Hola! Bienvenidos a Fabulous Journeys! As you can tell, I’m so excited to write about this vibrant place that I had to speak in its mother tongue. I visited the Andalusian region of Spain a couple of years ago, and I must say that it’s one of my favourite places in the world to date. This post will focus on the city of Seville.

Viva Sevilla!

Seville is the capital of the Andalusian region of Spain. I arrived in this Moorish-influenced city by train from Madrid. It was a two and a half hour train journey from Madrid Atocha station, and the trains are really fast! I was so amazed by the high speed and the service of the transport in Spain, as I thought it would be delayed half the time, or something similar to England! It’s much better than the trains in England, and is comparable to high-tech countries like Japan! It’s also a great way to see the countryside of Spain. I saw so much olive trees and small villages that looked very interesting. It could well have been nice to drive all the way there.

Before I arrived in Seville, I didn’t know what to expect of the place. My brother-in-law and sister have been around the Andalucian region a few times on their previous holidays, and all they can tell me is to go to Granada and see the Alhambra. They didn’t seem to rave about Seville, so I just didn’t expect much of the place apart from being my first destination in the Andalucian region. It is the biggest city in the region and Spain’s fourth largest city after all, so I thought it would be just another city. Well, was I so wrong!

Oranges and Moorishness

When I arrived in Seville, the very first thing I noticed was the sheer number of orange trees that dot the streets. The orange trees were bearing fruit, and it was such a delight to see them! Rows and rows of orange trees and I really got tempted to just pick one from the tree and eat it! I did in the end, but perhaps there is a reason why they’re just on the tree.. It wasn’t yet ripe enough for people to pick them out! Anyway, I still begrudgingly finished in all, as I didn’t want to waste the orange..

One very evident feature of Seville is the Moorish architecture around the city’s ancient monuments and palaces. There is so much Moorish influence in the area that you can immediately distinguish the feel of the place from Madrid or Toledo in the northern part where I first started my trip in Spain. I somehow feel as if I’m in some Middle Eastern city with all the intricate murals, the courtyards, and the minarets. The Moors settled in this area for centuries before they were driven away by the Castillans in the formation of the Kingdom of Spain in the 1400s. It’s a great feature of the Andalucian region, and a testament to its rich history. Here are some of the great sights to see in Seville:

Alcazar

In the city centre of Seville, you will find the old Moorish fortress called the Alcazar. From the outside, you’ll find that it’s all just covered by this huge plain stone wall that looks like a fortress. It does look intriguing going through the narrow alleyways in order to get to the Plaza del Truinfo where the entrance is. It doesn’t look as grand from that point, but the minute you step in, it’s a completely different world. The palace is actually huge and the decors are just a feast to the senses! The level of detail on the carvings on the walls and the ceilings with ancient Arabic script forming patterns are just fascinating to look at! There are also lots of examples of marble inlaying patterns on the walls and the floors that have been so immaculately done, and it is truly a work of art. The Alcazar also has lots of courtyards with a nice fountain in the middle. A big portion of the palace is the original Moorish structure, though there is a part that has been built after the Moorish era. It’s now a museum showcasing items used by the Spanish royalty. There is also a nice botanical garden inside the complex, and a nice big fountain in between. This is a definite must-see when you are in Seville.

La Giralda

This cathedral on the other side of Plaza del Truinfo, used to be a mosque, and is now converted into a great cathedral. The Giralda refers to the tower that is distinctive of the church, and is the living reminder of the mosque that used to stand in that place. The tower has all the Moorish carvings on it and is really great to look at.

Plaza de España

This complex was built for the Expo 1929, and showcases the different regions of Spain. It’s a grand building with a huge fountain on the entrance. At the lower level, you will find tiles on the walls with descriptions of the various regions of Spain and their specialties. It’s a great area to stroll around, and has a romantic feel to it. There are horse-drawn carriages that offer tourists a tour around the city.

Torre Del Oro, Plaza de Toro and Guadalquivir River

The city of Seville sits on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, and an esplanade/walkway has been created along the riverbanks, which makes for a good stroll. On the esplanade, you will find the Torre Del Oro, an old Moorish watchtower that was used for defensive purposes by the Moors. You will find some modern sculptures along this esplanade, and there is also a bridge that crosses to the other side of the river. On the corner of the esplanade and a bridge is a small churros shop where I managed to indulge into this delicious Spanish snack with a rich chocolate dip!

