I recently came across the Cardenas Bra Fence, and it's definitely a creative and eye-catching installation. It's one of those quirky roadside attractions that makes you stop, smile, and take a photo. The idea of using bras to create a visual message about breast cancer awareness and women's strength is powerful, and the fence definitely stands out. It adds color and character to the landscape and invites community involvement in a lighthearted, yet meaningful way. Overall, it's a fun, iconic stop that’s both playful and symbolic. If you're passing through Cardenas or nearby, it's worth a quick visit — and maybe even contributing a bra for the cause.

We chanced upon it while driving from Queenstown to Wanaka. This is a nice stop over on the way to Wanaka. They are asking for donations for breast cancer. Seeing the fence full of bras of different sizes and designs is quite amusing hahaha. Do stop by for interesting pic if u have time.

Before heading to the Cardrona Hotel, make sure to stop by the Cardrona Bra Fence, affectionately known as “Bradrona.” This unique roadside attraction, located just down the road from the hotel, features a fence adorned with thousands of bras, each carrying personal messages and contributing to breast cancer awareness efforts.

Losing my mum to breast cancer in 2020, this was definitely something that hit home for me. Reading all the notes and bras hanging with pride had me bawling. Such a special moment to reflect and honour all our beautiful soldiers 🩷

A lovely message and worth the spot on the way through to Wanaka or Queenstown.

I did not want to miss this quirky spot while visiting the area! Found this place while driving on our way to Queenstown and sits in the middle of beautiful valley, the fence packed with a ton of bras! We found bras with some writings and funny notes from women with stories from around the world. There is donation box for NZ Breast Cancer foundation where you can contribute too to the fund. Would happily stop here again as the area is incredibly peaceful.

Yes, it is a controversial tourist attraction in Otago, New Zealand. For some, it is an eyesore and embarrassment, but for others it is just another NZ local wisdom of 'love lock bridge'. It is located on a public road reserve just at the entrance of Cardrona distillery. It you are not travelling this area, it is good to know that the location is out of main highways so you need to have a special intention to go there unless you are skiing at Cardrona.

If anyone wants a glimpse into how corrupt these folks are, listen to the 3ep series The Underdogs, from The Outside/In podcast, produced by New Hampshire public radio. You'll get an even better picture how they've earned all the negative reviews you'll find. Truly terrible people.

DO NOT BOOK!! Do not book anything through these guys. They cancelled the day of. I am owed over $500. Won't pick up the phone or answer emails. Been over a year.

DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR!!! So disappointed. This is the 3rd time we have been to Queenstown and we have nothing but good things to say about all the many experiences we have had. Our sled dog tour was cancelled and like so many we have not received our refund either. This has been promised in emails but now we get no response. Terrible service, we had another experience cancelled and they refunded us immediately. I fail to understand when payment is made in advance why refunds take 5 to 10 days and then not at all.

Our winter tour was cancelled by UnderDog Sled Dog tour. They agreed to refund me the money. According to their website cancellation policy, it takes 5-10 working days. However, after many text messages and phone calls, still no refund after a month. They even don’t feel any apology for their action. This shows how careless they are to their customers.

Like others our tour was rescheduled and then cancelled. A month later and still no refund... It's a considerable amount of money. Have tried to contact via email, phone and text to no avail. Please get in touch UnderDog Sled Tours. Update - We're now 2 months and counting waiting for our refund. There have been many excuses and many assurances of payment, but now texts are being ignored completely. DON'T book with these guys, they'll take your money and run.

SCAMMERS AND THEIVES: Do not book anything through these guys, if they happen to cancel your tour for some reason, which is perfectly acceptable. They will not refund your money. I have been promised a refund for 2 months now. I am owed over $500. Won't pick up the phone or answer emails.

** edit - over a YEAR later and still no refund, now ignoring all my communications. Awful awful awful. Like others my tour was cancelled and I have spent 3 months trying to get my money back to no avail. Constant lies / excuses over emails about the bank ‘rejecting the payment’ ‘finance department thought they sent it’. Terrible form.

Like others my refund is well overdue. Booking was cancelled due to Covid and met the criteria for a refund supposedly to occur in 5-10 working days . I was advised it had been “passed on to the accounts department”. Now 25 days overdue. Warning: DON’T pay in advance especially that they are taking bookings for 2023. I’m taking legal action now.

Tour was rescheduled by UnderDog and then cancelled the day of. Despite many emails still no refund. Don't bother booking, they'll just keep your money. Poor form UnderDog.

A must visit lake in New Zealand and I personally love this more than tekapo 😆

Picturesque lake and town that has a really nice laid back vibe to it. Very different to its bigger bustling tourist town cousin of Queenstown. The mountains with snow on the peaks with the clear water make for some great photos. The walk around the lakes edge is nice and flat and perfect for a stroll. The town has a good selection of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. Loved it.

Beautiful lake with chalets and hotels lining is shores on the one end and massive mountain ranges on the other. Roy's peak is accessed from here which is a hike that takes you to that place you see on Instagram with sprawling views of the lake in all its glory. For the less adventurous, there are kayaks available to rent and other adventure activities

The must beautiful lake

A highlight of the town and a nice place for walking around. I appreciated that there were so many nice public toilets, especially in the part that touches the town. It just means that anyone can really spend a long time at the lake and chill there.

Small little town and a big lake. The famous tree is about a 15 minute walk from the town and can be done near the road or the water. The tree is much closer to the edge of the lake than expected, and much smaller than the photos. Nice pit stop in between a long car or bus ride. The weather can change the experience, definitely plan ahead if this is something you want to include in your trip!

