Queenstown, New Zealand

The towering granite peaks dominate the landscape, dwarfing the township that stretches along the deep blue waters of the lake. Queenstown is a captive of its geography, a vibrant, cosmopolitan community hidden in the rugged heart of New Zealand's South Island. The waters of Lake Wakatipu, 82km long and the third largest in the country, impart an aura of serenity to the town and provide a stunning, panoramic outlook for the bars and restaurants that cluster along its foreshore. Guarded against the outside world by the imposing, craggy outline of The Remarkables, Queenstown is a microcosm of upmarket restaurants, three to six star resorts, hotels and apartments, bars, retail outlets and leisure activities surrounded by the raw beauty of the South Island. Ultimately, however it's the majesty of the mountains, the broad blue reach of the lake and clear, sharp air which beckon and overwhelm the visitor to this unique township.