Queenstown is New Zealand's number 1 holiday destination for international visitors, and it is easy to see why. Queenstown is jaw-droppingly beautiful. It sits beside Lake Wakatipu with clear, turquoise and calm waters and above the town and lake rise the Remarkables, the majestic, snow-capped moutains.
It's the hub for adventure tourism- the first commercial bungy jump was based at the Kawarau Bridge. There is so much to do from aerobatic flight to parapenting via jet boating, to whitewater rafting and mountain biking to fly fishing and much, much more.
It's also a major centre for skiing and snowboarding. Its four main mountain skifields are Cardrona Alpine Resort, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Treble Cone. Cross-country is available at the Waiorau Snow Farm, near Cardrona village. And after a day in the snow, the après ski is hot. There are more than 200 bars and eateries, one for every 75 people, it is said.
An hour west of Queenstown is Fiordland, New Zealand's largest national park. Milford Sound is the best known of all of the fiords, because it is unspeakably gorgeous.