A special tree that can give you great inspiration ! The Roys Bay of Lake Wanaka is only a a very small beach but there stands a very special and expensive tree. People call it the "Lone Tree" This willow tree submerged just off the shoreline of Roys bay in Lake Wanaka has become an iconic feature of the town . This photo album is only for this one tree ! Hope you like it .

It was my first time trying go-karts and it was truly an amazing experience! My 10-year-old son had an absolute blast too. Even if you bump a little, it doesn’t hurt. Before that, we played mini golf, and it was really fun doing it with the wind blowing hard—it added to the charm!

Pop by to take a quick look during our road trip. Beautiful, powerful cars on display in the area. You would love this place if you are a race car enthusiast. Heard it will probably be one of the f1 race track in the near future from one of the locals.

Love this place, Tony has injected so much motorsport passion into NZ, recommend stopping by! Also, the team at Highlands are always so welcoming.

During our road trip through New Zealand, we stumbled upon the Highlands race track quite by chance. We were hoping that an opportunity to either drive or ride along would be available at just the right time. And I was in luck! Shortly after arriving, I was able to enjoy a very dynamic ride in a Lamborghini Huracán with a professional driver. The track is very interesting, with tight corners, fast sections through hills and valleys, and bridge crossings. I had a lot of fun and highly recommend it.

Did the 7 lap Mustang self drive. Well worth the money. Great instruction and very friendly. I would recommend. Even if you aren't a ford man like myself.

Absolutely amazing experience with instructor Matt during clay shooting at oxbow. The place is stunning, super indulged experience, safe, lots of rounds and worth every cent. A must try.

Awesome track and facilities. Staff are very friendly and helpful aswell. Look forward to coming back and racing next year

Great explore to what people used to have back then. Impressed by the estates being preserved. Attendants at the shops open were welcoming and helpful. Definitely worth the trip.

Interesting place to stop and stretch your legs. Small gold fields style town buildings with most that you can explore inside. The whole town sits on the banks of Lake Dunstan so can be a very scenic lunch or coffee stop

A selection of old town buildings rebuilt after part of the town was flooded for the building of a dam back in the 70s. These shop fronts portray the late 1800s though so a step back in time. Worth a little wander around. A couple of places to eat and drink too.

This is an amazing spot, so much history here and its worth the walk around to see everything. Today was our very first time seeing the 'Old Cromwell ' we traveled up from Dunedin. Come check it out 😁

It's free, it's got great parking it's well set up . Interesting exhibition. Shops to browse. Recommended.

Amazing place, hands down better than Arrowtown! Try the Angus beef sausage roll at Grain Store cafe too!

Gorgeous little location. Was not expecting this, all working shops with lots of lovely gifts.

This place really impressed me! I didn't have high expectations going in but was blown away by the volume of interesting artifacts. Everything from antique spoons to X-Men toys. It also feels like they continue to add, maintain and build upon the collection and venue. Great spot, would highly recommend.

Great place to visit, brings back memories of toys from my childhood and more recent ones my kids have had. Lots of great old cars, trucks and planes. Model trains are great also. Lots of lego put together. Very good to just walk around and non stop looking at all the pieces.

A huge and great museum for automobile enthusiasts! With a myriad of cars, fighter/passenger planes, tractors, trains, tanks, ambulance, fire ambulances and model cars on display, those who are really into them could really spend hours and hours here! ✈️ 🚗 🚒 🚋 🚜 The cars aren’t really arranged in a particular fashion, with bits of an assortment kept in each hangar, with some being really dusty as they are kept on sand, perhaps for a particular reason. The model cars selection wasn’t too huge, though there’s some unique Oxford ones i haven’t seen before - can’t find a souvenir to bring home unfortunately.. Definitely a must visit if you are into automobiles, particularly classic ones!

This is a bit of a hard one because I loved a lot about the place and certainly the idea of it. Undoubtedly the collection is impressive and almost too much to take in. And it's understandable that the upkeep of such a private collection is no doubt costly and time consuming. It's definitely impressive, but also basically more like several sheds full of stored stuff than a 'museum'. Still recommend a visit but don't expect a pristine display, more of someone's clear love for collecting an interesting and large eclectic store of items, mostly in an as-is condition and squeezed into very limited available space. If you like nostalgia, especially toys, you will love exploring this space and spending several hours. Enjoy it for what it is. If you have very high expectations, you might be disappointed.

The Vintage Transportation Museum is a great place to visit. It has a full range of classic cars on display, all very well kept and interesting to see. There’s also a wonderful collection of old-time toys, which adds extra charm and nostalgia. It’s an enjoyable spot for both car lovers and families. Highly recommended!

This is one of the most enjoyable 2 hours I have spent in a museum. So much to see and just when you think you have seen something, look up and there is more. Old cars, planes , toys, there is so much to see.

I had no idea where I was heading into - but this place offers sensory overload for transport and toy fans and horrified me in how much stuff as a generation has landed in landfill rubbish cause no one kept it. here they have kept everything!

19/4/2025 We have just finished a 5 day adventure through Bike it now. All we can say is wow. A massive than you to Kate at Clyde for the exceptional experience she put together for us. From information about the trails and amazing accommodation she organised . The people we met along the way were awesome and so friendly. Food was amazing and weather spot on. Thanks again bike it Clyde and Kate. Phil and Chrissy Hobson Darren and Jo Clark

Absolutely have to do the Lake Dunstan trail when visiting the Otago Region! All the staff were fantastic at Bike It Now from organising our ride, setting up our bikes and were so friendly and knowledgeable! Add it to your to do list when visiting the beautiful towns of Clyde/Cromwell

Im usually not big on tours but fletch and her team have convinced me. It was so much more fun doing it with them, they are all delightful and the locals they work with for accommodation and food are also amazing. We loved it. Will book with them again.