If you go a block back from the esplanade, you will find the Plaza de Toro, the bullring and the place where they have the toro (bullfight). At the time I visited, they didn’t have any bullfights happening, so you may have to watch out when they have those. They do offer a guided tour inside the ring and it showcases the various matadors through the years and their costumes. It’s a great insight into that side of the Spanish culture.

Flamenco Show

Flamenco dancer

Now, I nearly forgot to put this in, but this is another must-see if you’re in Seville. There are several bars offering a Flamenco show, so make sure you find a good reputable one. It’s a very fascinating dance. It’s both lively, upbeat, yet the music has a degree of melancholy in it. It’s one of Spain’s most well-known traditional dance. I’m not really into dancing, but the Flamenco show and the Tango show in Argentina would be one of those dance shows that I’d totally recommend to see. I have a short video here I took during the Flamenco show:

Seville has a lot of charm, and one that shouldn’t be missed when travelling to the Andalucian region. I hadn’t planned to stay long in Seville, but now that I’ve seen it, I know what I can expect out of this great southern Spanish city.

Til the next Fabulous Journeys!

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Fiji Memories

I thought I’d do a brief post on a video I took while I was in Fiji a couple of years ago. This is the farewell song that the staff of the Manta Ray Island Resort sang to us guests before we boarded our boat back to Port Denarau. It’s such a nice touch, and that is one of the beautiful things about Fiji. The people always welcome you and entertain you, and even say goodbye in a very heart-warming manner. They sang the song “Isa Lei”, and here’s a snippet of it:

The Indian Side of Fiji

And while I was at a pre-wedding party for my friend in Lautoka, the family prepared a great Indian feast with lively music and much dancing (my friend is Fijian Indian). One of the family members was into her dancing with the Bollywood beats, and she was such a delight to watch that I took a video of it. It was a great night with lots of fun! Here’s a brief clip of it:

As you can see, there are 2 sides to Fiji, both of them truly welcoming and a delight to experience. I can’t stress enough how great this island paradise is, not just of its natural beauty, but of its ethnic diversity. I hope you enjoy watching the 2 videos.

Til the next Fabulous Journeys!

P.S. Trips, flights and accommodations were booked through Expedia, which offers the best deals to Fiji and the Pacific islands.

Bula! I did my first post here on Fabulous Journeys about Fiji to showcase the main island of Viti Levu, which a lot of travellers seem to bypass and neglect when they visit this South Pacific island paradise. This post will cover the other islands of Fiji which offers great beaches and snorkelling and diving opportunities.

My First Video

Before I continue talking about the other islands of Fiji, I’d like to show you my first attempt at creating a video to attest about my previous post on Viti Levu. I was in the pool at The Seashells @ Momi Bay resort when my friend Pete took this video of me chilling out and giving you some words on my recent trip. I hope you enjoy it:

The Mamanuca Islands

Fiji's Beachcomber Island

Fiji is an archipelago of some 300+ islands, and on the Western side of Viti Levu, just off the coast from Nadi you will find the Mamanuca Islands. There are around 20 islands on this chain, and is an easy day trip from Nadi (cruise to the islands starts at Port Denarau). The islands have nice white sand beaches. Some of the most popular ones are Beachcomber, Bounty Island, Treasure Island, South Sea Island, and Mana Island. Beachcomber is known as a party island, and a lot of younger travellers tend to visit this island to party and enjoy the beach. A good number of day trippers go to the island just to swim in the nice white sand beach and chill out for the day. The same goes for South Sea, Bounty and Treasure Islands. Majority of these islands have accommodations, and they can be booked as part of a cruise package with Awesome Adventures (primarily for the backpacker ones and the mid-range resorts), or with other cruise companies like Captain Cook Cruises or Blue Lagoon Cruises. I cruised by these islands on my way to the Yasawa group of islands, and I must say that I was tempted to just get off the boat and chill on the nice white sand beaches!

