Queenstown Destination Guide

Rule one for any outdoor activity: choose the most stunning natural setting you can find.That sums up Queenstown.

The area's two major resorts, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, are set apart by the jaw-slackening grandeur mother nature has draped around them.

"When you stand up here you could be looking at the most beautiful parts of Europe," Some liken it to the majesty of the Matterhorn at Zermatt in Switzerland.

"It surpasses anything America has to offer,"The scene invites comparisons with Heavenly, overlooking California's Lake Tahoe, or Zell am Zee in Austria.

The winding 14 kilometre road up to The Remarkables qualifies as one of the ski world's grandest drives.

For motorists slightly intimidated by it, or wanting to take in every second of the scenery, a shuttle bus from the base costs $NZ10 ($9).

As for the skiing, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables offer slopes to suit all standards but are renowned as family friendly resorts with superb ski schools and child-care facilities.

Two-thirds of their terrain is suitable for beginners and intermediates.

The more adventurous can tackle the double-black bowls over the back of the Peak, or hike up to take on two steep chutes at The Remarkables called the Elevator and the Escalator.

They offer the best snow in the area as well as you guessed it breathtaking views featured in movies such as The Lord Of The Rings and Vertical Limit.

Queenstown itself is one of the adrenaline capitals of the world, a centre for bungy jumping and whitewater rafting. It is full of bustle but remains low-rise and is yet to acquire its first traffic light.

The town of Queenstown is set on the deep blue Lake Wakatipu and framed by the craggy Remarkables Range, it is appealing to adventurers and leisure seekers alike. The lake is the perfect setting for steamer cruises on the TSS Earnslaw, there are many fine walking opportunities in the surrounding hills and valleys with breathtaking views, surrounding vineyards offer wine tasting, shopping at the town's many boutiques, and the nearby historic gold mining town of Arrowtown is a fascinating day's outing. Scenic flights take visitors on unforgettable excursions, such as those around the majestic peaks of Mt Aspiring and Mt Cook, or to Milford Sound.

It's a fun town where you might see ski races involving people dressed as kiwis or phone boxes.

The coolest place in town is Minus 5, a bar where virtually everything is made of ice including the bar, the seats, walls and even drink glasses. So if you can't pay your tab, don't even think of offering to wash the glasses.

The South Island is cooler than the North Island by a few degrees. Winter in New Zealand is from June to August and summer is from December to February. There are regional variations: It is quite warm and pleasant up in the Northland region at any time of the year. Higher altitudes are always considerably cooler, and it is usually windy in Wellington, which catches the winds whistling through the Cook Straight.

Snow is mostly seen in the mountains, although there can be snowfalls, even at sea level, In the South Island, particularly in the extreme south. Some of the plains and higher plateaus also receive snow in winter, notably the Canterbury plains and the high plateau around the Tongariro National Park, especially on the east side. Snow is seldom seen near sea level on the West Coast of either and not at all in the far north.

An important thing you must know about the New Zealand climate is that it is a maritime climate, as opposed to the continental climate typical of larger land masses. This means the weather can change with amazing rapidity.