximity to the city and the lifestyle (though admittedly, it is not quite as good as Bondi). Regardless, it is one of the best places to explore while in Auckland.

4.) Ponsonby

Another one of the suburbs near Auckland CBD that has great options for restaurants and cafes. Ponsonby is one of the trendy suburbs in Auckland, and the young and hip love to be in Ponsonby. Nightclubs also abound, and the party continues here at night.. The arts scene is alive, and many upper-middle class people reside in this suburb. Ponsonby Road is the heart of all the activity in the suburb. Apart from the trendy and upmarket shops, Ponsonby has some historical heritage, as this has been one of the first areas to be settled in Auckland.

5.) Remuera and Mt. Hobson

Mt Hobson, Auckland

Remuera is another suburb that is close to the city, and can be accessed by bus or train. Over the years, many affluent Aucklanders have resided in this suburb and has become synonymous around the country for its wealthy population. A few well-known New Zealanders like Sir Edmund Hillary live in this area, and you can get the sense of the affluence from the big houses and manicured lawns around. On Remuera Road, you will find an entrance to Mt. Hobson, a park that offers great views of the city and out to the harbour and Rangitoto Island. On the other side of the hill, you will see the view towards One Tree Hill.

6.) One Tree Hill

One Tree Hill

Views from One Tree Hill are like no other in Auckland. It offer great views of Rangitoto Island, Auckland CBD, and all the way to the southern part of the city. This volcanic peak is an important place for Maori, as it used to hold a Maori pa (fort) when the European settlers arrived. There was a tree planted on this site, hence the name One Tree Hill. However, that tree became the subject of attack by Maori activists who protested on the injustices done to the Maori people, and the tree was eventually chainsawed by the activists. Today, an obelisk with a bronze statue of a Maori warrior stands on this site, and offering magnificent views of Auckland city.

Auckland has been named one of the top 10 most liveable places in the world by a survey conducted by Mercer in 2010. It’s definitely a charming harbour city that has a vibrant multicultural yet easygoing feel. If you’ve been to Auckland and moving to Auckland is something on your cards, you can check out this website for more info on migrating to New Zealand.

Visiting Auckland? Download Lonely Planet’s New Zealand – Auckland Region (Chapter)

Welcome to Fabulous Journeys’ third post on the magnificent South Island of New Zealand.

This week, I’ll be covering Queenstown and the gorgeous Fiordland National Park.

Breath-taking Queenstown

Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu

Queenstown is definitely one of the most visited places in New Zealand. Most tourists who visit New Zealand would have this place as a must-see on their itinerary. The first time I visited the town, I flew in from Christchurch. I was awestruck by the natural beauty of the place! As the plane was landing into Queenstown airport, I was blown away by the view of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range. The airport had a great backdrop of the Remarkables. The town itself is situated on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Many people say that the scenery looks very much like Lake Geneva in Switzerland.  The town itself is buzzing with a lot of shops and tourists around. Nightlife is also an attraction in Queenstown, with travellers and backpackers making up the thriving pub and club scene.

Sights Around Town

Around town, check out the Skyline Gondola, where the cable car can take you up the top of a mountain. Here you can get a breathtaking view of the Remarkables, Lake Wakatipu and the town below. If you are in for some excitement, take the Luge ride at the top of the gondola. It’s basically like a go-cart without an engine that goes downhill on a track by the slopes of the mountain where the gondola is. It’s great fun, and I highly recommend it.

Another place I’d recommend to check out that is unique to Queenstown (well, it started in Queenstown before branching out to Auckland and Sydney) is the Minus 5 bar. This bar is made of ice, from the bar to the bar stool, the tables, the glasses, everything! They provide you with warm jackets and gloves to wear inside the cold storage-like setup, so you don’t need to worry about not having the right attire. It’s an interesting experience, and one that uniquely originated from Queenstown.

