Royally Spoiled

Queenstown, in New Zealand's South Island, is making a name for itself as one of the world's most spectacular golf destinations

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Innovative and award-winning indoor and outdoor cafés and restaurants offer cuisine to please every palate, from the discerning connoisseur to a group looking for a fun, relaxed meal. Dining alfresco is the ideal way to enjoy the sunshine and you’ll find restaurants literally everywhere, many with outdoor areas. A veritable melting pot of nationalities, cultures and influences serve up tantalising menus and you can choose from traditional pub, bistro, stylish café bar, Asian, designer burgers, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Turkish or Mexican. Nearby, historic Arrowtown is a fine-dining hub and is also home to a French crêperie, gelaterie, delicatessen, bakery, traditional tavern and boutique brewery. One restaurant that should be on every traveller’s itinerary is Amisfield Winery & Bistro (www.amisfield.co.nz), a 15-minute drive from the centre of Queenstown. Opened in 2005, the bistro offers a daily changing a la carte menu and its signature "Trust the Chef" menu which offers a shared dining experience, with dishes selected by the chef based on fresh produce and ingredients available on the day. If the sun is shining bag an outdoor table and wash down the fine fare with a bottle or two of the winery’s fine Pinot Noir.

WHAT ELSE TO DO

Known as the "World’s Adventure Capital", Queenstown is the birthplace of bungy jumping, with over 350,000 visitors taking the plunge since the activity was introduced in 1988. Those brave enough to want to try should head to AJ Hacket Bungy (www.bungy.co.nz), site of the first commercial jump where thrill-seekers lift off from Kawarau Bridge some 43m above the river of the same name. If that’s not extreme enough for you then skydiving from 15,000ft above Jack’s Point Golf Course should fit the bill. NZONE Skydive (www.nzoneskydive.co.nz) has been offering tandem skydiving since 1990 and encourages you to "Embrace the Fear". This writer was unable to do so - high winds kept us grounded - and I’m still not sure if this was a good or a bad thing. Watch the videos on the company’s website and decide for yourself.

WHEN TO GO

The best time to visit Queenstown for golf is the New Zealand summer, which runs from December to mid-March, and is characterised by temperatures in the mid-twenties, little rain and plenty of sunshine.

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Written by Alex Jenkins

Photography by Destination Queenstown

Click here to see the published article.

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