Archive for June, 2010

Staying At The Beach In Golden Bay

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Last time I visited New Zealand, I checked out the Golden Bay region in the south island’s north. As is my habit, I sought somewhere to stay that was out of town and scenic, yet still convenient … and I found it at Pohara Beach.

Although I want this website to focus on places, rather than places to stay, I can’t help mentioning some of the accommodation I’ve stayed in which stand out for some reason. One of these is the Pohara Beach holiday park. It sits in a rural setting 10 km from Golden Bay’s main town of Takaka, but, as its name suggests, it also sits right alongside a beach. A rather nice one too.

Staying at a beach might not be the first thing you associate with New Zealand’s south island, especially in winter. Golden Bay, however, is at the mildest part of the south island, and its waters are sheltered. After weeks of cold and frost further south, and the dampness of the west coast, strolling on Pohara’s golden brown sand felt balmy in comparison. It demonstrated once again what a land of contrasts New Zealand is. Yes, that’s a cliche, but it’s true - you can have snowcapped mountains in the morning, sand and surf in the afternoon.

I enjoyed the soothing sound of waves rolling onto the beach, something able to be enjoyed from inside the accommodation since it is so close to the sea. Because I indulged myself by staying in a small cabin, I even had a view of the sea out my window. Not all accommodation options have the view, but the ocean-side ambience is still there.

The Pohara Beach holiday park is part of the Top Ten chain, and shares the high standard of facilities common to parks in this chain. The amenities were as good and clean as any I’ve found in caravan parks. Prices are also high by caravan park standards, but then you usually get what you pay for.

My stay in a cabin didn’t quite fit “budget” category, even with winter rates, but for a short stay I felt it was worth it for the location. Exploring the Golden Bay area required a local base somewhere, and finding one so comfortable and right on a pleasant beach made it special.

More information:
Pohara Beach holiday park website

Topics: Accommodation, New Zealand (south) | Add Your Comment »

Pupu Springs

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Places with interesting names usually draw my attention, so when I came across a sign for Pupu Springs I just had to have a look. Despite the unsanitory sounding name, it turned out to be a place of purity and beauty.

The real name is Te Waikoropupu Springs, so it’s not surprising it gets abbreviated to Pupu. You’ll find it in the northwest corner of New Zealand’s south island, in a region referred to as Golden Bay. The springs (in the Te Waikoropupu Springs Scenic Reserve) are a short drive off the main road, not far to the west of the area’s main town of Takaka. If you’re exploring the area, you don’t need to detour much.

What you’ll find is a pleasant nature reserve containing native trees, bubbling creeks, and what some claim is the purest spring water in the world. I’m not sure how true that is - I’ve seen grand claims for water purity elsewhere - but when you look at it, the Pupu water is indeed remarkably crystal clear. I thought I’d seen clean creek water before, but this was in a higher class.

The great thing about the reserve at Pupu Springs - well, I liked it - is the way you can appreciate it by wandering around the gentle walk trails. The walk alone would have been good enough, but the incredibly pure spring water gurgling among the pure and natural-looking landscape made it delightful. Definitely a short sightseeing stop I didn’t regret.

More information:
Te Waikoropupu Springs (NZ Dept of Conservation)

Topics: Attractions, New Zealand (south) | Add Your Comment »

A Great Kiwi Country Pub In Omakau

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

I’ve written before about the Maniototo region of New Zealand - sparsely settled and sparsely visited high plains inland from Dunedin. When exploring this unique part of New Zealand’s south it’s good to stay somewhere local, and so I thought I’d mention one of the places I stayed, which I liked.

Omakau is not a well known town. However anyone who travels between Queenstown and Dunedin passes through Alexandra … and Omakau is just 26km away. It’s up the less frequented “high road” which runs from Alexandra via the Maniototo region towards the coast.

The Commercial Hotel in Omakau is a fairly typical rural pub which takes central place on the main road at the town centre. Well, it’s nicer and more charming than some pubs, but it remains unpretentious and not too fancy. It’s popular with the locals of this small and quiet town … which is also unpretentious and not fancy. Apart from being on the Otago Central Rail Trail, Omakau has been little impacted by New Zealand’s tourism boom.

A comfortable private room at a reasonable price was what drew me to the Omakau Commercial Hotel, and I wasn’t disappointed. My room was as clean and well appointed as I’d hoped, the bed was comfortable, and the other rooms I peeked into also looked inviting.

On entering the bar - where the accommodation booking is done - I felt conspicuous. It reminded me of western movie scenes where the stranger enters the saloon and all the regulars turn around and go quiet. One of the realities of towns with few tourists is that visitors tend to stand out. However, unlike the westerns, there was no gunfight; instead the local drinkers responded with smiles, friendly nods, and an invitation to join in whatever game they had going on at the time.

Later, after settling in, a five minute drive took me to the crest of the nearby Raggedy Range for an excellent sunset viewing. It may not be a lofty range, but the view is expansive, and reveals just how mountainous and unpopulated this part of New Zealand is.

Back in town, eating was the next priority. Some fellow diners told me that the hotel has a reputation for good food, and while it’s hard to judge from one overnight stay, the dinner and hearty cooked breakfast I enjoyed were superb. I had my own budget food supply in the car, but felt no guilt about leaving it there!

If I’m blessed enough to return to the Central Otago region of New Zealand, I hope to once again enjoy the rural hospitality of Omakau and its pub. Also to see how the refurbishments are going … and sample some more of their menu.

More information:
Omakau Commercial Hotel website

Topics: Accommodation, New Zealand (south) | Add Your Comment »