My fiancé and I had an amazing experience with Bike It Now. Their attention to detail was great and we felt reassured the whole time! We did the Otago Rail Trail over 4 days, 3 nights (on e-bikes) and it was such a pleasant experience, we had lots of time to stop along the way. We can't wait to book in for the remaining trails. Thanks bike it now team!

Did the Otago Rail Trail with Bike It Now – absolutely brilliant experience! Everything was so well organised, from luxury accommodation to dinner bookings and luggage transfers. The team were incredibly informative and made the whole journey seamless — all we had to think about was pedalling, enjoying the food, and sampling some great Otago wines. Created amazing memories along the way. 100% recommended! 🚴‍♀️🍷

Today we did the ‚One Day Wonder‘ cycle tour and we are absolutely overwhelming. We have to give a very big THANK YOU to the fabulous team of Bike It Now. They are brilliant, help you with everything….., take fear away you may have because you might believe too hard 4 me‘ or whatsoever…. SUPER ! The e-bikes are very good, quite new best standard. The trip we did was breathtaking and worth every dollar, DANKESCHÖN aus Hamburg, Frank and Claudia

I had a great experience doing the Lake Dunstan cycle trail with Bike it Now. The mountain bike I hired was perfect for the trail, and fitted with everything I needed. The pre- departure talk was very informative and made me feel more confident about tackling the ride. I caught their shuttle to Cromwell and gained a lot of local knowledge along the way from John the driver. The trail is great.

Great service from Shebikeshebikes meant we had a great day on the trail. We were a really mixed group in terms of experience and ability, but electric bikes and the crew's recommendation for what trail to ride meant we all had a fabulous time. Thanks for the care you took making sure we had what we needed. Ngā mihi!

This was my first taste of Otago trails. Staying at Ranfurly, I chose to ride what was recommended to be the best section of the Otago Rail Trail, ie Omakau to Ranfurly. Shebikeshebikes were able to shuttle me and my ebike to Omakau from where I was able to cycle the trail back to the motor camp at Ranfurly. Shebikeshebikes provided the perfect service; a very enjoyable drive with a lovely driver and at a remarkably reasonable cost. P.S. Two days later I used Shebikeshebikes to shuttle me and my bike from Clyde to Cromwell so I could ride the amazing Lake Dunstan Trail back to Alexandra Holiday Park. Again the shuttle service was superb.

Amazing experience with shebikeshebikes on the Otago Rail Trail. Service was great before the trip, prompt and clear communication, and on the trip. Bikes worked well, shuttle bus and luggage transport was great. Suggested accommodation on the trail was also wonderful. Thanks for a great experience!

Very satisfied repeat customers having biked both Clutha Gold and Otago Central Rail Trail with Shebikeshebikes. Great service, very comfortable bikes, and some wonderful accomodation options we never would have found by ourselves..

Hired an E bike for my lovely wife to do a portion of the rail trail. Really easy to deal with, plenty of information. They even have an after hours return option. Nice bike that was well maintained. No chance of keeping up with her on my 'normal' bike. Perfect way to see the rail trail.

This is the go to place for bike hire in Clyde..well versed in the local trails..able to have our bikes delivered to Cromwell which made for a easy return to Clyde...Dunstan Trail 10 out 10

Fantastic experience with shebikeshebikes - the 3 day rail trail was perfect for me . Travelling alone I met lovely people every step of the way. Fabulous accommodation esp behindthebikesheds!!

Beautiful pit stop from mtcook to queenstown. You get to see valleys and infinite horizon, making this one of the underrated hidden gems to do a quick stop for photos

A must see ! Very picturesque. Make sure you've got boots in autumn , so you can check out the viewpoint just off the road. It's full of slush. Such a beautiful view and lots of opportunities to pull over safely and take photos.

Nice place to stop the car and stretch the legs. Walk around the stop and see other cars zooming pass at the top. Some wildflowers sprouting in the harsh soil conditions add a bit of colour pop!

These valleys are beautiful in different seasons. It is deserted and reminds me of driving in the Desert Road in North Island but with amazing mountain views..

We were on a road trip from Christchurch to Queenstown and stopped along the way for some amazing views. We were blown away by the beautiful scenic views of the snow capped mountains. Well worth stopping or taking a drive to visit. So beautiful and scenic. Loved it.

Decent panoramic views of the Lindis pass. We passed by on the way to Queenstown, from Aoraki, in autumn. The views are not exactly spectacular, but worth the short walk and stopover.

Remember to stop by at Lindis Pass lookout as it has one of the most amazing landscape views along highway 8. There is a small lookout just next to the highway, so it's just simply to take this as a short stop before continue your trip. The view is amazing and magnificent.

After using Hayes fence tensioner for years I had to visit here. What a brilliant stop. Most impressed there was enough foresight to keep and maintain thus grate piece of NZ history

Hannah's Kitchen delivers truly exquisite delicious almost Michelin star quality cabinet food and a chalk board menu too. Beautiful outdoor and indoor seating in an historical environment of old stone buildings and engineering works. Definitely a"not-to-be missed" opportunity to indulge in some of the best small savories and sweets you can find in NZ. Well worth stopping in for just a coffee or more, even if not visiting the fabulous engineering workshop and displays.

Considering the isolated location; this Cafe is simply the BEST...!! The staff, coffee & baked items sublime. Well done ladies, call in for the Cafe alone!! 💜💜

Well worth the visit if you have interest in the history, and the food n drink at the cafe was excellent as well

Ducked in here for a bit of lunch whilst peddling. Very tasty pie and nice gardens. Was too stingy to pay $15 to see the Hayes Engineering workshops which I found afterwards was my mistake as it's highly rated!

What an interesting place to visit! My children had a blast (although it may have been easier if we'd put our 2 year old in the pram!) lovely friendly people who stayed open after closing to let us have a good look around! Thank you! Best cheese scone ever too plus delicious juices and a lovely gift shop!

