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Frasers Beach, Manapouri

By Author Jon Algie

Posted on Last updated:

Categories Fiordland National Park

Frasers Beach, Manapouri

Manapouri is a tiny town near Te Anau, and the fact it isn’t on the main road means a lot of people miss it. It’s a cool place to see, mostly because of Frasers Beach. We reckon it’s one of the best lake beaches in New Zealand — keep reading and see if you feel the same!

Frasers Beach

Frasers Beach runs almost the whole length of Manapouri — you won’t be bothered by crowds there! From the main part of town you’ll get a view of it from above, and you can walk down to the beach from there. 

You can drive down Frasers Beach Road, where there a few different areas to park up and walk down to the beach. There’s a public toilet down there too. The beach is a great place for a stroll, with some nice stones to check out if you’re into that kind of thing. You’ll also see the Frasers Beach Track — it takes you along the same area but it could be an option if you’d rather walk than drive.

We parked in a few different areas and really appreciated the views. Lake Manapouri has been dubbed the most beautiful lake in New Zealand, and while I wouldn’t quite go that far it is a special place. What is the most beautiful lake in New Zealand? I’d probably go for Lake Wakatipu, mostly because you can see it from so many different angles, and it’s full of beautiful beaches like this one.

Getting to Frasers Beach

If you’re driving from Queenstown to Te Anau you’ll see a turnoff a short distance from Te Anau. If you’re already in Te Anau, it’ll take you around 15 minutes to drive there via Manapouri Road. You’ll see the beach as you near town.

Manapouri

Manapouri is most well-known as the place where the Doubtful Sound cruises start. You can also cross the river and do the Circle Track, which gives you great views over Lake Manapouri. I’ll be writing a full post on Manapouri, so stay tuned for that, but if you’re on the fence about Doubtful Sound I highly recommend you do it.

Are you planning a trip to New Zealand? Check out our South Island travel guide for lots of tips and inspiration!

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Jon Algie

I'm a South Island local -- born in Timaru and raised in Dunedin. I left the island in 2006 and returned 10 years later. Having seen a good chunk of the world I realised how special this place is -- the most beautiful island in the world! Seven years (and almost 400 posts) later I'm still helping locals and tourists alike plan their trips around the South Island.