Raven’ South Island Picks

Jan.-Feb. 2003

In short, we had a wonderful time “land cruising” around the South Island of New Zealand for a month. Beautiful scenery, hospitable people, lots to see and do. We drove 5,000 km. and stayed overnight in 17 places while driving down the West Coast and up the East Coast.

Here are a few of our recommendations.

Favorite B&Bs

We use the pretentiously-named but excellent Friars Guide to New Zealand Accommodation for the Discerning Traveler to locate small, high quality B&Bs. We stayed in 17 different places and were only disappointed (slightly) once. Even though we traveled in high season and only made reservations three or four days in advance, we never had a problem finding a room. Our favorite B&Bs are the ones with the most helpful and personable owners:

Christchurch – Hartford House

Blenheim – Karere House

Wellington – Matai House

Queenstown – Twin Peaks

Excellent

Herzog winery and restaurant – Blenheim

Te Papa museum – Wellington

Punting on the Avon – Christchurch

Shotover jet boat ride- Queenstown

West Coast scenery

Fox & Franz Joseph glaciers – West Coast – hike up to each glacier’s “snout”

Pancake Rocks walk – West Coast

Oamaru – Victorian stone buildings, little blue and yellow-eye penguin colonies

Antarctic Experience – Christchurch

Very Good

Albatross colony – Dunedin

Queen Charlotte Drive – Picton to Nelson

Mussel Boys restaurant – Havelock (the one in Kaikoura reportedly not as good)

Doubtful Sound overnight cruise – much like fjords in British Columbia and SE Alaska

Steamship Earnslaw from Queenstown, with stop at Walters Peak sheep station

Christchurch – good city to walk around, botanic gardens, tram rides, punting, museum

Akaroa village near Christchurch

C’est la Vie restaurant – Akaroa

Canterbury Museum – Christchurch – includes very good Antarctic exhibit

Olviston House and Lanarch Castle - Dunedin

Good

Gibb’s restaurant at Cambrae winery - Blenheim

Lynx fast catamaran ferry between Wellington and Picton

Wanaka – scenery, river rafting, kayaking, hikes

Arrowtown – touristy, but cute and interesting; visit the Chinese settlement ruins