Really lovely cafe with friendly owners and staff. We had lunch and coffee, which was lovely and homemade. I got beef nachos, carrot cake and an oat latte (they have oat and soy milk!) The site itself was also interesting. Self-guided tour of old engineering works and the old home of Earnest and Hannah Hayes who settled on the site in the late 1800s. Worth a visit! Great stop on the Otago Rail Trail

here you can drop by to have a meal, enjoy a coffee, and shop for souvenirs all in one place! they have a great variety of souvenirs to choose from. we’re glad we decided to make an impromptu stop here. the staff are friendly too.

Our breakfast/brunch spot after coming down from Mt Cook, which turned out to be a very good meal! 🏔️ firstly, the view out of the cafe was amazing, and it even came with a fireplace which attracted many diners to take photos with! There’s also several sheep out at the back of the cafe, though they aren’t fully engaged with us 🐑 ☕ coffee was alright, ordered the large one and shared it with my wife 🥞 the pancakes were amazing, opted for the yoghurt option with additional bacon and absolutely loved it - definitely helped that there’s a good amount of maple syrup, which made it sinful yet delicious. The fruits and yoghurt helped a little with the diet for sure though 🤤 Avocado toast was good as well, mushrooms was well flavoured and the portion was good enough to fill us up for hours. Definitely a good spot to stop by for a meal or just check out their shop!

A pit stop for us between Tekapo and Wanaka in the small town of Omarama but what a find. This place is excellent for a travel break if driving or if you are on a coach trip as many did. We ordered choc fudge cake and drinks …all were great. The selection of food available was very good and the brekkies served looked huge. Highly recommend plus if it’s a cold day they will probably have the open fire on the go!!

Super cute place that we stepped in while taking a break during our roadtrip. We were super surprised by the cute decor and the friendly atmosphere. We didn‘t try any of the food but there were some nice options available. The drinks (Mocca and Americano) were great. We also enjoyed strolling through the shops afterwards. The bathrooms were super clean and cozy as well. Would definitely come back!

Dont order the ramen and wanton soup. It cannot caompare to auckland nice food take away nz$15.5 wanyon soup. This place is good for resting before tekapo.

We stopped for coffee and the loo on the way to Queenstown. It has a lovely fireplace so on a dull rainy day it's a perfect stop. It's a bit big a "tour group" stoping place though, so not a cosy quiet atmosphere. Cofee was average but service was excellent.

This cafe was a lovely stop on our way up to Lake Pukaki with our 13 month old daughter. I especially love the fresh flowers they put up around the cafe when opening in the morning, it really adds a nice touch and shows they like to make it a nice experience for customers. Service was friendly, coffee and food came out quickly and we both enjoyed our meals. They have high chairs available for babies, great grab and go food options if you’re in a pinch and clean toilets. It’s attached to a lovely gift shop with leather goods, soaps, etc. If we have time we’ll likely come back for lunch on our way back from our day trip.

A lovely spot to spend a relaxing time in the hot tub whilst looking out over a little pond and enjoying the wildlife. Shame there aren't showers in the pods next to the hot tub (we were in 2) they may be in others though. We went straight after walking round the clay cliffs so a shower before we got in would have been great but I wasn't about to have one in the main building and run to the hot tub!

We came here as a stop by for our honeymoon, we had just come from a wet, cold, freezing Milford sounds which we had just spent $250 on a cruise. These hot tubs were God sent. This absolutely transformed our trip around, we would trade that $250 on the Milford cruise EVERYDAY. I cannot rate this place higher enough, the lovely lady we met while we were there on the 02/10 was amazing, engaging and supportive. The staff were exceptional. This will be a staple recommendation for when people ask us what to do on their South Island trips

Amazing hot tub & sauna! Private and peaceful, right next to a lovely pond with gorgeous view of the mountains. Perfect place to relax after a cold rainy day in Mt Cook. Very clean and well-maintained facilities. Highly recommended!

Nice wood heated hot tub experience. Pool very hot - added some cold water to adjust better for us- you can adjust the temp up or down. Pools are private and clothing optional. Pretty views over pond/ducks and to hills. You are given water to drink. You can buy drinks from them (full bar). No outside food or drink allowed. Private cold shower available at the tub or warm showers at main building for after. Towels are provided. The cold shower felt good though after getting so warm in tub. Really enjoyed our private hot tub experience.

AMAZING! Highly recommend a stop here if you're in the area. The tub was on the side of a lake with the snowy mountains in the distance, talk about views! Loved that the water is so fresh. Very cool the tubs are heated by fire too. The facilities were immaculate, very clean! Loved being able to jump out of the tub and have a fresh, cold shower, then hop back in the tub. Privacy was amazing, we had our own changing rooms. The staff were super friendly too, thanks!

My son and I popped in for a gorgeous 90min session two weeks ago. It had been a dream of mine to visit for at least a decade. I'm so glad we did! Such a beautiful experience - a nice hot tub with perfect post card views.. Thanks for having us. We'll be back next year 💛

Beautiful way to spend the morning, we booked the private sauna & Tub combo. Both hot and ready to go when we arrived. Cool shower outside the Sauna was great. A warm welcoming and clear instructions on arrival as well as towels to borrow which would be great for those passing through unprepared! A photo of the sauna as we struggled to find any online to show what kind of heater is used. Will definitely be back!

Since so many good reviews we make a special trip here to try. We have ordered the fresh salmon, some sushi's to try it. Salmon meat tasted good the the cut is thicker comparing to other restaurants. We tried the chicken sushi, personally find it is not that great. The indoor sitting area is not too big so could sit outside especially in warm day.

