Attractions in the south island???
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Forum Name: General Chat
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Topic: Attractions in the south island???
Posted By: BaAsKa
Subject: Attractions in the south island???
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 12:55pm
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We are planning a trip to the south island in the xmas holidays and i was wondering if the lovely people of OB could tell me of some neat attractions we can go see eg - museums, animals etc...
Then i can decide where we want to stay and how much im going to need to save 
TIA 
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Replies:
Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 2:24pm
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I've done a few trips to the South Island, I've been most places.
Animals - recommend Kaikoura and swimming with dolphins that was an amazing experience. Marlborough Sounds cruise to one of the many conservation islands, seeing black robins so tame that sat on someones foot, and anyone of the many walks. Blenheim - vineyards and wineries nothing else to say. Nelson - walked up to the half way part of NZ. Able Tasman national park. Have you thought of hiring a camper van, then you can stop by the side of the road if you wish, and see everything at your own pace. Also means if the kids get tired they've got somewhere to rest. Other places to go. - Chch loads to see, and lots to do. Orana Park is worth a visit. Arrowtown, Te Anau - take a boat trip out onto the fiords is fun. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: AngieBabe
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 2:32pm
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I loved the night or two I spent at Mt Cook village - went for a wee walk along the tracks in the foot hills of Mt Cook and visited the info centre which has some fantastic displays etc... also drove down the west coast and stopped at Frans Josef Glacier and if you get the chance, just before the road turns inland for Haast, carry on a bit to Jacksons Bay and have fish n chips from the caravan on the shore - devine!
Oh and I loved Puzzling World in Wanaka too! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: queenbean
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 2:33pm
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Some neat places for kids...
Puzzling World - Wanaka Orana Park, Antarctic Centre - Chch Cadbury Factory, Otago Museum - Dunedin -------------   
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 3:10pm
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Puzzling world rocks!! Love the toilets there
Seahorse place in Picton Aqua Taxi round Abel Tasman Buller River Swing bridge Goldmining Museum Westport Willowbank wildlife reserve- CHCH ------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007 |
Posted By: lottieandharry
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 3:22pm
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Akaroa is a beautiful place to be during the summer ( and winter too). Not far form CHCH and is beside the sea so you can play on the beach, lots of lovely cafes along the beach front, good playground. You could go fishing off the wharf, take walks around the tracks around akaroa. Take a cruise out to the head of the harbour on the Black Cat boat. Swim with the dolphins or there is another boat type thing as well. There are kayaks etc for hire. It is a lovely place to go. We took Charlotte for her first birthday ( have been heaps of other times tto but without kids!) and had a brilliant time. We took a day trip to LeBons BAy which is a beautiful beach over the hill and basically chilled out strolling about the place. A good thing to do is hire a house which is pretty reasonable and you have the whole place to yourselves ( great idea with kids). Will find the link to the houses for you later. Though depends if you want to see as much as you can of the South Island or are happy to stay in one place.
Think I have just convinced myself it is time to go back actually! It is close to CHCH so you could pop over for the day and do touristy CHCH stuff or vice versa, stay in CHCH and day trip to Akaroa (assuming you will have a car?) Other than that the places others have mentioned are great. Hanmer is also a cool place to go even in the summer, they have houses to hire there too. Even tripping down the West Coast is beautiful, stopping in at Lake Kanarie (sp) and other spots along the way. So much to do and see down here, you will love it!! Good luck deciding ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: lucky3rdtime
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 3:26pm
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Yeah all of those are cool plus
Hanmer Springs hot pools Other things to do in Chch include going up the gondola, the museum, arts centre market, aquarium. Golden Bay around Nelson area is a gorgeous place to go, beautiful beaches, I love Kaiteriteri, the aqua taxi leaves from there. And Milford Sound is awesome for scenery, the drive from Te Anau is stunning. The West Coast is definitely worth a look too, there is shantytown (an old goldmining town) plus the glaciers and the punakaiki rocks, plus there are glow worm grottos around Hokitika and Franz Josef that you can walk to see from the main highway at night. Also you can take the tranzalpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth, which is a nice way to see some of the scenery. Queenstown is beautiful but quite touristy, but worth a look if you haven't been there. And yep the puzzling world thing at Wanaka is great. Allow quite a bit of travelling time though if you want to see lots of things, cos for example it takes a good 6 hours to get from Nelson to Christchurch and then another 6 to get from Christchurch to Queenstown. Man it just makes me want to go for a driving holiday now. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: james
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 7:18pm
i was going to say us (the lovey ohbaby mums) ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: jack_&_charli
Date Posted: 18 June 2008 at 8:25pm
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chch......me hahahahahahahahahahaha! ------------- http://www.alternatickers.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 19 June 2008 at 7:31am
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awsome thanks ladies!!
DH only has a week off so we are only going to a few things. We are going to take our car over on the interislander. My mother took my sister and i around the south island for 4 weeks, years ago but i remember VERY LITTLE about it! 
so far i love the sound of kaikora or the dolphins, seals etc, chch for orana park and i definately want to go back to shanty town but wasnt sure if it was still there!? and tehehe im sure there are alot of ohbaby attractions around the south island
oh and another question - is there anywhere that DH can go on a hunting trip for the day???? |
Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Date Posted: 19 June 2008 at 8:45am
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TOTALLY second Akaroa - beautiful place.
You can swim with the dolphins in Akaroa too |
Posted By: mum2emj
Date Posted: 19 June 2008 at 11:15am
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i love nz such a beautiful place with lots to do have been all around the south island and just adore the scenery.
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Posted By: Lisha
Date Posted: 19 June 2008 at 3:04pm
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And me!! A north islander that is now married to a south islander!
My parents have a luxury B&B in Akaroa Amazing place and well worth the visit, just getting over the massive hill is a mission, but once you come down the other side, it is breathtaking!
------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lucky3rdtime
Date Posted: 19 June 2008 at 3:16pm
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Maybe you could google hunting to find somewhere for hubby to hunt for the day, I'm sure there would be places.
All the best for your upcoming trip. Oh yes Akaroa is nice, I had forgotten about it. Akaroa and Hanmer are good day trips from Christchurch if you're staying in chch for a couple of days. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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