Yasawa Islands

Further north to the Mamanuca Islands is the Yasawa group of islands. When I was reading up on my Lonely Planet guidebook before the trip, I was attracted more to these group of islands, as they have mentioned that there is better snorkelling and diving in this area, plus the beaches are better and not as packed as those in the Mamanucas. I instantly went ahead and booked my cruise to stop at a resort on one of these islands, where I stayed for 3 days and 2 nights. The Yasawa Islands is comprised of around 20 islands, and has been one of the least developed areas in terms of tourism and infrastructure. The bigger islands are Waya Island and Kuata Island. There are a number of resorts on these 2 islands.

Manta Ray Island Resort

Main beach on Manta Ray Island Resort, Fiji

I stayed at the Manta Ray Island Resort, which was on Nanuya Balavu island, one of the smaller islands just next to Waya and Kuata Islands. It took roughly 3 hours to get to the island on the catamaran from Port Denarau, but the trip was well worth it, as you see all the other nice islands and resorts along the way. Manta Ray Island resort is more of a backpacker to midrange resort. It doesn’t have all the 5-star amenities that you’d find in hotels, but the rustic and authentic local feel to the place makes it very inviting to stay and chill out. I stayed in one of the tree bures (or huts) facing the beach. The stretch of beach in front of Manta Ray resort is white sand, and you can snorkel just off the shores. There are manta rays that usually linger around the island (hence the name of the resort), primarily on the narrow channel between the resort and the next island. The resort offers a tour to swim with the manta rays, though I found that it was more of chasing the manta rays than swimming with them, as they tend to be shy creatures and don’t go close to humans. The resort also caters for some other activities like a village tour, where a guide will take you to another island to visit a traditional Fijian village, snorkelling tour, and diving. You can also hire a kayak to paddle to the next island across the channel.

Gorgeous sunset on Sunset Beach, Manta Ray Island Resort

On the other side of the resort is a small village where the workers of the resort live, and there is also another beach they call Sunset Beach. As the name suggests, it’s the perfect place to watch sunset. I simply sat on the beach and watched some of the locals and guests play rugby on the beach, and the sun slowly going down.. It’s probably one of the best sunsets I’ve seen thus far! At night, the staff at Manta Ray Island Resort offers some activities to keep their guests entertained, and the locals also join in! All in all, I’ve enjoyed my stay on this island, and I would highly recommend this to those wanting to experience the Yasawas.

All these were part of my first Fiji experience. I’m still wanting to explore more of the other islands, and it would be interesting to also hear from other travellers what their experiences are. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post for Fabulous Journeys.

Til the next Fabulous Journeys!

Bula! A warm island welcome to this week’s post for Fabulous Journeys!

I’ve just returned from a holiday/friend’s wedding in the warm South Pacific nation of Fiji. I’d like to share with you some stories of my recent trip and discoveries that I made while going around the island of Viti Levu. This post will show you the Fiji that you don’t find in the tourist brochures of your local travel agent.

The Bula Smile

Everywhere you go in Fiji, you’re always greeted with a warm “Bula!” by the people around. Bula has become a term synonymous to Fiji. The way you are greeted can vary from a gentle one from the ladies, to a vibrant and earth-shaking one by some of the men on the streets. It’s just so nice how these people greet strangers on the streets and in the villages, wherever it may be. It’s definitely something not a lot of places in the world do anymore (unfortunately).. The warm calm but vibrant smiles of the people makes you feel welcome, relaxed and at home on this South Pacific nation.

This is actually my second trip to Fiji. I’ve had the opportunity to visit the islands a couple of years ago, and I toured around the outer islands of Fiji. It’s definitely a great place to go for those white-sand beaches and fantastic snorkelling. This time however, I decided to explore the main island of Viti Levu and see the countryside, the villages, the beaches and the capital city of Suva.

Nadi and Denarau Island

When you land into Fiji from overseas, you will most likely land into Nadi International Airport (pronounced as “Nandi”). This is the biggest airport in the country and is located on the western side of the island of Viti Levu. The airport is near the town of Nadi, the third biggest city in Fiji. This is where you’ll find a lot of shops catered primarily to tourists, and where you’ll find this very colourful Hindu temple at the end of the Main Street. There are a number of hotels and resorts around Nadi town and many tourists would opt for one of these resorts upon arrival. If you’re after some shopping, the most popular shops/department stores you will find in Nadi (and the rest of the major towns in Fiji) are Jack’s, Tappoo, and Prouds. It is also one of the few places in Fiji that has fastfood chains like McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut.