An absolute must visit! I am glad I came here. There is a sashimi and smoked salmon section with other goods like tea pots, souvenirs and then there is a cafe which overlooks the salmon farm. They have sashimi that tastes buttery and rich and smoked salmon with various flavours (really liked it). Inside the cafe they also serve sushi. If you go outside on the deck there are pellets that you can feed the young salmon. Overall, very pleasant experience. Staff were friendly and helpful. Thank you to the young lady in the fish shop and deli, you were helpful and also thank you to the tall young guy in the cafe.

Popped here for dinner whilst staying in twizel! There is a mix of preprepared food and menu items - seating is all self service! The food was very tasty we got a few things to share! The salmon was all very tasty! Only issue we had was my dad wanted a well done steak which they only cook their steak to be medium rare.

Had dinner at High Country Salmon near Twizel — great experience overall! The salmon sashimi was fresh, tender, and full of flavour. The chowder was a little on the salty side, but the ingredients tasted very fresh. The fries were perfectly cooked — crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. A nice spot to enjoy good salmon dishes with a lovely atmosphere by the water.

Unfortunately, this restaurant did not meet my expectations. While the salmon was fresh, the sushi itself was cold and tasted as though it had been pre-prepared. I ordered the cooked salmon sushi and the pork belly, but neither dish was enjoyable. The view is decent, but overall, the experience did not justify the visit. I do not plan on returning.

It is different that you order and pay for your food. You then find your own seats and they deliver you with the food. We ordered platter for two. Nice presentation but if you are there for the salmon, order salmon sushi or sashimi only which we should have done. We stayed at Mount Cook Hermitage and this Salmon restaurant would be the closest at 60 km away. Also it is 3km from Twizel, a small village from Mount Cook that you can get reasonable priced food.

Came after the hype and the place was busy with people when we got there. We had to line up for quite long for food orders. When it was our turn the server told us that their kitchen was closed as they had too many orders to make and couldn’t make new orders anymore. We were very disappointed of course as we came all the way to try their salmon and all we could get was anything ready at the counter. We got some sashimi and sushi for sharing. Honestly they tasted average though salmon was fresh. They had a pond behind the restaurant where you could feed the fishes in it. We quickly finished our lunch as the place was busy and people were waiting for seats. We then went over to the shop next to the restaurant to have a look at what they sell.

Honestly, should be a 4.5 star Sashimi is fresh and neatly packed with chopsticks and soy sauce and wasabi. Smoked salmon tastes good when eaten with sandwich. The view is great, but can be hot in the afternoon. Small shop but serves it's purpose well as a pit stop. Many tourists, toilet is clean.

Like many other tourists, we visited this place. Sashimi was nice and fresh. It seems prices are always increasing. 100gm for $15. 500gm large was $53. I also tried the hot smoked salmon to try. Prices are better than High Country Salmon if you want to only try sashimi only.

When you come to Mount Cook, you must try the salmon sashimi here. This shop is more suitable for takeaway or a simple meal. There’s only one table inside, but there are several outdoor tables where you can enjoy delicious food by the riverside while admiring the scenery and the distant Mount Cook.

The salmon was super delicious and incredibly crunchy, with a perfectly balanced taste. We came back twice! The sashimi is genuinely unbeatable. It was quite windy to sit outside, and finding an empty spot inside this small shop was a challenge. With better weather, the experience would be completely perfect.

Salmon that melts in your mouth like butter… and the most stunning views of Mount Cook! You’ll definitely want to make a stop here. Located next to the i-site. Plenty of parking for all vehicle types, and clean public toilets. This is a great place for a leisurely picnic, coffee or a quick snack on the banks of Lake Pukaki. There are picnic tables along the water front, and a picture perfect spot for noteworthy Instagram posts. The Salmon Shop has the cleanest sashimi I’ve ever tasted. So deliciously melt-in-your-mouth. It was the best I’ve ever had. They have small containers with about 10 to 12 pieces for $15, served with wasabi and soy. Their smoked salmon dip is $15 each or 20% off if you buy two (which we did). This was a beautiful treat we enjoyed later at sunset paired with a lovely crisp glass of Pinot Gris. They also sold fresh caviar and wasabi, different cuts of salmon, crackers and some great condiments that pair beautifully. You could also purchase cold drinks, filter coffee, tea, and a yummy hot “lemon honey and ginger” drink (which was so good we came back for seconds). This was great for soothing my partner’s sore throat he’d been struggling with. A small section of the shop had upmarket tourist souvenirs which were far better than many of the junky things you might find at the usual tourist shop. Whether you’re a salmon lover or not I definitely recommend a stop here. The view alone is worth Gold, and I’m sure you’ll be a sashimi convert once you’ve tried this most delicious treat!

Fresh salmon and with the best view to eat at. I would recommend if you are in the area. People had also brought their own noodles to eat with salmon. Which I thought was a great idea

Fresh salmon sashimi that are cut too small. Very nice view around the place (scenery is not part of the shop, is free). Quite expensive, $15 for 100g (1 small box). Place is often crowded but they serve very fast.

Lake Pukaki is perfectly positioned at the foot of Southern Alps. The scenery around will blow your mind away. We might have seen such pictures as the backdrop of calendars during my childhood. But never imagined such a beautiful place. The area is famous for Salmon & salmon farms too. This aquamarine colour due to the glacial flour will leave you mesmerized.

Pale water holds the mountain's gaze, A sheet of ice, in sunlit haze. The Southern Alps, in jagged crown, Reflect their snow on water down. The air is thin, the light is gold, A silence ancient, grand, and old. Upon the shore, the tussocks sigh, Beneath a vast and endless sky. Lake Pukaki, a turquoise gleam, The color of a waking dream. It drinks the melt from Tasman's feet, A glacial, breathtaking retreat.

