Do some people say Queenstown is weird? Anyone else want to know if there is a kingtown? In fact, Queenstown does exist. There is always a place on earth that you have never seen before, and it is a beautiful place.

Queenstown Accommodation

Queenstown is a very popular place in the South Island of New Zealand. Generally speaking, accommodation in Queenstown is mainly concentrated in the city center and Lake Wakatipu. There are many star-rated hotels in the city center.

There are many star-rated hotels in the urban area. Cost-effective backpacker hotels cost about NZD 30-60 per night, and general budget hotels cost about NZD 150 per night. The transportation is convenient. The resorts near Lake Wakatipu are more suitable for self-driving tourists. Most of the hotels and resorts in this area have beautiful lake views, and the prices are basically around NZ$200. The more expensive one is NZ$350, and you can stay in a better lake view room.

Spring (September-November) and autumn (March-May) in Queens are the most suitable periods for outdoor activities. Since Queenstown is also suitable for skiing and other winter sports, its peak tourist season is from late December to mid-January of the following year. If you are visiting during this period, it is best to book a room in advance.

Queenstown Food

Queenstown’s crowded restaurants will definitely make you feel better compared to the sparsely populated places in most parts of New Zealand. New Zealand salmon, mussels, scallops, crayfish, blue cod as well as local beef, mutton and venison are all specialties that will not disappoint tasters. The food stalls and coffee shops by the lake also offer friendly delicacies, such as super burgers, fish and chips, handmade chocolates, etc. Not to be missed. Although Queenstown is a town with little nightlife, there are still nightlife bars, especially during ski season. There are plenty of restaurants and bars waiting to be discovered along Beach Street and TheMall.

Queenstown Shopping

Queenstown is the best shopping city in New Zealand. Friends who choose to travel around the island by car will suddenly feel like they are back in the city. Sheepskin products, jewelry, woolen clothes, and possum leather products are all very cheap here. But general boutiques do not allow haggling. If you want something cheap, you have to wait until the weekends for the special markets and creative markets. This is not only a shopping paradise, but also a good place to understand the local culture of New Zealand.

Recommended South Island self-driving routes

Everyone has different needs for attractions and will plan different self-driving routes to New Zealand’s South Island. But from the perspective of never detouring, saving time, and being more classic, I recommend that friends who drive to the South Island take the following route:

Christchurch-Kaikoura (plenty of time) ——Fox Glacier——Wanaka——Queenstown——Dunedin——Tekapo——Christchurch.

First of all, starting from Christchurch, if you have enough time, you can go to Kaikoura, which takes about 2.5 hours. Kaikoura is basically whale watching or sea fishing. If you are short on time, it is recommended to take the Forks directly from Christchurch. It takes about 5 or 6 hours to drive from Christchurch to Forks. It is best for four people to drive in a car and take turns driving. If it's too long, you can spend one night in Hokitika, watch the sunset, and take a walk on the firefly trail (it's very short). Go to the glacier the next day (if you want to hike on the glacier, you can also hike on the glacier that day and soak in the hot springs in the evening). On the third day we went to Wanaka, which is very close to Queenstown. Going to Wanaka first and then Queenstown will not be a detour. Go to Queenstown on the fourth or fifth day, go directly to Dunedin or Mount Cook on the sixth day, then go to Tekapo, and then to Christchurch. The number of days here can be increased as per your requirement. This route is relatively smooth. Except for the slightly longer drive to the glacier on the first day, the rest is almost 3 or 4 hours' drive. Or you can walk backwards, Christchurch-Tekapo-Mount Cook-Dunedin/Queenstown-Queenstown-Wanaka-Fox Glacier-Christchurch, because New Zealand relies on rudder It runs on the left hand side of the road, so you can go backwards. When driving on the west coast, the sea is on the left, so it is more convenient to pull over if you want to take pictures.