View from Denarau

For a more upmarket selection of resorts, the island of Denarau has been specifically developed to hold all the 5-star resorts into one island complex. Hotels like Sheraton, Sofitel, Hilton, Radisson, Westin, to name a few, are conveniently located beside each other. A Bula Bus service is available on the island. It’s basically a truck converted into some sort of a bus with a thatched roof to make it look Fijian. The last time I was there, it was offered as a free service, but this time around, you need to pay $4 for a day ticket, which gives you unlimited rides and access to the Bula Bus. Alternatively, if you’re a guest of the Sheraton or the Westin, they offer a free pink bus service that will take you to and from the Westin and Sheraton.  I stayed at the Westin, which I booked through the website Expedia. At one end of the island is Port Denarau, where cruise ships to the isalnds depart from. just right by the terminal is a newly built shopping complex that has a Hard Rock Cafe, and shops like Jack’s, New Zealand Natural, and a few great restaurants to choose from. It’s a great alternative if you’re tired of the same hotel food. Denarau Island is definitely a great place to go to experience some luxury and comfort, and to relax and enjoy the pools. The beach is okay, but I wouldn’t all it fantastic. Nevertheless, it’s still a great area to chill out and relax.

Sigatoka and Sigatoka Sand Dunes

My friend Pete and I drove down the island from Denarau along Queen’s Road (the only fully-sealed road going around Viti Levu) to the Sigatoka area (pronounced Sing-a-toka). This area is where you will find the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, which has a few walking tracks to the sand dunes leading to the beach. It’s quite a sight to see, and it’s worth a visit. We took a walk that takes 1 hour return and goes by the sand dunes and along the beach, and then through the mahogany forest back into the car park. In the mahogany forest, we found some ingenious artwork done by the caretaker of the park. It’s called Treehuggers, and basically it is made of branches that got swept away from the nearby Sigatoka river onto the shores of the sand dunes area, and they have collected them as part of the cleanup program of the coastline. They then turned it into an artwork! Another piece they did is called The Tree of Lost Soles, and basically it is a collection of worn-out soles and flip-flops/slippers that got washed into the sand dunes and are hung onto this huge banyan tree. Well worth checking out!

We then proceeded to the town of Sigatoka, which is situated along the banks of the Sigatoka River, Fiji’s longest river. It’s a quiet laid-back town, and has a market on one end, and a few shops. We drove further along the main road and got to some dirt road which led to some villages and this wind farm. I never expected to see a wind farm in Fiji, but they actually have some on top of a hill! Very fascinating!

Coral Coast and Pacific Harbour

Further from Sigatoka, roughly 20kms from the town is an area called the Coral Coast. It has a few resorts scattered along this strip of beach. The beach isn’t great for swimming, but is good for snorkelling. My friend Pete and I stayed at The Crow’s Nest resort, which is along this area called the Sunset Strip. It’s a small road that offshoots from the main Queen’s Road, and has a few small resorts lined up. It’s a great small resort with self-contained units and balconies overlooking the sea. It’s a much reasonably priced one among all the resorts in the area, with the Outrigger on the Lagoon being the most expensive. We had some other friends staying at the Outrigger, so we managed to check out their facilities. I must say that they have 5-star facilities, and they even organise activities for kids and adults alike to keep them entertained. There are no towns or places to go nearby, hence they want to entertain some of their guests through organising activities. The snorkelling was ok. I saw some colourful fish, but the corals were not as beautiful as in the other parts of Fiji.

Despite the slightly patchy weather, I managed to see a nice sunset on the Sunset strip. It’s worth waiting for it and hanging out on the beach while it sets.. After the Coral Coast, the next place we visited along Queen’s Road is Pacific Harbour. It’s a nice area with a lot of private residence and some nearby resorts. There is an Arts Village, which has shops selling indigenous Fijian craft and has cafes, supermarket, and a bank. It also has a golf course, for those golfing enthusiasts. Right across the road is a camp site run by the Seventh Day Adventists. It’s a nice campsite with A-frame units to hire, and the beach looks great to hang out on. It has a view of the other islands off the main island of Viti Levu.

