Getting to know Hanmer Springs

Hanmer Springs is located in the northern part of New Zealand’s South Island, 130 kilometers northwest of Christchurch. This small resort town is surrounded by picturesque mountains and covered in forests, providing a beautiful natural backdrop for living and vacationing.

One of the most notable features of Hanmer Springs is its thermal springs. The town is located on the land of the Maori, who have long been aware of the healing properties of the hot springs. The use of these springs for therapeutic and relaxing purposes became popular in the 19th century, and since then, Hanmer Springs has become a popular resort for those seeking a unique experience and recuperation.

Relaxation and recuperation

A visit to Hanmer Springs is an opportunity to immerse yourself in a world of relaxation and peacefulness. The resort offers a variety of spa treatments and services that allow visitors to fully relax and enjoy the healing properties of the hot springs. From picturesque thermal pools to massages and wraps, everyone will find here a suitable way to relax and forget about everyday worries.

The natural wonders of Hanmer Springs

However, Hanmer Springs isn’t just about spa treatments. Surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery, you can enjoy hiking and camping here, exploring scenic trails and beautiful waterfalls. The nature parks around Hanmer Springs offer a variety of trails and viewpoints that offer magnificent mountain and forest views.

Outdoor Adventures

For outdoor enthusiasts, Hanmer Springs also offers a variety of adventure opportunities. You can test yourself on a cable car or ride a bicycle along scenic trails. Kayaking and whitewater rafting on mountain rivers is another way to experience nature and adrenaline.

All in one place

One of the main attractions of Hanmer Springs is its compact size. All the major attractions and amenities are in close proximity to each other, making it very convenient and enjoyable to stay in the city. You can enjoy the beauty of nature, relax at the spa, spend active days outdoors, and sample the local cuisine without spending a lot of time moving around.

Hanmer Springs is a true paradise for those looking for a blend of natural wonders and spa pleasures. Rejuvenating in the hot springs, enjoying beautiful mountain vistas and outdoor adventures make Hanmer Springs a unique travel and vacation destination. Discover this oasis of tranquility and beauty amidst New Zealand’s spectacular mountains and remain in love with it for life.

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Smoky sizzling landscapes, complemented by gushing geysers, greet the many visitors who come to this unique resort town for a new vivid experience. Every day is fresh and offers travelers something unusual, hitherto unexplored. It is not surprising, because it was in Rotorua, a small settlement lying in the central part of the North Island, 3 hours from Auckland, more than 100 years ago New Zealand tourism was born. Back then, the town was famous for its beautiful pink and white terraces, formed by volcanic activity on the shores of Lake Rotomaha. Although in 1886 this unparalleled creation of nature was destroyed during the eruption of the Tarauer volcano, the town still remains an attraction for many tourists. Solemn Tudor-style architecture, fashionable hotels, luxurious restaurants and bars, stylish cafes and expensive stores, parks and gardens form an important part of the city, complementing Rotorua’s exceptional scenery, rich entertainment and countless spas.

Today, the resort can offer guests numerous attractions and activities to suit all tastes that will fill your stay in this welcoming city with vibrant experiences. A feeling of amazing freedom will give guests a beautiful lake, mighty streams, steaming waterfalls and a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area. A bright palette of colors and a bubbling mud pool welcome guests to the magical thermal country of Wai-O-Tapu, where the Lady Knox geyser plays every day. Another extraordinary thermal park, Hell’s Gate or ‘Hell’s Gate’, is home to the only hot waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere and a huge spa complex specializing in Maori massage and mud baths. Natural geothermal complexes located throughout the city offer a variety of health and wellness programs based on hot springs and mineral waters. Undiscovered wooded slopes, fish-rich rivers and lakes, and captivating valleys make this region attractive to lovers of mountain hiking, hunting, and fishing. Finally, inquisitive minds will be delighted to learn about traditional Maori culture and compare what they see with Jules Verne’s glittering descriptions of the land.

Just outside the center of Rotorua on the banks of the Puarenga River in the Whakarewarewa Geyser Valley Thermal Reserve is the main attraction Tamaki Maori Village, a protected Maori settlement that preserves a patriarchal way of life. Amidst boiling mud lakes, geysers, roaring hot springs and tumbling waterfalls, guests discover New Zealand’s rich traditions and cultural heritage. The Maori Institute of Applied Arts and the Rotorua Museum of Art and History open their doors to visitors. You can also visit the excavated village of Te Wairoa, buried under a layer of ash from the 1886 eruption, visit the Blue Baths Museum and Spa and listen to a traditional music concert on the ‘sacred island’ of Mokoia.

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The town’s history is closely tied to gold. It was after gold was discovered in the headwaters of the Shotover River in 1862 that a settlement of gold prospectors grew up near the mines. Queenstown, that is literally “Queenstown,” got its name because it was “worthy of Queen Victoria herself.”

Although the “gold rush” is long over, and today the city attracts many visitors who find here not treasures, but amazing landscapes, unparalleled opportunities for outdoor activities and memorable vacations in the royal style. The rapidly developing town has gradually evolved from a gold prospectors’ settlement into a superb alpine resort and one of the highlights of travel along the southwest coast of South Island. Queenstown’s 2-square-mile downtown is home to fashionable hotels, fine restaurants, bars, stylish cafes, trendy stores and night bars. However, the entertainment industry of central Queenstown serves only as an organic and integral complement to the sports complexes and amazing atmosphere of this resort.

At any time of year, travelers to Queenstown are welcomed with a warm welcome, excellent cuisine and extensive entertainment, but each season offers something special and holds amazing secrets for true adventurers. When flowers burst through last year’s foliage, fresh grass plays emerald hues in the sun and the air is filled with spring inspiration, it’s time for a boat trip on the lake or an invigorating bungee jump. Warm, sunny summers are perfect for hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting and fishing on Lake Huakatipu. When the fresh and cool autumn air balances the riot of colors of the red and gold fall scenery, it’s especially nice to spend time at one of the 4 golf courses. But it’s only winter that gives Queenstown the special charm that has earned the town its reputation as the most popular winter resort in the Southern Hemisphere. Alabaster mountain tops, snow-covered trees and intertwining tracks on white snow fill the heart with joy and a thirst for new experiences. In the vicinity of Queenstown there are 6 world-class ski areas offering slopes for all levels of skiing and groups of all sizes.

Finally, a trip to Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks is highly recommended for all travelers staying in Queenstown. Only here you can get an exceptional experience of exploring the winding fjords, penetrate into the hidden secrets that these silent giants keep. Numerous waterfalls fall down the steep cliffs into the turquoise waters of the bay in sparkling cascades, and at altitude, moving away from the edges of the cliffs, fast rivers cross forests and glacial lakes, glaciers themselves and severe mountains crowned with snow caps. Here, where mighty peaks rise above an endless mirror-like surface, where the salty waters of the gulf and roaring mountain streams mingle, rare species of New Zealand fauna are found. The national parks attract thousands of visitors who appreciate nature and find special charm in the extraordinary beauty of the South Island. Here visitors can immerse themselves in the peace and harmony of the protected world of the fjord valley, or venture out on an adventurous hiking, biking or canoeing adventure.

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