We made our first trip to South Island in Jan. As advised on the forum, we landed in Queenstown around 12:30, picked up our rental car from Apex and immediately set out for Te Anau. I chose Apex because of reviews and as we wanted a newish car - we booked a 2006/07 Toyota Corolla automatic and it was a good choice: easy drive, ample boot space and good vehicle.

The drive to Te Anau took about 3 hours because we were cautious and getting used to the car. We reached Te Anau and checked into our first B&B, Te Anau Lodge. The acco was everything the website promised - cozy feel, large room, ample grounds. That night we had got our lovely B&B host Matt to book Redcliff Cafe so after we settled in we headed out around 7 for the 5 minute drive to the strip of road which is the town centre. First we went to Fiordland Cinema to watch Ata Whenua - highly recoed. The 32 minute movie captures the best of the landscape. Redcliff was good tho we would have preferred an outdoor table. The LOTR references and decor was fun.

Back to our B&B where we enjoyed some tea and cake in the lovely guest's lounge.

Next morning we took it easy as we were recovering from our travel. After an ample breakfast and lovely conversation with 3 others staying at te Anau Lodge, we headed out around 11, picked up sandwiches from Subway then hit the road to Milford Sound. The drive was gorgeous, no busses ahead of us or returning (wrong time presumably) and we enjoyed the views and sunshine en route. We reached Milford Sound at 1:45, sat by the water watching the boats depart and enjoyed our lunch then went for our 2:45 cruise on Mitre Peak Cruises. I highly reco Mitre Peak - we wanted a smaller boat for a more intimate experience and our 75 seater boat was perfect - esp coz we were only 15 pax (maybe also because of the late cruise we booked)! We enjoyed the top deck, front open area, when we got too chilled the tea in the enclosed lounge...it was great. The experience is lovely tho the fjords themselves were not as breath taking as we'd expected.

We started driving back at around 5 and reached Te Anau at 7:30 - we decided to go straight for dinner at Olive Tree Cafe. Lovely choice - we sat outside in the back and it was a relaxed eve. Back to Te Anau Lodge where we enjoyed a stroll in the lovely grounds before we spent a relaxing half hour in the lounge.

Next morning we had booked a helicopter ride with Fiordland Helicopters on Matt's reco. Around 9:30 the operator called and advised us it was not a great day for viewing tho he could still take us up. We appreciated his honesty - the helicopter charge was as much as our 2 night stay!- and decided not to go. Instead we packed up and went and sat by the lake at the end of Howden Street for half an hour and enjoyed the sunshine and quiet.

We thoroughly enjoyed Te Anau - our acco, which was superbly cozy and comfy was part of this - and the drive to Milford was one of the best I've ever done. IMO people who do Milford for a day from QT in a coach or even by flight miss out on a wonderful experience.

We headed out around 11 for Wanaka. The drive was easy and scenic. We passed Amisfield Winery around 2:15 and took a u-turn to come back for lunch. This was a good decision - the outdoor restaurant was lovely, great weather, good food and wonderful setting. We then took the Crown View road to Wanaka as it was a clear day so we wanted to enjoy the views. This is another not to be missed drive - the views are great. Around 4 we stopped at the Cardrona Hotel for a drink then proceeded to Wanaka.

We checked into Minaret Lodge around 6 where our host Gary was very welcoming. The rooms are made in sets of 2 but as the one next door was empty we felt very secluded. Rooms are well appointed and done in a contemporary style, materials used are all plush. We joined Gary, his wife Fran and their other 3 guests for some wine and then headed out for a late dinner to Missy's where we were requested a balcony table. The food was very good and my chocolate orange parfait was excellent.

The next day after a sumptuos breakfast we took cycles from Fran and went cycling. We returned in time for our 1PM pick up for jet boating. The experience was fun, our Maori guide was full of tales and we enjoyed a brief mossie filled walk in between. Again, a fun way to spend a few hours but not overwhelming for us. We returned to Minaret and took the cycles out again on a dirt trail next to the water we had earlier seen. We returned and went for an early dinner tonight as we'd skipped lunch. I'd been told Relishes is great and it lived up to expectations - my partner had a pasta he still raves about and my dessert of strawberry parfait on a cracked pepper base was an amazing profusion of flavours.

Next morning - we depart for Queenstown - coming next.

Enjoying your report hobbes - look forward to reading more.

Great start.

En route QT we stopped at AJ Hackett for half an hour to watch some bungee jumping. We had not been keen to try it even before our trip and watching it, while fun, reconfirmed this!

We had a late and sumptuous breakfast at Minaret Lodge so had decided to skip lunch.

When our GPS took us off the road en route QT we became a little concerned about what we had booked. But once we reached our B&B our doubts were allayed. Crownview is a working farm up a dirt path. The house is gorgeous with a large lounge and outdoor areas, open to guests and among the best views we had encountered through our trip. The hosts Reg and Caroll are warm and welcoming. I put a load of laundry in (included in the rate) and then hung it out on Carroll's well-placed lines to dry in the most gorgeous sunshine.