Suva

The frenetic capital and biggest city of Fiji was our next destination. This is where the Queen’s Road ends and the King’s Road starts going up to the northern part of the island. Unfortunately, since we didn’t have a 4WD vehicle, we were not able to travel this piece of road. The people at the car rental company told us that because of the massive rains they’ve had, the roads have become too rough to drive on, and not the entire stretch of it is sealed as well. So, on our way to Suva, we were welcomed by this torrential rain that just poured like a huge waterfall! We could hardly see a thing on the road, and our windscreen wipers were going full blast! I had heard that it often rains in Suva, so I wasn’t surprised of the weather. When we got to the city itself, Pete and I asked a local if there was a storm or cyclone coming through. He then said, “Nah, this is normal rain here”. So, having said that, we made sure to take our umbrellas to get around. There are heaps of Indian shops around, selling anything from clothing to food to general merchandise. Near the harbour itself, we found the new shopping mall of Suva called MHCC. The waterfront by the harbour was so tempting to us, but we were warned that it’s a dangerous area, as a lot of people get mugged. If you have seen how big the Fijians are, you would be cautious about these dangerous pockets. Having said that, I went around the government buildings and near the Fiji Museum, and it was a pleasant place to get around, with Albert Park between Fiji Museum and the government buildings. I took care on which ones I photograph because the military presence is quite obvious in the area. Suva looks like another buzzing city. Something I’m glad to have seen, but not too sure if I’ll go back. Fiji’s biggest city is not really a place to lounge in the sun and chill. If you’re after the beach and sun, head back to the western side of the island, or better yet, to the other outer islands!

Momi Bay

From Suva, we head back along Queen’s Road to head to Lautoka, the second biggest city in Fiji, which is a 30-minute drive from Nadi. Our friend was getting married in Lautoka, as that was his hometown. However, we still had a day before any of the activities started, so we decided to stay the night at Momi Bay, which is also 30 minutes away from Nadi, but on the other direction from Lautoka. It took us a good 4 hours to drive that way.

On the way, we saw on the map on our guidebook that there is a road that diverts a bit and goes along near the coast. We took that road that goes via the village of Lomawai, and Tau. The road was not sealed, but it was manageable. The villages along the way were picturesque, especially Lomawai. It’s along the river, and there is a wooden rail bridge where cars can go through as well. Later on, we learned that the salt that most of Fiji uses comes from this village. Along the way, we saw some children on horses, waving at us and the people seems so friendly and waving us.

After a hour on the dirt road from Lomawai, we finally got to Momi Bay. The Seashells @ Momi was what we had in mind to stay at, and it was just perfect. The Seashells had a range of accommodation from the backpackers to the bures, to self-contained units with aircon. We were wanting a bit more luxury in this case and chose the unit with aircon on it. The resort has no beach, but it has 2 swimming pools, one is near the sea, and a bar beside it. The area is close to mangroves, hence there is no sandy beach. However, the resort offers scuba diving trips, which is a bonus if you’re into scuba diving. This place is slightly off the beaten track, and not a lot of tourists were around when we checked in. Perhaps this caters more for backpackers and families who live locally. A great place to chill though.

Lautoka

From Momi Bay, our final stop was Lautoka for our friend’s wedding. Lautoka is a pleasant town that is not packed with tourists. Lautoka is a great reprieve from the constant pulling by the locals in Nadi and Suva into their shops for people to buy their wares. There is a market at one end of town, and the shops run along the main street and the next block from it. We stayed at the Tanoa Waterfront Hotel. It’s perhaps Lautoka’s best hotel, and the location by the waterfront is nice! One of the best sunsets I’ve seen on my trip was from this place, so well worth checking out the sunset from the walkway in front of this hotel. If you are looking for a good place to have breakfast, check out the Chilli Tree Cafe. It has a good selection of breakfast menu items and good coffee as well.

Abaca and Koroyanitu National Park

After the great wedding celebrations, we had a day left to ourselves. Pete and I decided to go up to a national park just behind Lautoka called the Koroyanitu National Park. To get there, we had to get to the village of Abaca (pronounced Am-ba-tha). We had to find a 4WD pickup to take us there, as the road was quite rough, and the vehicle had to do 2 river crossings, which was quite exciting. It’s a 10km journey but took 30 minutes to get to the village of Abaca because of the rough roads. When we got there, we had to pay F$10 for entry to the national park. There are a few walks around the area, and the one we managed to get to was to the Savuione Falls, which is a 2-hour walk return through the rainforest. It is considered an easy walk, but it is nowhere as easy as the Sigatoka Sand Dunes walk. Nevertheless, if you want to explore the different side of Fiji, this is definitely worth checking out. Just be careful of the spiders and caterpillars around, but otherwise, there are no predators in the jungle. The odd cow or horse may sound out, but nothing that you should be worried about.