Adventure Capital of New Zealand

Bungy Jump

Queenstown has been hailed as the adventure capital of New Zealand. It is here that the world’s first commercial bungy jumping site was built, and is still functioning as the iconic bungy jumping bridge in New Zealand. The bridge is called Kawarau Bridge, it’s 43 metres high, and has been going since 1988. The bridge spans over the Kawarau river, and you have an option to get yourself dunked into the cool river if you wish to have more of an adrenalin rush!

Shotover Jet

Shotover Jet

Aside from bungy jumping, there is also the Shotover Jet, a jetboat ride on the shallow and narrow Shotover river. The ride will take you through the gorge along the Shotover river, and navigate through the narrow gaps in high speed that you’d think the jetboat would hit the gorge itself! The driver also does a 360 degree spin of the jetboat, which could make you feel like getting thrown off your seats! Other great activities would be parasailing on Lake Wakatipu, paragliding and skydiving.

Dart River Kayak and Lord Of The Rings Tour

One activity that I enjoyed doing is Dart River Kayaking (called FunYaks). Basically, the tour starts in a town called Glenorchy, which is 45 minutes away from Queenstown. Then from Glenorchy, the tour takes a jetboat upstream on the Dart River, where at a place/spot aptly called “Paradise”, the jetboat drops off the group and the kayaks are then pumped and inflated. That’s why it’s called FunYaks, because they’re not your traditional kayaks. The tour takes you down the river, into some caverns that look really awesome! That area is also a filming location for the Lord of the Rings.

Speaking of which, if you’re into Lord of the Rings, there is a tour for the filming locations of Lord of The Rings. This will take you to backcountry roads just outside of Queenstown, to the gorgeous mountains, valleys and canyons in the area including Skippers Canyon and Arrow River. It’s a 4WD tour, as there are no sealed or paved roads in some of the  areas that the tour will go to.

Walter Peak Farm

Another interesting trip you can take from Queenstown is a steam boat ride on the TSS Earnslaw along Lake Wakatipu to the Walter Peak Farm. It’s on the other side of the lake and features a typical old farmstead with sheep, scottish yak, and other farm animals. The farmstead offers nice lunch meals, and it also offers a sheep shearing show. It’s a great day out for the kids and family, and those who haven’t experienced a life in the farm. The cruise itself along Lake Wakatipu is worth the trip!

Arrowtown

A small town that looks like it hasn’t changed since the Gold Rush of the 1800s. This is what Arrowtown feels like. Arrowtown is very picturesque, especially in autumn when the leaves start to change in colour. You can visit the Arrow River where part of the Gold Rush happened. People were panning for gold on the banks of the river. Nowadays, you can do your own panning on the riverbanks, and I’ve seen some tourists who do that just for fun. On one end of the town is the remnants of an old Chinese settlement, where the Chinese who worked in the mines during the Gold rush lived. You can read the history about how they lived and the absolute poverty and suffering they had to go through during those times. It’s an amazing story of survival outside of their homeland.

There are also a number of interesting shops along the main street of Arrowtown. This town is only a 10 minute drive from Queenstown, and is accessible by the regular bus service from Queenstown town centre.

Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park

One of the highlights of tourists visiting Queenstown would be a trip to Fiordland National Park, and the magnificent Milford Sound. This area exudes in natural beauty, with lush green forests, lakes and snow-capped mountains around. There is a popular walking track called the Milford Track, where you can tramp (or hike, as non-kiwis would call it) for 3 to 5 days within the national park and then finish off in Milford Sound itself. As you drive along towards Milford Sound, you will go through probably one of the smallest tunnel I’ve seen for motor vehicles, the Homer Tunnel. This is a one-way tunnel and manuevering through is always very tricky. Milford Sound is particularly a place to visit. Take a cruise around the sound and see all the myriads of waterfalls flowing down the fiord itself. The sheer number of waterfalls in the area is just amazing! It’s all due to the persistent rain that this area gets, so if it rains when you’re there, don’t be surprised, it’s normal! If you get to see a sunny day, then you must be very lucky! There are seals hanging around the sound as well, and it’s such an awesome sight to see!

