Wānaka

Wānaka is the relaxed alternative to Queenstown — a lake-side town on New Zealand's South Island that shares the same spectacular Southern Alps but trades the adrenaline-capital buzz for a slower, more soulful pace. Set on the shore of its namesake lake beneath the peaks of Mount Aspiring National Park, it has become a favourite of walkers, skiers and anyone who wants the mountains without the queues.

The outdoor menu is enormous. In New Zealand's winter (June to September) the ski fields of Treble Cone and Cardrona are close by, with some of the best terrain in the country. In the southern summer (December to March) the hiking is world-class: the punchy climb up Roys Peak for its famous ridge-line view, the alpine tracks into Mount Aspiring National Park, and access to rivers, lakes and the wider Otago backcountry. Even the much-photographed "That Wānaka Tree" has its own following.

It is a little quieter and often a touch better value than Queenstown, though still not cheap, and it sits about an hour's drive from Queenstown's airport. For a Southern Hemisphere basecamp that leans towards the mountains rather than the bungee cords, Wānaka is hard to beat.

New Zealand's winter (June to September) for skiing at Treble Cone and Cardrona. The southern summer (December to March) for hiking, lake swimming and long alpine days, including Roys Peak and the tracks into Mount Aspiring National Park. Spring and autumn are quiet, changeable shoulder seasons. Remember the seasons are flipped from the UK — Wānaka is a fine winter escape during the northern summer, or vice versa.

Wānaka is about an hour by road from Queenstown Airport, the nearest gateway, on a scenic drive over the Crown Range or around through the Kawarau Gorge. From the UK it is a long-haul trip via a hub such as Auckland, Singapore or a Middle Eastern gateway, then a short domestic hop or transfer. A car is useful for reaching the ski fields and trailheads.