That’s the end of my trip to Fiji! I will be posting another one about the outer islands of Fiji, based on my first experience of this island paradise. I hope you’ve enjoyed it!

Til then, have a fabulous journey!

Welcome to Part 4 of Fabulous Journeys’ coverage of the majestic South Island of New Zealand! I trust that you enjoyed the first 3 posts I made on this beautiful island. This week, I’ll be covering the road from Queenstown to the remote West Coast of the South Island.

From Wanaka to the Wild West Coast

The West Coast is one of the most sparsely populated regions in New Zealand, and not a great number of tourists visit this very lush and wild region. This area always reminds me of scenes from the movie “Jurassic Park”, with its huge ferns and native flora that has been in existence since the Jurassic era (or even older!). It’s very unique and a very fascinating place to visit, especially if you’re into nature and if you enjoy a wild and rugged atmosphere to the place.

I did this road trip once from Queenstown to the West Coast, and we passed through Wanaka before taking on the road to some of the most beautiful national parks in the country. As I’ve already mentioned Queenstown and Wanaka, I’ll be showing you the road between Wanaka and the West Coast, and what you can see and do on the West Coast of the South Island.

Lake Hawea and Mount Aspiring National Park

Roaring Billy

From Wanaka, you will pass by the next big lake that’s just equally as picturesque as Lake Wanaka, and this is Lake Hawea. The road winds through parts of its shore and offers a great view once the road starts to climb up. As you go further, you will reach the town of Makarora. It used to be a densely forested area, up until the 1800s, when the native trees were cut down to supply the needs of the Gold Rush in the Central Otago region. Now it has a power station, and is a starting point of numerous walking tracks into the Mount Aspiring National Park.

Mount Aspiring National Park is named after one of the tallest peaks in the Southern Hemisphere, Mount Aspiring. This mountains is almost always snowcapped, and stands out on a nice clear day. The area around it comprises the national park. There are several walking tracks in the area, and a number of them lead to some beautiful waterfalls. The amazing part is, some of them are only a 5 to 20 minute walk from the main highway! I managed to have a peak at a couple of the waterfalls, one of them is called Roaring Billy, and the other is called Fantail Falls. They are probably the easiest ones to get to, if you don’t have much time to explore. There are no major towns in between Wanaka and the West Coast, so the minute you get past Makarora, you will be in the wilderness.

Haast

The very next town you will get to once you leave Mount Aspiring National Park is the town of Hasst. This is already part of the West Coast. Haast is basically one end of the highway along the West Coast. This town has a visitors centre and a few shops. The visitor’s centre is worth checking out, as next door to it is a small museum about the South Westland World Heritage Park. This is the area around Haast and the nearby towns of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier.

Fox Glacier and Franz Josef

Me on a crevasse on Fox Glacier

These two towns are primarily catering to the tourists that have come to see the unique glaciers in the area that are remnants of the Ice Age. The amazing part of these 2 glaciers is that they appear in the middle of a rainforest, and have not melted since the Ice Age! Most glaciers around the world would either be on top of a snow-capped mountain or somewhere with extreme cold temperatures and ice all around them. The fact that these glaciers have not melted after the Ice Age and still exists today is a natural wonder. Some say that these glaciers are advancing, though in certain years they say it’s receding.

I was fortunate enough to have been able to walk on one of these 2 glaciers. I went on Fox Glacier, as this is the wider of the 2 glaciers, and one that is not as popular as Franz Josef. I did a half-day hike with a guide up through the rain forest, along the sides of the glacier, until somewhere half-way up the glacier. It’s interesting to note that though the group started walking near the mouth of the glacier, it was not advised that we set foot on the ice at the mouth, as it’s the most unstable part of the glacier. The ice melts in that area and falls into the river below. It’s one of the most amazing experiences I’ve done in New Zealand, and if you are keen on walking, I would recommend this tour. They provided the gear like the boots, crampons and the wet weather gear (as it rains very regularly in the West Coast).