Milford Sound is a 4-hour drive from Queenstown, quite a long drive but totally worth visiting.There are several cruise companies that operate at Milford Sound, and they all have roughly the same price.

Part 4 will cover the road to the West Coast of the South Island, so watch out for this!

Til the next Fabulous Journey!

Welcome to this week’s post for Fabulous Journeys! I got great responses from the first part of 100% Pure South Island that I’d like to continue on with Part 2 and showcase the magnificent South Island of New Zealand.

The Road to Queenstown

Queenstown at dawn

For some tourists, a trip to Queenstown is basically either a direct flight from Australia, or a direct flight from any other major city in New Zealand. That is perhaps the quickest way to get to Queenstown, and the flight itself could already show you some great aerial views of the mountains and lakes along the way. What these tourists haven’t realised though is that the road from Christchurch to Queenstown is perhaps one of the most scenic road journeys they’ll ever experience! The lakes, rivers, the mountains, they all make up for a memorable drive to the picturesque town of Queenstown.

The road from Christchurch to Queenstown starts off by going through State Highway 1. This is perhaps not the most exciting part of the journey, but even then, you get to pass by farms and small towns. The towns of Ashburton and Rakaia would be the 2 major towns you’d go through.  Rakaia sits on the southern end of the Rakaia River, a great area for Salmon fishing, and this has given the town the title “Salmon Capital of New Zealand“. The bridge that you’d cross to get into Rakaia is actually the longest bridge in New Zealand, and spans 1.8 kilometres. Just after you would turn off into State Highway(SH) 79, and that’s where the scenic part of the journey begins!

Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd

Along the way on SH79, you’d pass by the towns of Geraldine and Fairlie, and around that area is the Peel Forest. It’s a nice area to go for a walk, and trampers (as hikers are called in New Zealand) have a wide variety of tracks to go walking. Further from Geraldine is a place that I always love to stop at: Lake Tekapo. The township of Lake Tekapo is on the edge of Lake Tekapo itself, along State Highway 8, and is part of the McKenzie Country. This lake is just absolutely gorgeous to look at! It is a glacial-fed lake that radiates a turquoise-blue colour of the water. At one end of the town is the Church of the Good Shepherd, which is an old stone building that has become popular for weddings, as it offers a fantastic view of the lake! On the other side of the town is a hill called Mt. Johns, and on that hill is an observatory where you can do star-gazing and during winter, watch the Aurora Australis (the Southern Lights). It’s a great place to chill out on a nice sunny day and dip your toes on the cool blue waters of the lake!

Lake Pukaki and Mt. Cook

Lake Pukaki and Mt. Cook

Further down SH8, around 50kms south is another glacial-fed lake called Lake Pukaki. It’s the second biggest of the 3 nearly-parallel lakes in the McKenzie basin. At the end of Lake Pukaki is a hydroelectric power plant that supplies more than half of New Zealand’s power supply. The water on the lake looks very much like Lake Tekapo, very turquoise blue, and is also glacial-fed. The great thing about the view of the SH8 part of the lake is that on a very clear day, you can see Mt. Cook, the highest mountain in Australasia! If you go on a slight diversion from the road to Queenstown, you can get to Mt. Cook village. It’s a tiny village with a hotel (the Hermitage Hotel), and this is a great place to base yourself for any tramping or mountain climbing you may want to do near Mt. Cook. There are a number of glaciers in the area, one of them is the Hooker Glacier, which is just a short walk from the village itself. There is also the Tasman Glacier further afield, if you are interested in going for longer tramps (or hikes).

