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The Insiders' Weekend Guide to Lake Hāwea

A view from above The Camp at Lake Hāwea in Wanaka.
Story Wānaka
No longer Wānaka's lesser-known neighbour, Lake Haweā is an outdoor lovers' paradise that's evolved into a well-rounded holiday destination, thanks to its hospitality offerings and activities to match its intense beauty and monstrous mountain range.  With a secret sauna, surrounding peaks, jaw-dropping walks and hikes, coffee caravans and outdoor bars, here's our guide to what the locals have kept under wraps for some time.

The Camp

A small cabin nestled in bushes.
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Aotearoa, land of the great outdoors, is unsurprisingly a land of a long list of incredibly scenic sites to spend a night, too.

The Secret Sauna

A view of a little wooden sauna next to a lake on a sunny day.
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Picture this: an off-grid, wood-fired sauna sits peacefully on the shore of a glacial lake, smoke softly puffing out of the chimney while through the generous window, a...

Wānaka Lavender Farm

A purple tractor parked in between rows of purple lavender at Wānaka Lavender Farm.
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This is not your typical working farm.

General Service

A group of three people sitting around a table working.
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Tucked down an alleyway in the heart of Wānaka is a place where the inhabitants look forward to coming to work each day.

Bike Glendhu

Cycling over grass at sunset.
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Biking in a naturally beautiful setting.

Revology Concept Store

Wide angle view of Revology Wanaka.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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French composite and materials specialist, Alex, and New Zealand human rights lawyer, Monique, are the heart and soul behind Wānaka’s concept store and tea house centred around conscious living.

Cardrona Hotel

Historic cream and maroon weatherboard frontage of Cardrona Hotel with a vintage cream 1968 Chrysler Model 62 parked in front.
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Rumoured to be the most photographed building in the country, Cardrona Hotel was built in 1863 first and foremost as a place to stay for hardworking gold miners.