For our first day in Wanaka we decided to head north for views of Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka, then on through the lush Haast Pass. Thankfully there were numerous pull-outs which let us enjoy some amazing views of the blue lakes and the roadside waterfalls.

  
Lake Hawea and Camp Creek Falls

 
Wharf Creek Falls and Gates of Haast cascades

Thunder Creek Falls

There are only a few bathroom facilities along the road, so we stopped at the one near Pleasant Flat. Upon leaving we noticed a ginormous nest of bees near the information sign which explained why I was running around the parking lot like a crazy person trying to avoid being dive bombed by buzzing insects. Not the most ideal bathroom conditions either!

Pleasant Flat

Back in the safety of the car we followed the road west to our first views of the coast…

driving through Haast Pass

Once we passed through the town of Haast we followed the road for a bit hoping we could just see the water but had no luck. However, I noticed an unmarked semi-gravel path that looked drivable, so I turned in and parked in a small sandy lot. We walked a hundred feet to see this…

a beautiful deserted beach – all to ourselves!

We sat on a large piece of driftwood and had some chips while making a friend of this red-billed gull.

On the way back we did the short walk to the Roaring Billy (where Eric’s ankles were attacked by biting flies – no fun) and the Blue Pools.

 
The Roaring Billy and the Blue Pools (taken from the nauseating ‘swing bridge’)

Route 6 made for a beautiful drive with lots of scenic points and stops. It’s a full day of being in the car, but to us, worth it!