Featured Activities
In Wānaka, our lakes and rivers are the heart of our region and in the heat of the summer months (and the odd winter dip), both locals and visitors flock to the shores for some respite from that famously intense New Zealand sunshine.
If you’re new to Wānaka, or just haven’t had the fortune of meeting a local to show you the goods yet, let us help you out. We’ve curated this list of our favourite and most unique swimming spots in Wānaka.
A firm favourite amongst Wānaka swimming enthusiasts, Glendhu Bay is just a 15-minute drive west from town. In the summer months, the Glendhu Bay Motor Camp is packed with campers along its shores, but if you keep an eye to your right heading out towards the camp, you’ll spot a few areas where it’s safe to pull over, park and go for a dip.
Perhaps the most obvious place to swim is the lakefront beach. Stretching for over a kilometre along Ardmore Street, it’s simply a matter of picking a spot and wading in. Towards the centre of town, you can jump off the wharf and swim out to the pontoon.
After your swim, check out the walkway next to Lakeside Road and see if you can spot Lake Wānaka’s grebes (a relative of penguins and albatross) on their nesting platforms.
The beautiful (and famous) Blue Pools Track of Makarora will take you to the Blue Pools, the azure-coloured river so often depicted on social media. But don’t be fooled by the tropical colour – these waters flow from glacial rivers and they are definitely a cold shock on a hot day.
Work up a sweat with a walk along the track to the swing bridge and then make your way down below to brave the gorgeous waters.
Important Notice: The bridges crossing the Makarora River and Blue Pools are closed. The forest walk to the start of the Makarora River bridge is still open, but you cannot see the Blue Pools from this point. To find out more about this closure here.
A hidden gem that locals treasure, Kidds Bush Reserve Campsite sits along the eastern shores of Lake Hawea, about a 45-minute drive from Wānaka town. While the camping ground buzzes with holiday-makers in peak season, the swimming spot remains one of the region’s best-kept secrets. As you wind your way along the lake, you’ll spot the turnoff to your left – follow it down to discover a peaceful stretch of beach where crystal-clear alpine waters meet a shoreline draped in native beech forest. There’s plenty of space to spread out your towel on the pebbly beach, and the gentle slope into the water makes it a favourite for families seeking a peaceful alternative to the busier spots closer to town.
There are four distinct islands on Lake Wānaka – Ruby Island, Te Peka Karara, Mou Tapu and Mou Waho. The latter of the four is an eco-sanctuary that has been completely ridden of pests allowing native species like the weka and weta to thrive in a predator free environment.
At the top of the island, you’ll find a swimming spot like no other – in a lake on an island on a lake on the South Island in the ocean!
You can only get there by boat, so if you don’t have your own vessel, there are a number of companies that can help including Wanaka Water Taxi, Eco Wanaka Adventures and Wanaka Cruises.
Tranquil, beautiful and only a 15 minute drive from Wānaka. Lake Hāwea definitely rivals Lake Wānaka in beauty. Away from the hustle of the Wānaka lakefront, Lake Hāwea is a serene escape and offers breathtaking mountainscape views.
For the locals here in Wānaka, our waterways are incredibly meaningful to us. Besides being a way to cool off on hot days, they also facilitate healthy ecosystems and provide a home for some of our most precious native species. WAI Wanaka is a local non-profit that works to accelerate local action for our fresh water. Their Community Catchment Plan works to identify risks to the health of our fresh water and actions we can take to mitigate these risks. If you’ve been out enjoying the water and want to learn more about how you can protect it, check out WAI Wanaka’s top tips, join a local beach clean-up, or help fund their mahi.
Want to explore more lakes and rivers? If you’d rather stay above water, check out some of our favourite activities here.