We ended up spending the afternoon in the sun reading and enjoying Crownview and the 2 adorable dogs, Archie and Duffy, before heading out around 6 to Arrowtown. Crownview is situated between QT and Arrowtown so it was a short 15 minute drive. We wandered the street of Arrowtown for half an hour before presenting ourselves at Saffron for our table which we had reserved in advance.

A word about Saffron. It may be necessary in peak season such as xmas to book in advance but the Monday night we were there it was not full and they seated walk ins. The food, which is famed for its use of unusual combinations and flavours was very good. I am a big dessert person and got deterred by the 20 minute wait for the praline and hazelnut souffle which I still regret - the fried marmalade ice cream was probably the least interesting part of my 3 course meal.

Back to Crownview for a comfortable night's sleep. The next day we took it easy in the morning (I did another load of laundry too!) again then headed out at noon for our lunch reservation at Gibbston Winery. We enjoyed the meal - tho prob preferred Amisfield both in terms of ambience and food - and then browsed the attached cheesery. Unfortunately, food purchased in the cheesery has to be consumed at their tables, not in the restaurant, which is something I think they shd change.

We then headed out for the drive to Glenorchy. This as another fabulos drive and we stopped a couple of times en route to enjoy the lake side. We drove back to QT to spend the rest of our afternoon there.

While planning the trip I had debated how many nights we wanted in QT. Finally we planned the itinerary so we had 2 nights wherever we went and for us this was perfect. We had one full day wherever we went when we were not heading out anywhere, when we were able to relax and enjoy our destination. This probably differs depending on perspective - for many people the journey is more imp than the destination and I'd be the first one to agree that driving in SI is a joy but for us, given that the trip was about recovering from hectic work schedules as much as seeing SI, 2 nights in each place worked well. What this did tho was leave us less time for QT.

And based on the afternoon we spent there, our planning was perfect for us. QT was the most touristy of all our stops, crowded and with a big town feel. We sat by the lake for a while, wandered the strip of shops then decided that rather than going to Wai Waterfront as per our original plan we'd take Turkish kebabs back to Crownview - we liked our B&B more than QT!

Of all our acco Crownview was the most homely and prob the most like a traditional B&B. The views were outstanding and the location near QT and Arrowtown yet completely away from the madd(en)ing crowd.

After we returned from Saffron on Monday we sat in the lounge watching telly while Caroll ironed sheets behind us and chatted with us. When we got back on Tues we sat in the sunshine with Reg, Caroll and their other 2 guests enjoying some wine and getting some great pics as the sun was setting over the range. Then Reg took us for a short tour to see his 2 rams, alpacas and flock of around 30 sheep.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Crownview and would return to QT only to stay there as it was the highlight of QT for us. I chose it because my first choice Pencarrow was out of our budget and when I wrote to them they said no discount was possible off the website rates. With hindsight we loved Crownview and would not have stayed anywhere else.

Auckland coming up...

Super trip report!

Lee Ann

We got into Auckland around 2 so went straight to the Westin, freshened up and then decided to take a ferry to Devonport. The Westin's location at Viaduct Harbour is perfect for the ferry terminal which is a comfy 15 minute walk. We bought tix for the next ferry and decided to use the 15 minutes we had to sample the Valentinos gelato available at the pier. Highly recoed - the flavours were awesome. The caramel was very good and the passionfruit really captured the bite of the fruit with the sweetness.

At Devonport we took the map for the island walk from the tourist centre which is just opposite the pier and embarked on the hour-long walk. This was a great way to get a feel for the island and the map is easy to follow. We returned early for the 6:20 ferry and were surprised to see a ferry there already at 6:00. This was a recurring theme of our Auckland experience - ferries routinely leave 10-15 minutes ahead of schedule so don't cut things too fine.

That evening my partner had an official engagement so I ate alone at one of the restaurants on the pier. I chose Umai for Japanese but the lamb chop I ordered was unexceptional so maybe Karmadec - which was very busy - would have been a better choice.

Tomorrow one of the highlights of my trip - a day wine tasting at Waiheke.

Waiheke and a couple of vineyards - Te Whau, Goldwater - had been highly recoed to me by friends so my plan for Thurs was to take the ferry across. I did not want to book a guided tour but was hopeful that once I reached I'd be able to find some transport.

I reached Waiheke and found the only option was the bus. So, I hopped on the bus to Onetangi which took me fairly close to the first vineyard I wanted to visit - Miro. I got off at the last stop and walked up quite a steep hill. At Miro I had a delicious sword fish tapas served with bread and matched it with a nice light pinot gris. Right next to Miro is Obsidian but I wanted a break so instead went down and took the bus to the road where Saratoga, StonyRidge, Te Motu & one other are in a line. Unfortunately Saratoga was closed for tastings as it had been on my list. But I went to StonyRidge, tasted some decent pinot noir, got some great pictures and left in time to catch the bus to my next stop, Goldwater. At Goldwater I tasted 5 wines and bought one so did not have to pay the NZ$3 charge for tasting (at both Miro and StonyRidge charges for tasting are per glass).

