Te Anau sits on the eastern side of the lake and Lake Te Anau itself is the largest lake in the South Island and the second largest in New Zealand, with Lake Taupo in the North Island being the largest.
There are a number of really good restaurants in Te Anau and I had the best pizza I've ever tasted from La Toscana Pizzeria & Spaghetteria. Follow that up with some delicious gelato from a little place nearby and you've had a night of Italian decadence.
While in Te Anau, if you enjoy a lake cruise, a little adventure and some educational info, you can take a cruise to the Lake Te Anau Glow Worm Caves. The cruise itself is informative and you learn some of the history of the lake. As with all of the lakes that I've been to in NZ, Lake Te Anau has some stunning scenery.
After facing a fear and going into caves in Tasmania a few months previous to my visit to the Te Anau caves, these ones took going into caves to a whole new level.
The entrance to the caves is just over a metre high, so you have to crouch to go through, then it's very dark in there with minimal lighting. You can hear rushing water and the guide will show you a waterfall.
Eventually you make your way to where a little tiny boat or punt awaits (it only fits around 10-12 people) and you squish in to go on a journey in total silence where it's pitch black with just the very loud sounds of the waterfalls in the caves.
At times it doesn't feel like you are moving, but you see all these little tiny glow worms on the top of the caves. So pretty! At the end of the boat ride coming out of the caves, we saw an eel and a trout in the waters of the cave.. amazing stuff!
In Te Anau you can also hire little motor scooters. I was very tempted but hadn't ridden any kind of motorbike/scooter for more years than I care to think about, so I chickened out and then of course, regretted it later. We only live once eh?
About a 15-20 minute drive from Te Anau is the little town of Manapouri which is situated on the edge of Lake Manapouri. There are a few little shops across the road from the lake and one of these little cafe's does a delicious breakfast. What could be nicer than great food and awesome views!
From Te Anau, it's almost a 2 hour drive to Milford Sound. Again, it's a rather scenic drive and there are places you can stop along the way to take pics and enjoy the surroundings.
Unfortunately, I didn't do my homework well enough and I missed seeing The Chasm - also partly due to it pouring rain at the time I went past and if I'd stopped, I'd been late for my cruise. However, if I'd checked it out prior to my drive, I could easily have worked that in as well rain or no rain.
The Chasm is situated about halfway between the Homer Tunnel and Milford Sound. It's about a 20 minute return walk into the forest to a series of waterfalls over the Cleddau River. This bowls and basins in the rocks at the Chasm have been formed from swirling water over thousands of years. This place is one that's on my bucket list to see next time I'm in the area.
On your drive, you will pass through the Homer Tunnel which is a 1.2 km single lane tunnel that cuts through the Darran Mountain Range. While waiting to go into the tunnel, there are often the friendly but ever so cheeky and somewhat destructive alpine Kea's who come to check out your car and perhaps snitch a little piece of windscreen rubber to chew.
When you arrive in Milford Sound, there is a little cafe opposite the car park where you can have something to eat or drink before walking over to where you catch the cruise boat.
The day I went out, the weather was very overcast and rainy which gave the Sound a beautiful but somewhat eerie feel to it in places. There is plenty to see on the cruise from wildlife, to the spectacular scenery that includes tree-valanches and waterfalls. I also learnt that a cruise on Milford Sound isn't complete without a glacial facial!
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