Queenstown is a picturesque town in New Zealand’s South Island. It’s one of the most beautiful areas in the country, with year-round activities. The village is bordered by the Southern Alps and located on the edge of Lake Wakatipu. The Remarkables, a saw-toothed group of mountains on the opposite side of the lake from the town, are the most impressive sight.

In the 1860s, Europeans and a large Chinese population colonized the town and surrounding area for gold mining and farming. Queenstown became a peaceful rural hamlet famous as a summer resort after gold mining declined.

Queenstown is the only outlet for Lake Wakatipu, one of Otago’s and New Zealand’s most stunning lakes (a bridge crosses the Kawarau River at Frankton). From backpackers to luxury travelers, it caters to a wide range of budgets. Queenstown may be a tourist trap in many ways. For those willing to hunt for them, though, reasonable pricing and bargains can be discovered.