More great pics and on by bus to Cable Bay at Oneroa where I tasted 7 wines for NZ$10 and also had a snack and enjoyed the sun. My original plan had been to go to Mudbrick next but at StonyRidge I'd been told that Sculpture by the Sea exhibition was outstanding so I changed course and headed up the road to the exhibition.

It was a LONGish walk esp coz I was tried from trekking around all day. But the exhibition and walk by the sea was great - the walk was one of the best I did in New Zealand, bar none. Well worth the detour.

Back to collect my bag from the very nice ladies at reception who had kept it so I would not have to lug my wine around. They also pointed me to the shortcut through the mountain down to the ferry wharf which took me 15 minutes so I managed to take the 6PM ferry back.

This was an outstanding day but not for the faint hearted - the walks were quite tiring. From Onetangi bus stop to Miro is all uphill, from Oneroa bus stop to Cable Bay is a longish walk as well. But highly recoed if you want to choose the vineyards you want to visit - and of course significantly cheaper than a tour - and great views all along the way.

Great report; I'm heading to all the places you've been this April so it's nice to have some recs!

My last day in new Zealand I had only until the early afternoon as I had a flight to Sydney at 6. I decided to buy a tkt for the Explorer Bus - NZ$35 for the hop on, hop off bus. I stayed on the bus until Parnell then got off to wander the street. I then got on the bus again and went to Queen Victoria Market, which I did not like so I bought a tkt on the Link bus and went to Ponsonby. This was a great idea. I enjoyed wandering this area for 2 hours, had coffee in some cafes and a snack in a lovely fresh food deli whose name I forget. Caught the Link back to the Explorer stop and back again to the Westin.

For me the Explorer Bus was a waste. I was not int he mood for spending the day indoors at the museum and the interchange bus to the high viewing points starts only at 10:30 (I'd caught the first 9AM Explorer). But I'd highly reco the Ponsonoby area to anyone who likes to get a feel for local hang outs and enjoys browsing nice shops.

Next post - what I'd do differently...

Thanks for a very interesting report. Up there with the reports of Ozziez, Apres and Madame Fifi on the Europe forum. All these reports are so good they're keeping us virtual travellers happy at home!

I realise I forgot to mention another highlight. After we left Wanaka for QT we drive to Mt Difficulty for lunch - so despite a sumptuous brekkie we did not skip lunch! This was an outstanding vineyard with great views, named because it is perched on top of a hill. Limited menu but good food. Highly recoed.

Learnings...some small, some not so small!

I'd have booked an outside table at Redcliff...as a matter of fact I'd ask for outside tables while reserving, whereever I went. They are limited and its easier to ask to move inside if its cold was my experience.

I'd have bought wine at the wineries we visited. We gifted each of our B&B owners a bottle of wine and I bought these at wine shops but the vineyard door sales were cheaper and the range was better. I'd also have explored shipping back a crate to HK from a couple of the vineyards. I thought I'd deal with all this in Auckland which was a mistake.

I think we'd have preferred a day out hiking to the jet boating in Wanaka. As I said we enjoyed the experience but it was not overwhelming. We enjoy hiking and this would have been a fun thing to do once.

In Auckland I would not have done the explorer bus. I feel I wasted NZ$35. I should have gone to Parnell and then to Ponsonby - again, based on the kind of person I am I like markets and local flavour and nice food and wine experiences.

In Auckland I transferred to the airport with the shuttle bus which was great - just NZ$25 and a lovely driver who chatted with me all the way. We wasted NZ$90 to take a taxi from the airport to the Westin (tho we were 2).

My Auckland meal at Umai was disappointing.

And I'd have ordered the hazelnut and praline souffle at Saffron.

So, not a lot actually!

Enjoyed your report hobbes. I really like Mt Difficulty too, we've been there several times - great spot - fantastic views, especially nice in the fall when the leaves are changing.

I'm going to print this one out to read & file. We're considering visiting while our son is living in Queenstown. Hopefully, it will before winter (maybe March or April), but not certain as yet.

So, in closing, thanks everyone for the inputs before we went and for the positive feedback on the report. Our first trip to South Island was outstanding and has whetted our appetite for more so I know we will be back and I will be back on the forum requesting more advice. One of my biggest takeaways from reading feedback from travelers on this forum was not to rush things and we're very glad we did not fall into that trap.

Nice report hobbes, I'm glad you didn't rush about.

For others, what was the name of the shuttle that you took back to the airport..was it the Airbus or something else?

I would also like to know the name of the shuttle bus. We're also staying at the Westin & would prefer to take the shuttle.. thanks!

In case hobbes doesn't check back in time, here's the Airbus website

http://www.airbus.co.nz/home/

Sorry - site was down for the upgrade. I did not book it myself, the receptionist at the Westin did. There is more than one option - as I was getting into mine, another was drawing up in the driveway to pick up another guest so you could always write to the hotel to check.

Also, I've thought of another regret we had. We should have carried some cds or our ipod with us. Given the drives it was a great opportunity to listen to music. We ended up buying a - quite expensive - double CD in Te Anau.

mlgb - thanks for the post. However it looks like airbus stops several blocks from the Westin (on Viaduct Harbour). Do you know of any other shuttles that would drop us closer?