The Lake Wanaka area is often overlooked as the little sibling to Queenstown, however, the scenery here is just as stunning. Lake Hawea makes a nice stop off if you are headed south towards Queenstown from the Franz Josef area. There are multiple places to pull off and capture the beauty of the area on camera.
We stopped off on two vantage points once we reached Lake Hawea en route to Wanaka. The first stop off we suggest is when the lake first comes into view. This gives you a great head-on the vantage point of the lake and surrounding mountains.
Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet New Zealand (Travel Guide)
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The second stop is set on the side of Lake Hawea. This stop off point will give you a side vantage of the lake and an opportunity to look at it in both directions. From where you came and where you are going. The views here are some of the best that we have seen in New Zealand to date. You really can’t match the clear blue water up against the towering mountains on a cloudless day.
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| HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW ZEALAND Auckland to Christchurch 15 days Small Group 12-16 People | NEW ZEALAND–SOUTH ISLAND ENCOMPASSED Wellington to Wellington 16 days Small Group 12-16 People | NEW ZEALAND–NORTH ISLAND ENCOMPASSED Auckland to Wellington 10 Days Small Group 12-16 People |
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More on New Zealand:
- New Zealand Sweet Spot: Cape Foulwind
- Unrivaled Scenery at Lake Hawea, New Zealand
- Interview with a Fergburger Waitress: Queenstown, New Zealand
- New Zealand’s Moeraki Boulders In Photos
- Our Encounter with the Yellow-Eyed Penguins in New Zealand
- New Zealand Sweet Spot: Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
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- Best Time to Visit New Zealand: Month by Month Breakdown
New Zealand has a deep bench as far as scenery is concerned, especially when its off-the-beaten-track places look so amazing!
Yea it really does!! I can’t believe the beauty of the country. You get a little numb to it when you’ve been here for a while.. it’s everywhere. But some of these places just blow your mind! Cool country for sure!
Love the pics sissa!
These are really stunning sights. Hard to take one’s eyes off!
Yes! Absolutely gorgeous place.
Beautiful spot! Love that last picture – so much fun!
We love jumping photos! 🙂
Wow this is probably the most photogenic lake in the world. Holy crap look at that water, stunning!! It’s so blue!
I don’t have one bad photo from that day! New Zealand has some mind blowing beauty.