Twizel and Omarama

Omarama

On the way closer to Queenstown, you will most likely pass by the town of Twizel, Omarama and Cromwell. Twizel is a small town that was purposely built to accommodate the workers who built the Hydroelectric power scheme near Lake Pukaki. As the project finished, the government decided to keep the settlement and turn it into a proper town. It now serves as a service and tourist town, where you can base yourself if you want to do water sports in Lake Ruataniwha, or in winter go skiing in Round Hill and Ohau ski fields. Further south from Twizel is Omarama. Omarama, on the other hand, is a town that has been known for being one of the best spots in New Zealand for gliding. Gliding tours are offered from Omarama airfield, where you can get spectacular views of Mt. Cook, the lakes and the Southern Alps.

Wanaka

Lake Wanaka

As you go along SH8, there will be a turn-off that would lead you to SH8A, which then joins up with SH6. This is the road that leads to Wanaka, another lovely town by the lake that is set to rival Queenstown in terms of its location. Wanaka used to be just a small sleepy town at the edge of Lake Wanaka, but as the property boomed in Queenstown and property prices became exorbitantly high, a lot more people have opted to build their dream holiday homes in Wanaka. The town is a perfect base for skiing during winter, with 2 fantastic ski fields nearby: Treble Cone and Cardrona. Wanaka’s location being beside the lake makes it ideal for those into water sports and fishing. Wanaka offers a very picturesque view with the mountains surrounding the lake, that it is really able to rival Queenstown’s magnificent scenery, less the crowds! The view is so great that Lake Wanaka even got a mention from Tom Cruise at the opening scene of one of the Mission Impossible movies!

Queenstown is next on the agenda, but I will leave this majestic town for my part 3 post. I promise you that it will be more exciting than ever, action-packed, as it is, after all, New Zealand’s adventure capital! I hope you enjoyed this week’s post!

Have a Fabulous Journey ahead!

Welcome to another post for Fabulous Journeys! This week, I’m featuring a country down under. I’m making a series out of this, as this is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever been in the world (and had the privilege to live in). Enjoy this Fabulous Journeys post!

Aotearoa – The Land of the Long White Cloud

There is a special place located 42 degrees south of the Equator. It’s comprised of 2 major islands, and it’s often confused to be part of Australia. Its original inhabitants called it “Aotearoa”, which means the “Land of the Long White Cloud”. The locals refer to it as “Godzone”. If this still doesn’t ring a bell, I’m talking about the beautiful country of New Zealand! Many people would have seen the ad campaigns of New Zealand, showcasing the magnificent scenery of snow-capped mountains, turquoise-blue lakes and pristine, glacial-fed rivers. It’s very clean, fresh and peaceful, and for lack of a better word to describe it, the last paradise on Earth!

The New Zealand Attraction

New Zealand holds a very special place in my heart. It’s one of the places on Earth that I have never grown tiredof seeing and I always have great fond memories of the place, the people and the laid-back lifestyle. I cannot work out still how I managed to end up in New Zealand, but I’m so glad I did. One memory I had before I first arrived in New Zealand was when I was in Sri Lanka several years ago. I was in the Singapore Airlines office in Colombo waiting to get my tickets to head back to the Philippines, and while waiting, I saw their brochure of New Zealand. I remember vividly that it had a picture of a bunch of guys whitewater rafting on a wild river, with snowcapped mountains surrounding it. I was awestruck by the picture and thought to myself that this would definitely be one of the place I will visit before I die. Little did I know that 4 years later, I would be given an opportunity to work and live there! Talk about the law of attraction working here!

I lived in New Zealand for a good 5 years. During that time, I spent as much opportunity as I could to explore as much of the country as I can, and I loved it to the point that I became a Kiwi myself 3 years ago! I’ve said enough of what I think of New Zealand, it’s time for me to show you what New Zealand really has to offer to tempt your senses and feast your eyes! For starters, New Zealand is comprised of 2 major land masses: the North Island and the South Island. I thought that having lived in this beautiful country that there is a lot to write about, so I’m putting this out as a series of blogpost on New Zealand. I’ll start this week with where I lived and spent most of my time in New Zealand, Christchurch, the Garden City of New Zealand.