Near Fox Glacier is a lake called Lake Matheson. On a nice clear day (if you’re extremely lucky with the rainy weather on the West Coast), you will be able to see Mount Cook, and the reflection of Mt. Cook on the lake is nice postcard-perfect photo.

Hokitika

This is one of the 2 major towns on the West Coast. They have a small airport that has regular flights to and from Christchurch. Hokitika is known for its annual Wild Foods Festival. This festival happens every March, and offers several out-of-this-world culinary experience. You can try things like huhu grubs, bull semen, fried spiders, to name a few. This town is also known for its jade (“pounamu” in Maori), as a lot of it is gathered in the nearby mountain.

Greymouth and Shantytown

Shantytown

From Hokitika, if you drive up north, you will first pass by a place called Shantytown. Shantytown is like a well-preserved town in the 1860s, and offers visitors a glimpse of life in the West Coast during the Gold Rush. It’s a very unique place and gives you an idea on how rough and tough it was to live in the mining towns, and how they survived in such conditions.

Then, further north, you will hit the town of Greymouth. This town is named after the Grey River that runs on one end of the town. This is the biggest town in the West Coast. It’s claim to fame is the Monteith’s brewery, which makes the various Monteith’s beer. It’s one of my favourite beers from New Zealand, and offers a great range of beers depending on the season.

Punakaiki and Westport

Once you go further north on the West Coast Highway, you will reach a town called Punakaiki. This town is known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. These are rock formations along the coastline that were formed through millions of years of fossilisation. They’re called Pancake Rocks because of the formations looking like stacks of pancakes layering on top of each other. The blowholes are great to see when the tide is high, as this is when the water shoots right up from the holes on some of the rock formations. Along the way, you will also notice some palm-looking tree around. They are called Nikau palm, and they thrive due to the semi-subtropical climate that this area has.

Finally, at the other end of the West Coast is another major town called Westport. This is a mining town, due to its proximity to the coal mines around the area. There isn’t much to this town, except that this is close to the Buller Gorge, which is one great area to look at. Every February, they have the Buller Marathon, which starts in Buller and finishes at Westport. This is perhaps the biggest event in the town’s calendar, and that was also the only time I visited this town.

My next post will take you to the Otago region, on the eastern side of the South Island. I hope you’ve enjoyed this post!

Til the next Fabulous Journey!

Welcome to Fabulous Journeys’ third post on the magnificent South Island of New Zealand.

This week, I’ll be covering Queenstown and the gorgeous Fiordland National Park.

Breath-taking Queenstown

Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu

Queenstown is definitely one of the most visited places in New Zealand. Most tourists who visit New Zealand would have this place as a must-see on their itinerary. The first time I visited the town, I flew in from Christchurch. I was awestruck by the natural beauty of the place! As the plane was landing into Queenstown airport, I was blown away by the view of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountain range. The airport had a great backdrop of the Remarkables. The town itself is situated on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Many people say that the scenery looks very much like Lake Geneva in Switzerland.  The town itself is buzzing with a lot of shops and tourists around. Nightlife is also an attraction in Queenstown, with travellers and backpackers making up the thriving pub and club scene.

Sights Around Town

Around town, check out the Skyline Gondola, where the cable car can take you up the top of a mountain. Here you can get a breathtaking view of the Remarkables, Lake Wakatipu and the town below. If you are in for some excitement, take the Luge ride at the top of the gondola. It’s basically like a go-cart without an engine that goes downhill on a track by the slopes of the mountain where the gondola is. It’s great fun, and I highly recommend it.

Another place I’d recommend to check out that is unique to Queenstown (well, it started in Queenstown before branching out to Auckland and Sydney) is the Minus 5 bar. This bar is made of ice, from the bar to the bar stool, the tables, the glasses, everything! They provide you with warm jackets and gloves to wear inside the cold storage-like setup, so you don’t need to worry about not having the right attire. It’s an interesting experience, and one that uniquely originated from Queenstown.

