Jon Algie 
Despite only being an hour or so from tourism heavyweights Wanaka and Queenstown, Central Otago is a place where you can easily escape the crowds. We only saw one other person while walking the Conroys Dam Track (located in the Aldinga Conservation Area) — if you want to do a walk not many others have … Read more
You can see Smails Beach from the series of car parks on Tomahawk Road, but if you’re keen for a hike and want to see this stretch of coastline from a different perspective the Karetai Track is a great option. Walking from Smails Beach up the hill to Karetai Road takes around 75 minutes return … Read more
One of several scenic bays in the Catlins, Purakaunui Bay is a great place to visit whether you’re planning to camp there or not. The camping ground is definitely a highlight (you’ll get great views from your van / tent) but there are also some stunning viewpoints on offer up the hill and the beach … Read more
Last year we had a calendar on our wall featuring scenic New Zealand spots. The month of December was dedicated to Governors Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. After looking at a photo of it every day for a month we knew we had to go there. Luckily it’s very easy to find — it’s a … Read more
The Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain tracks merge together to create a fun three hour hike. There is so much to see along the way, including an interesting small lake and grand views of Lake Wānaka and Mount Aspiring National Park. There is heaps of uphill hiking, but if you have the energy this is … Read more
One of my favourite photos from the Queenstown region was taken on the Lake Hayes Loop Track. It was in winter, the hills surrounding the lake were dusted with snow and everything was perfectly reflected in the glass-like water. This small lake, 14 km from Queenstown, is popular with dog-walking locals and cyclists, but the … Read more
With Wānaka being over a hundred kilometers from the coast you wouldn’t expect it to be an awesome beach destination. Lake beaches have their charms too though, and Glendhu Bay is the perfect example of this. The surrounding scenery is beautiful, the water has that exotic clear blue look to it and the “sand” (or … Read more
I always kind of dismissed Kaikoura as being a bit of a one trick pony. I knew there was world-class whale watching on offer, but could that really be it? I later found out there was a waterfall where baby seals go to play, but the recent earthquake put a stop to that. The good … Read more
One of the most spectacular drives in the Marlborough Sounds (and the whole of New Zealand) is the road to French Pass and Bulwer. Sweeping views of the sounds are the highlights, but there are also some nice little coves and beaches to stop at as well as some great short hikes. It takes around … Read more
By now you probably know that Roys Peak is the best sunrise hike in Wānaka, but what if you don’t have the time, stamina or will to walk uphill in the dark for three hours. Mount Iron is the answer. It’s definitely not as impressive as Roys Peak (or Isthmus Peak) but at only 90-minutes … Read more