The Garden City

Christchurch has often been referred to as the Garden City of New Zealand. You will notice it with all the beautiful parks around, and the well-manicured lawns along Fendalton Avenue, where you will most likely go past from the airport going into the city centre. Christchurch is also known to be the most English city in New Zealand. This is due to the fact that the city was specifically created as a new settlement by the English who arrived here in search for a new life in the colonies. The city was designed to look like a typical English town, hence you will notice that in the architecture of the old buildings around the city.

Christchurch is currently the second largest city in New Zealand (second-equal to the capital Wellington, though this could be argued by the Wellingtonians), and it has the second biggest airport in the country. Most people who go to New Zealand would usually have passed by Christchurch if they are on their way to Queenstown. However, most people bypass Christchurch and just proceed to other parts of the South Island. Christchurch has its own attractions and deserves to be seen. As an ex-local, I have explored a few sights that are totally worth visiting in Christchurch. Here is a list of these wonderful attractions:

1.) Christ Church Cathedral - this cathedral is the focal point of the city, and the Cathedral Square, where it is actually located. This cathedral is of a gothic style, and took a few years to complete. It’s one of the best cathedrals in New Zealand in terms of its type of architecture. On Cathedral Square, people hang around and there is an area where they play this huge chess pieces, and anyone can have a go at them. You can play with anyone you want. They also have an open market in the square every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, where you can buy local, handmade New Zealand products and souvenirs . Most of the vendors at this small open market moved to the Arts Centre weekend market for the weekend, so if you miss them at this location, look out for the Arts Centre on weekend.

UPDATE (22 Feb 2011): After the massive 6.1 magnitude earthquake, I’m sad to say that the Christ Church cathedral fell victim to mother nature’s rath and the spire crumbled to pieces. Hopefully Christchurch will pick up the pieces and restore this beautiful centrepiece of the city. My thoughts and prayers to those affected by the destructive earthquake.

2.) Arts Centre - this is the old University of Canterbury campus that is now transformed into a gallery of shops and artist galleries. The building is of gothic design as well, much like the Christ Church cathedral. As mentioned earlier, there is a weekend market that happens here, and you find the best souvenirs here, from jade (pounamu) to wool products to homemade beauty products made of local natural ingredients.

3.) River Avon, Botanical Gardens and Hagley Park - this is a great place for a stroll, especially during Spring or Autumn, when you see the different colours come alive! In Spring, you will find lots of cherry blossoms in full bloom along Hagley Park and in the botanic gardens. In autumn, on the other hand, you will find the change in the colour of the leaves, which is really stunning! Both the Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park are right beside each other. The River avon cuts through the middle of both of them, and you can do “punting” on the Avon, which is basically like cruising on a gondola in Venice.

4.) Sign of the Takahe – This is another old gothic building that sits on top of the Port Hills, in the suburb of Cashmere. You get great views of the city and the Southern Alps on the other end. On a nice winter’s day, you get to see the city with the snowcapped Alps in the backdrop, one of those picture-perfect shots of the city! You can hold a function at the Sign of the Takahe, and they serve great food there!

5.) Lyttelton and the Christchurch Gondola - Lyttelton is a harbour town that is technically outside the Christchurch city boundaries, but is very close to the city. It’s only a 20 minute drive from the city. This is where the first settlers from England docked in Christchurch in the 1850s. It is now the port area for Christchurch, and from time to time, you get cruise ships arriving here. The town itself is quite charming, as its location is on the slopes of the Port Hills looking out to the Lyttelton Harbour. There are nice cool cafes and shops around that’s worth checking out, and if you happen to be Filipino, the only Filipino restaurant in Christchurch is just right there. On the harbour, you can also go for a dolphin watching cruise. You can have a great view of Lyttelton and Christchurch City by taking the Christchurch Gondola. The gondola is basically a cable car that will take you up to the top of an observation deck where you can have coffee or a meal with a view. There is a restaurant at the top that you can check out