Lake located on the road to Mt Aorangi, lake has some spectacular views and lookouts galore. Can see clear around the valley on a nice day.

It’s so beautiful here! You also can see Mount Cook in the distance.

Our coach passed beautiful Lake Pukaki on the way to Mount Cook, which became visible from quite a distance. The entire lake is an almost perfect and consistent aquamarine, from the glacial runoff silt.

Definitely worth a couple of visits! You can get even closer to the mountains when you drive towards Mount Cook. The lake is an endless body of turquoise blue. There is plenty of parking available. Toilet facilities are not the best though.

Beautiful place to have look on Mount Cook. It gives beautiful look with several other mountains. It's very big and spread in large area till Mount cook.. Drive along with this lake gives you a very sceneric beauty. Even if you wanna dark star view. Than it's a best place to see. By going more along with lake (not on main road) side road. You can get good spot which will give a broad view of sky and definitely you will get too many stars and planets (satellites too if you lucky enough).

Hosts Curl Australia's Australian National Curling Championships -- which I am watching from the comfort of my own home in Hamilton, Ontario! Also as I understand it, hosts New Zealand's curling talent. Kudos to everyone doing their bit to grow the game of curling. Fantastic to see teams from NZ and

Such a cool place. Literally. Everyone can do it. Highly Recommend

Visited from Wānaka for the day. Amazing hospitality and coached us through how to do the curling as we were very much beginners. Had ample time to give curling a go and also tried the outdoor luge which I would highly recommend. Friendly staff, great fun!!

Stopped into Naseby while doing a roadie in the Maniototo and spending a few days in Ranfurly. It's more than worth the drive. My wife and I decided to try curling. We did the outsoor one. Had the rink to ourselves today and it was heaps of fun. Staff was very friendly and welcoming. Gave use some pointers then let us enjoy the game. We had a ball. It's certainly a game of precision but anybody can have some fun trying it. Can't recommend highly enough. Will have to try the indoor version of the game one day too I think.

It was Worth for visit Naseby. Good experience to try Curling Sports. The staff is so friendly and approachable.

Came to do the Gold Rush Luge. It was so much fun. Went down 5 times, would have gone more times except for the walk back up. They need to install transport back up to the start!

Awesome activity, even for those with no experience. We arrived last week on our south island holiday, had no booking or a clue of how to play! After some great instructions from the staff and continual tips for the hour and a half we were there, we got the hang of it and had a great time! Such great fun, thanks a mil!

Elephant Rocks Review This is a free and easily accessible natural attraction that’s well worth a visit if you're in the area. Located just a short drive from Duntroon, the site features massive limestone boulders scattered across a wide open field, creating a surreal and scenic landscape. Photos don’t do justice to the scale of the rocks — it's only when you're standing beside them or climbing to the top that you realise just how huge and impressive they are. From the top, you're rewarded with sweeping views across the field and out toward snow-capped mountains on the horizon. There’s ample parking and a couple of picnic tables at the entrance, and even on a busy day the space is vast enough that it never feels crowded. It’s an ideal spot for a leg stretch, a peaceful walk, or snapping some truly one-of-a-kind photos. While I wouldn’t suggest making a long drive just for this one stop, it's absolutely worth the short detour if you're passing through or exploring nearby. A refreshing and memorable place to enjoy the outdoors and take in the natural beauty of these unique rock formations.

We stopped here for what we thought would be a quick picnic lunch and explore. We were here for almost 2 hours exploring every corner we could. Our kids spotted 2 elephant looking rocks and 1 rhino, most of the time too busy climbing and hiding around the grounds. Heaps of room in the parking area and has a few picnic tables before heading into the field. Lovely spot.

It's interesting to see so many rocks clustered in one area. According to Susan, a staff member at the Vanished World Centre, these rocks were submerged in water before, and years of rain and wind created their shapes, like elephants, etc. Thank you to the private owner for allowing visitors to walk in and experience this. We saw many interesting rocks but just couldn't find the elephant. We did find the hippopotamus... haha. It's good to explore and spend some time enjoying nature's creations the sheep. Just be cautious of all the sheep droppings around.

What a fun and quirky stop! The massive limestone formations at Elephant Rocks are absolutely stunning — it really feels like stepping into another world. The scenery is unreal, and the view is worth every step. Just be prepared for a little extra adventure — the place is full of lamb poop everywhere! 😂 Half the fun is actually trying to find a clean spot to land your foot. It definitely adds a hilarious twist to the experience. Overall, a must-visit for a good laugh, awesome photos, and a unique New Zealand countryside vibe. Just don’t forget your sense of humor… and maybe some sturdy shoes! 🥾

Seen a video from a soc med - was excited to see but unfortunately when we went their it was mostly big rocks.You can hardly see an elephant formation. Unless they meant Big rocks which stands as an Elephant rock. We still enjoyed it though by climbing the rocks. Visit this place when it is a nice weather. Since this lroperty is a private owned - please bring a gold coin with you for donation

If you're on the way to mpunt cook or anything up there, it's definitely worth it to spend the 15 minutes and have a look at em. Also if you're interested in bouldering there are some problems you can try even without shoes or a crashpad.

Not sure why elephant Rocks but years gone by maybe. A very amazing formation non the less in an amphitheatre like setting.

When tourism becomes crazy! You know when you turn up somewhere and there’s multiple bus stop signs outside it’s time to turn around and leave. And they charge you to get onto a free beach to see some rocks. Which you can basically see on any other beach in NZ and the world! There’s gift shops, a cafe, an alpaca feeding area, they really have hyped this place up to be something. Crazy! Luckily I was driving this way anyway but to think that some people come over from the west coast all the way to see this is bonkers! Tourism overhype to the max!

