South Island West Coast Road Trip - Wanaka New Years

[My name is Russell]

Chefy here. Not low n slow.

I found some hidden gems to go.

Anyone got any other ideas?....

Banks Peninsula

Check out any map of New Zealand. See that blob that sticks out in the middle of the South Island? That’s Bank’s Peninsula, and it’s one of those spots that despite being so close to a major city (Christchurch) seems to get very little in the way of tourist traffic. If you take the road to Akaroa – the biggest town on the peninsula – out of the equation, you could probably count the number of rental cars and campervans that you’d see on one hand even in the height of summer. It’s a well-kept secret, that’s for sure. The little-known French heritage of this part of the country is reflected in the names of some of the bays and villages – Le Bons Bay, Duvauchelle and French Farm – as well as the buildings and streets of Akaroa, while Maori placenames such as Wainui and Takamatua remind of its importance to the local Ngai Tahu people.

For a quick side trip from Christchurch, take Dyers Pass Road up and over the Port Hills, then follow the curves of Lyttelton Harbour as the road winds around through several small townships as far as Diamond Harbour and Purau before the tarmac runs out. There’s no better spot on a sunny day than the pub at Godley Head, where you can enjoy a meal and a couple of cold ones outside on the lawn that slopes all the way down to the water. If you’d prefer a longer break, spend the weekend in the boutiques and galleries of Akaroa, but make sure you explore plenty of the surrounding area as well. Pack a good map and drive carefully, as many of the very best bits of Banks Peninsula (Le Bons and Okains Bays, among others) tend to be reachable only via unsealed roads.

[Horse25]

how old is that info? i know that the roads into those bays are sealed as long as i can remember? There is a bit of traffic on that road now, during the weekends anyway.

There are some sweet roads around Banks Peninsula though.