6.) Sumner - This nice seaside suburb is a great place to chill out on a nice hot day. The beach here is nice, and the weather is generally slightly warmer than the city because of its sheltered location. It’s only a 15 minute drive from the city, and the suburb has a lot of nice houses around. It’s one of the more upmarket suburbs of Christchurch. I used to go there on weekends just to stroll on the beach and have ice cream on a nice clear and warm day! =)

Around Christchurch – Canterbury Region

7.) Waipara - Further afield from Christchurch, a 45-minute drive up north on State Highway 1 will take you to the wine-growing region of Waipara. There are more than a dozen wineries in the area, and they are known to produce a good Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. This is a fantastic place to go if you love your wine (like I do), and you can have a nice lunch in the many wineries around. The most famous wineries are Pegasus Bay (personally my favourite), Canterbury House, and Waipara Springs. Every March, the region holds a Waipara Wine and Food festival, which showcases the region’s many produce aside from wine, though wine is clearly the highlight!

8.) Akaroa - A little bit southeast of Christchurch is an area called Banks Peninsula. This area is quite hilly and offers some beautiful coastal villages. The biggest town in the area, and a big drawcard for tourists, is Akaroa. This town is a 90-minute drive from Christchurch, and is known for its rather French character and heritage. The French nearly colonised New Zealand in the 1840s, but the British managed to beat them by a day. There was a boatload of settlers from France who wanted to settle the Akaroa region, and when they found to their disappointment that the British beat them to it, some of them still settled here and put in their French character throughout the town. You’d find the street names are in French, and is the only town with a French character in the entire country.

9.) Hanmer Springs – This small town in the Hurunui district is a 2-hour drive from Christchurch, but it is a popular weekend destination amongst people from Christchurch and surrounding areas. The main attraction here is the thermal pools. These are natural pools that used to be just a hole in the ground in the 1890s, but eventually got developed into more like a resort complex. The water is still taken from the ground and distributed to the pools. There are different pools of different temperatures and nature, so kids can play as well as the adults. Around town, there are a number of great mountain biking tracks that you can explore, and walks up the nearby mountain range. It has an alpine feel to the town, and definitely a great winter getaway if you feel like staying in a log cabin. This is one of my favourite weekend getaways from Christchurch, and what my friends and I do is hire one of the holiday homes for the weekend, and just chill out on the thermal pools or go running up the beautiful mountains around!

10.) Kaikoura – This town is 2.5 hours away from Christchurch and offers a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and the Kaikoura Ranges. The town’s name is comprised of 2 Maori words: “Kai” meaning Eat and “Koura” meaning Crayfish. Kaikoura has an abundance of crayfish on its shores, and you can see some stalls on the roadside selling these cooked crayfish that are just so good! This town is also known for its whale watching. Sperm whales tend to hang around near the deep trenches just a few kilometres from Kaikoura’s shores, which makes the area so unique in that whales can be found close enough from the shores. There is also a winery just as you enter the township of Kaikoura called Kaikoura Wine Company, and their location is absolutely wonderful! It is on a hill facing the ocean, which makes for a gorgeous view.

11.) Mt. Hutt – If you’re into skiing or snowboarding, then you have to check this field out. Mt. Hutt is one of the closest ski fields in Christchurch, and one of the best in the region. It has great facilities for beginners, intermediate, and advanced skiers. It’s only a 90-minute drive from Christchurch and has a reasonably good access road up to the ski field itself. This is one of my favourite ski fields in New Zealand and highly recommended when you’re in Christchurch during winter.

These are only some of the attractions in and around Christchurch. There are a few more which I haven’t covered, but I’ve only highlighted the ones that are really not to be missed. I hope this has given a great light to Christchurch, which is usually overlooked by visitors to the South Island, and only used as a gateway. There is more to it than you think. Check out Christchurch and plan for your next holiday and enjoy this magnificent Garden City!

I’ll have more posts coming up on other parts of the South Island of New Zealand, so watch out for it!

Til then, have a Fabulous Journey!

Kelvin Lim