Moeraki Boulders are little stunners perched on the beach it’s like 1,000,000 years ago someone rolled the dice and there they stayed. Absolutely worth the stop, the beach also beautiful we enjoyed the walk as well. Would rug up can be a little cold. There is a cafe there but it wasn’t open when we were there. Great stop after a few hours driving.

A little underwhelming as there were a few scattered boulders half buried. Only cool thing I felt were the boulders that were cracked open. It shows you the interesting formation of these boulders. Based off Wikipedia The Moeraki Boulders are concretions created by the cementation of the Paleocene mudstone of the Moeraki Formation, from which they have been exhumed by coastal erosion. The main body of the boulders started forming in what was then marine mud, near the surface of the Paleocene seafloor.

Went during low tide and honestly found the boulders a bit unimpressive. The ocean itself was beautiful, though, and worth a look if you’re passing through. Can get crowded with tour buses, so I wouldn’t make a special trip unless it’s already on the way.

Im sure it would have been beautiful but i didnt like that a public beach is privatised and monetised, in a way. Its only NZD2 to access the beach, its not alot.. and yes, the money is to maintain the walkway and etc... just doesnt sit right with me.

Beautiful place. There’s a public carpark with a 5 minute walk down to the beach. Alternatively, you can park by the café for a shorter stroll and view trail (a small NZ$2 donation supports the boardwalk)

Great boulders in an otherwise boulder free beach. Some have broken open, and you can see crystal deposits in the centre. The short walk to the beach is short but fairly steep, an alternative route is via the shrubbery and down some steps. The gift shop is beautiful, with lots of interesting items, not obviously tourist fodder, and the prices vary, but a lovely place with items for everyone.

When tourism becomes crazy! You know when you turn up somewhere and there’s multiple bus stop signs outside it’s time to turn around and leave. And they charge you to get onto a free beach to see some rocks. Which you can basically see on any other beach in NZ and the world! There’s gift shops, a cafe, an alpaca feeding area, they really have hyped this place up to be something. Crazy! Luckily I was driving this way anyway but to think that some people come over from the west coast all the way to see this is bonkers! Tourism overhype to the max!

Moeraki Boulders are little stunners perched on the beach it’s like 1,000,000 years ago someone rolled the dice and there they stayed. Absolutely worth the stop, the beach also beautiful we enjoyed the walk as well. Would rug up can be a little cold. There is a cafe there but it wasn’t open when we were there. Great stop after a few hours driving.

A little underwhelming as there were a few scattered boulders half buried. Only cool thing I felt were the boulders that were cracked open. It shows you the interesting formation of these boulders. Based off Wikipedia The Moeraki Boulders are concretions created by the cementation of the Paleocene mudstone of the Moeraki Formation, from which they have been exhumed by coastal erosion. The main body of the boulders started forming in what was then marine mud, near the surface of the Paleocene seafloor.

Went during low tide and honestly found the boulders a bit unimpressive. The ocean itself was beautiful, though, and worth a look if you’re passing through. Can get crowded with tour buses, so I wouldn’t make a special trip unless it’s already on the way.

Im sure it would have been beautiful but i didnt like that a public beach is privatised and monetised, in a way. Its only NZD2 to access the beach, its not alot.. and yes, the money is to maintain the walkway and etc... just doesnt sit right with me.

Beautiful place. There’s a public carpark with a 5 minute walk down to the beach. Alternatively, you can park by the café for a shorter stroll and view trail (a small NZ$2 donation supports the boardwalk)

Great boulders in an otherwise boulder free beach. Some have broken open, and you can see crystal deposits in the centre. The short walk to the beach is short but fairly steep, an alternative route is via the shrubbery and down some steps. The gift shop is beautiful, with lots of interesting items, not obviously tourist fodder, and the prices vary, but a lovely place with items for everyone.

Interesting part of history about New Zealand's coast. Especially after reading about the Gold Rush and Dunedin. More importantly to respect nature and not to go too close to the wildlife. Short walk into the Seal colony and you can see many seals sun bathing or having a conference. Fun fact from chatgpt Katiki Point Lighthouse was originally powered by oil and had to be manually maintained by lighthouse keepers — today, it’s fully automated and solar-powered! Plus, the surrounding area is one of the best places on the South Island to see the endangered yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) in the wild.

About a 5/10 min walk (down a hill) to the actual viewpoint but absolutely worthwhile. We were there for 15 mins and saw whales, potentially dolphins and were less than 10 feet from some seals.

I went with my family yesterday hoping to see yellow eye penguins in the wild and we were not disappointed. We saw 4 in total and many seals laying in the sun. The walk itself is also very beautiful and takes 5-10 minutes.

One of my favourite spot on whole trip. Grate off road, good parking place . the light house is close but don’t worry you can see grate wildlife live . some 🦭seals and albatross you can take pictures very closely if you are lucky you can see big water waves and natural view as well highly recommend 🥰

Good place to visit and absorb history and nature. Saw fur seals hauled out on the grass, which is most unusual. Heaps on the rocks too. The off shore reef was pumping.

Absolutely stunning spot, first time I've been there and walk is good and soo nice see all the fur seals 🦭 around lying on the grass 😀 Definitely worth a spot to visit

A beautiful spot to visit. The walk is mostly flat and easy, with just a downhill stretch when heading towards the colony. Peaceful views and well worth the visit.

Absolutely love this place in spring. Good for walks and children will love the playground.

Stayed at the top 10 Oamaru, this park is about 5 mins from there,very impressive different gardens within the park. Children's play area, bridges over the water. Such a beautiful place definitely worth a visit

Beautiful garden. Well worth the stop. When we visited the glass houses were closed as they were undergoing restoration. I'm very envious of the private house that sits in these gardens, it is an amazing little piece of paradise.

