Welcome to another story-driven blog where we will take you on an exploration of what we do at Lake Wānaka and our thoughts on That Wānaka Tree in the South Island of New Zealand, sharing our thoughts in the moment and letting you dive into what it might look like during your visit in summer and autumn. For you to decide if it is worth being there.
Take a moment to immerse yourself in our short story, and hopefully, by the end, it will help you decide whether you should visit.
The Story
In Mid-summer, the weather is kinder, and people are spending their time outside. It is also the peak tourism season and the best time to bring our family to explore the country we love. We were spending a few days in Queenstown waiting to celebrate the New Year together in one of the most magical cities in the world.
With some spare time and a gap in our itinerary, we searched for somewhere to bring her family.
“Should we take them to that place with the tree in the water?” she asked.
That might have been one of the best lines to describe a place that immediately tells me where she was referring to. Going back a few years, she also used a similar line to catch my attention at this place.
“There is also this tree in the water we could go see” was probably close to what she said back then.
“What?” I was dumbfounded, but, admittedly, it does, somehow, sound interesting. She adjusted her position a little before bending towards me from the passenger seat, tilting her phone slightly so I could see the screen.
It was a photo from Google Maps, a photo of a lone tree sitting in the middle of a lake. “Hmm, well, that does look interesting; let’s go,” was simply how we decided to stop by there. That’s also actually how it would always be when we are planning our trips on the go.
Thinking back, what was interesting about a tree, I wondered.
The Town of Wānaka
With the plan for the day settled, we head off on a one-hour drive to the town of Wānaka. The last time we were there, we took the route heading down from Franz Josef / Waiau, so it was on the way to Queenstown for us. This time, we are driving back up specifically for the lake.
As expected, a few days before the new year, the street was filled with life, people walking around, restaurants filled up every one of their tables, and the street side parking spots felt like they had a bounty set on them with every driver eyeing any possible chance to secure it. For us, luck held our hands and guided us right to the closest one to the main street, where all the cafes and restaurants are located.
We enjoyed a short 15-minute walk from our car to That Wānaka Tree, following the path along the lake. People came out swimming, paddling on their boards and kayaks, cruising on their boats and jet skis, walking their dogs, and coming out for a run, enjoying their summer.
“This must be the magic of a sunny day in summer,” I thought. The whole way was surrounded by green leaves of summer and the view of the mountains, unobstructed by any clouds. It was a pleasant walk.
In contrast, the time we came here in autumn a few years ago looked lifeless, cold, and foggy, and even the ducks looked like they were a bit sad. The autumn leaves, however, do create a more romantic scene in the surrounding area around the lake.
That Wānaka Tree (Willow Tree)
Before we knew it, the tree was already in view. In front of it, a large group of people was gathering around, taking photos of and with it. Without minding much, we joined the group, took a few photos, and posed for a few shots with it.
The tree, too, feels more alive, which it probably is. In autumn, when we arrived, there was not a single leaf left on its branches; now it is covered in green again. I enjoyed the summer here more, but, somehow, when the atmosphere was quieter and the lake calmer, the tree, which is in hibernation waiting for the cold to pass, feels more magical to me. Something about the branchiness is more aesthetically pleasing and calms me down, like the world is moving more slowly, undisturbed, almost stopped in time. If someone were to ask me when they should come, solely for the Wanaka tree, I would say autumn.
We stepped back further from the crowd and waited for her family to finish up their photo session.
“Here we are; it’s a tree…” a male voice sounded, “it’s just a tree, people!” “Why!?” a woman’s voice followed in a mocking tone. A couple beside us were talking, rather loudly, which caught our attention.
“It is just a tree,” I whispered to my partner, my eyes still glued to said tree, after already having taken more than thirty photos of it with my camera. “Haha, it really is just a tree,” she whispered back, “but a tree in front of my house doesn’t look this nice, nor did it grow in a lake,” she followed. “True,” I said after letting out a small chuckle.
I’d like to think of ‘the tree’ as a piece of drawing or a sculpture, a fine art piece. Instead of visiting the museum to look at one, we drove out to a lake; that way, I could learn to appreciate it more. Akin to how a professional artist spends years or a lifetime crafting his or her art, this tree has also spent a century growing and thriving in this water, alone, beginning its life as a fence post.
If it is just a tree, then perhaps the Starry Night is just oil paint on a canvas, of which it is, just that I can’t paint it myself, similarly, I can’t grow a tree in a pond on my backyard–if I even have a backyard with a pond–and make it look like ‘That Wānaka Tree,’ even if i can make it sprout, It may not turn out to look exactly like this, and my pond would not become a lake surrounded by mountains.
If you enjoyed the season comparison and our reflection, you may also enjoy our visit to Lake Tekapo during both seasons or our thoughts on Shirakawa-go during summer and winter on our trip to Japan!
Meal Time
After our leisurely walk along the lake and a short photo session of That Wanaka Tree, we walked back to the main area, where all the restaurants are, to have a meal.
We had some Japanese ramen at Ramen Ramen Wanaka, which, although we would not describe as the best in the world, was still a very good option.
After that, we decided to grab some pies and donuts from The Doughbin Bakery and some fried chicken and fish & chips from The Catch Wanaka to go. We crossed the street and enjoyed the rest of our meal beside the lake, which was the highlight and what sums up our Trip to Wanaka.
If you enjoy reading about our experiences and are planning a trip to New Zealand, also visit our activity and accommodation recommendations for Lake Taupo in the North Island.
We hope you enjoyed,
Travel Tegami
P.S. Everything tastes better when enjoyed beside the lake.
It was the tree that brought us here, but for the locals, it was probably the sandy beach, the sun shining, the small picnic, the dip in the water, and the leisure time spent looking out to the lake, which is also what we ended up doing for the rest of our time there, along with the seagulls and ducks, over some fried chicken and drinks we bought from one of the restaurants on Ardmore street.
