A World of Wonder Awaits in New Zealand's Queenstown

Jaw-dropping beauty and adventure thrills are the two components that await in the resort town of Queenstown, New Zealand. If you’re a movie buff, you’ve seen Hollywood directors use it as a backdrop for such films as The Hobbit,the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Narnia Chronicles. Every car company has also taken advantage of its picturesque landscape in one scenic commercial shot after another. While I was visiting, Range Rover had just completed a commercial, and Taylor Swift was in town to film a music video.

Outdoor enthusiasts consider Queenstown a Mecca for the kayaking, bungee jumping, jet-boating, whitewater rafting, hiking and skiing. Even reluctant adventurers like me found it irresistible to try things seldom attempted before, like jet-boating — where the boat sped along at 60 miles an hour on shallow river filled with rocks. We zig-zagged between a series of huge boulders, and at times I could feel the boat hit rocks on the bottom.

But there are other less dangerous activities too, for example: a quiet cruise on Milford Sound or you could drive along the narrow roads that surround the lake, or a hike through the countless forrests that dot the landscape. That’s the beauty of Queenstown. You can certainly design your own adventure.

Enjoy new highlights of travel photographer Edwin Santiago’s journeys each week.