Gardens on all their autumnal glory. Very pleasant to walk around. Has a lovely kids play park with a Humpty Dumpty wall. The Alps to ocean bike trail goes through the gardens. Very nice atmosphere after a long ride.

Was a bit 'abandoned' during winter. But it is still worth going to see the aviary, the green house and the park in general. There are a lot of ducks, the sign asks people not to feed the ducks with bread, but grain/seeds so the ducks don't get sick.

Outstanding. Well maintained gardens with a vast variation of plantings in a beautiful setting. Great playground with paddling pools for kids. Picnic tables and clean toilets

Not as good as I expect, maybe it’s because in the winter. The bird areas are quite good, they are adorable. There are some parking lots and toilets next to the garden which are so good.

Always a delight to visit. Arrived home with birthday presents of beautiful candles and 2nd hand books. Chocolate and hokey pokey and a conversation with a lovely lady about life and travel.

A excellent place for understanding th heritage of North Otago lots to see and do. Organized events and Steam train rides Blue Penguin colony lots of cafes and restaurants brewery Something for all ages to check out

Lovely vibe. You can see that alot of energy is going into restoration of the buildings and its memories. The heritage festival weekend was being held when we visited and is well worth attending.

A gem in the South Island - Oamaru. We were only staying a few days but ended up being almost a week. There is so much to explore, and this quarter is fascinating.

On a recent trip to the South Island we passed through Oamaru and had lunch and a look around Oamaru's Victorian Precinct. What an unexpected surprise! Amazing attraction. The focus on steam punk an unexpected bonus, especially knowing that this has been a long-time focus of the area. The charming blend of history and quirkiness was captivating, with the steampunk twist adding an extra layer of fun.(as you will see from my few photos). Think a must see if you have children and want a great place to explore with them. Loved every moment of our brief stay and was sad to be on our way to our next destination. We will definitely be back !

Great place glad it was on the list to visit

Went to the Steampunk Festival over the long weekend. People watching on steroids! Had fun seeing the tapestry of costumes, conversations and shared obsession unfold all around. The historic setting alone is worth the visit, but even better if you can time it with an event like this one.

This was such a highlight of my road trip up the east coast. I decided to randomly stop and check it out and it was such a creative and fun place to visit. So many interactive and unique exhibits and well worth the visit. Very highly recommend.

I was actually surprised that I really enjoyed this activity. Was a lot to see and do here. The kids loved it and so many things to touch and experience. Is an outside area so we did that first with the weather about to turn! Really cool. Would recommend to anyone in the area to go and check out it. You will be surprised!!!

Loved this museum! It’s a mix of both cool and freaky stuff! I would highly recommend visiting this place. You will easily spend an hour or so if you love taking photos like me! It has many interactive elements which were a massive highlight!

Steam Punk HQ Was great fun! Everything is interactive. Lots of buttons to push and levers to move and things that make noise or flash lights. There are vehicles to climb in & on and amazing machines and sculptures and giant roaches on the wall! Ever wanted to play an evil dentist? Or mad scientist? This is the perfect opportunity. Quirky kids of all ages will love this place!

I love carefully curated clutter where I can poke around and fiddle with stuff. While not a steampunk aficionado per se, I am a generalist nerd, so I have made my rounds with Gibson and Sterling. The place is perfectly sized for a couple of hours of serious examination or an hour of casual wonder. It is a bit like the original Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. While it doesn’t have as strong and in-depth of a narrative thread as MW, it does stick its main theme with fanciful interpretive plaques like a traditional local history museum. Oh, and there is a little Weta Workshop connection and kickass movie prop if you read carefully.

Definitely go to this. 2kids loved it 1 didn't. Ages, 13, 11 and 9. Fun activity and lots of cool photos and things to do

Second time here and still enjoyed our visit. Loved the things that we can activate. Well worth the visit.

We found this place on Google as we were passing through and so glad we did! There are 30 wallabies in total and a bunch of other animals as you walk around the paddocks, there's a super cheeky peacock too. The wallabies are so sweet and gentle, the lady that owns the place is a real character, she obviously cares so much about her animals, we found her to be sweet and certainly has a sense of humour! Myself and Husband absolutely loved it. And for $15 for a huge bag of food and unlimited time walking around the paddocks, we thought it was a super reasonable price! 100%recommend ❤️

This experience was truly unique. I recommend learning about how this place was founded before visiting—it adds so much meaning. Gwen, also known as the “Lady Wallaby,” dedicated many years to caring for these wallabies. An amazing and inspiring experience!

You must stop by this place. The lady who owns this place is definitely part of the experience. A cheeky woman she is which made me laugh so much. It was $15 cash to get a bag of feed. We didn’t even finish the feed because wallabies are surprisingly gentle and slow eaters. They are very soft and gentle as well. Some are more shy than others but make sure everyone gets some feed! I highly recommend to kids and adults! She also has two cockatoos that can speak and say “I love you”. So cute.

Super fun to feed and pet wallabies! Make sure you have cash if you are an international tourist, only kiwi credit cards are accepted. Overall great time! If you’re in the area, you should stop by!

Great place to visit when in Waimate, especially with kids. Gwen, the owner, is very nice. NZ eftpos or cash (15 NZD per adult, 10 NZD children above 5 years)

Highly recommend this tour! Affordable price for an unforgettable experience! Those wallabies all have different personalities and they are all lovely. The host is kind to me and give a really detailed guidance on how to feed wallabies, which I think it’s very necessary to learn. Don’t miss this park if you pass by! 很好玩中国人不骗中国人！！！

Great to feed some wallabies. A lovely place tucked away, in the small town. A good visit if going from Timaru to Oamaru. $15 to hand feed the wallabies, a great coloured peacock wandering around as well. Really easy to navigate if you read the signs as well.