Adventure Capital of New Zealand

Bungy Jump

Queenstown has been hailed as the adventure capital of New Zealand. It is here that the world’s first commercial bungy jumping site was built, and is still functioning as the iconic bungy jumping bridge in New Zealand. The bridge is called Kawarau Bridge, it’s 43 metres high, and has been going since 1988. The bridge spans over the Kawarau river, and you have an option to get yourself dunked into the cool river if you wish to have more of an adrenalin rush!

Shotover Jet

Shotover Jet

Aside from bungy jumping, there is also the Shotover Jet, a jetboat ride on the shallow and narrow Shotover river. The ride will take you through the gorge along the Shotover river, and navigate through the narrow gaps in high speed that you’d think the jetboat would hit the gorge itself! The driver also does a 360 degree spin of the jetboat, which could make you feel like getting thrown off your seats! Other great activities would be parasailing on Lake Wakatipu, paragliding and skydiving.

Dart River Kayak and Lord Of The Rings Tour

One activity that I enjoyed doing is Dart River Kayaking (called FunYaks). Basically, the tour starts in a town called Glenorchy, which is 45 minutes away from Queenstown. Then from Glenorchy, the tour takes a jetboat upstream on the Dart River, where at a place/spot aptly called “Paradise”, the jetboat drops off the group and the kayaks are then pumped and inflated. That’s why it’s called FunYaks, because they’re not your traditional kayaks. The tour takes you down the river, into some caverns that look really awesome! That area is also a filming location for the Lord of the Rings.

Speaking of which, if you’re into Lord of the Rings, there is a tour for the filming locations of Lord of The Rings. This will take you to backcountry roads just outside of Queenstown, to the gorgeous mountains, valleys and canyons in the area including Skippers Canyon and Arrow River. It’s a 4WD tour, as there are no sealed or paved roads in some of the  areas that the tour will go to.

Walter Peak Farm

Another interesting trip you can take from Queenstown is a steam boat ride on the TSS Earnslaw along Lake Wakatipu to the Walter Peak Farm. It’s on the other side of the lake and features a typical old farmstead with sheep, scottish yak, and other farm animals. The farmstead offers nice lunch meals, and it also offers a sheep shearing show. It’s a great day out for the kids and family, and those who haven’t experienced a life in the farm. The cruise itself along Lake Wakatipu is worth the trip!

Arrowtown

A small town that looks like it hasn’t changed since the Gold Rush of the 1800s. This is what Arrowtown feels like. Arrowtown is very picturesque, especially in autumn when the leaves start to change in colour. You can visit the Arrow River where part of the Gold Rush happened. People were panning for gold on the banks of the river. Nowadays, you can do your own panning on the riverbanks, and I’ve seen some tourists who do that just for fun. On one end of the town is the remnants of an old Chinese settlement, where the Chinese who worked in the mines during the Gold rush lived. You can read the history about how they lived and the absolute poverty and suffering they had to go through during those times. It’s an amazing story of survival outside of their homeland.

There are also a number of interesting shops along the main street of Arrowtown. This town is only a 10 minute drive from Queenstown, and is accessible by the regular bus service from Queenstown town centre.

Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park

One of the highlights of tourists visiting Queenstown would be a trip to Fiordland National Park, and the magnificent Milford Sound. This area exudes in natural beauty, with lush green forests, lakes and snow-capped mountains around. There is a popular walking track called the Milford Track, where you can tramp (or hike, as non-kiwis would call it) for 3 to 5 days within the national park and then finish off in Milford Sound itself. As you drive along towards Milford Sound, you will go through probably one of the smallest tunnel I’ve seen for motor vehicles, the Homer Tunnel. This is a one-way tunnel and manuevering through is always very tricky. Milford Sound is particularly a place to visit. Take a cruise around the sound and see all the myriads of waterfalls flowing down the fiord itself. The sheer number of waterfalls in the area is just amazing! It’s all due to the persistent rain that this area gets, so if it rains when you’re there, don’t be surprised, it’s normal! If you get to see a sunny day, then you must be very lucky! There are seals hanging around the sound as well, and it’s such an awesome sight to see!

Milford Sound is a 4-hour drive from Queenstown, quite a long drive but totally worth visiting.There are several cruise companies that operate at Milford Sound, and they all have roughly the same price.

Part 4 will cover the road to the West Coast of the South Island, so watch out for this!

Til the next Fabulous Journey!