NZ 2023 Day 5: Milford Sound to Queenstown
DAY 5: 28 NOV 2023
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| Milford Sound |
We had a lot of driving to do today.
From Te Anau to Milford Sound and then back to Queenstown.
We checked out by 8am as the drive to Milford Sound takes at least 2 hours.
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| Forest region in Fiordland National Park |
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| Rainbow |
We barely stopped during our drive as we wanted to visit the scenic spots on the way back to Queenstown.
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| Entrance to Homer Tunnel |
Homer tunnel is a 1.2km long road tunnel in the Fiordland region.
As it is a narrow tunnel, it can only accommodate vehicles travelling in the same direction.
As such, a traffic light system is put in place to regulate the traffic and a countdown timer is available to let drivers know how much time is left to wait or enter the tunnel.
It was red light when we first arrived at the entrance of the Homer tunnel.
It was raining since last night which created multiple small waterfalls in the Fiordland region.
The ones right next to the tunnel entrance were so beautiful!
Right after exiting the Homer tunnel, you will drive through multiple bends with three scenic lookouts located on the left.
We stopped at one of the lookouts as it was safer to do so now instead of the drive back.
However, it was too misty to view the waterfalls and the sandflies started flying towards us.
So, we decided to continue our drive to Milford Sound.
There are two parking options at Milford Sound.
The most convenient option is the paid carpark which was a short walk away from the visitor centre.
However, the convenience came with a price of 10 NZD per hour.
The other option is the Deepwater Basin free carpark which is 20 to 30 minutes' walk away from the visitor centre.
We parked at the free carpark and the carpark was almost full when we arrived at 9.30am.
The couple in the adjacent car came out of the car to get their items from the boot.
Lo and behold, the sandflies swarmed towards them and flew inside the car.
As we got all the items we needed, we prepped in the car before getting out of the car swiftly.
We took the trail leading to the visitor centre as a sign discouraged us
from walking along the main road.
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| Cruise Milford |
We arrived at the visitor centre at 10am and proceeded to the counter to check in.
We booked a small boutique cruise with Cruise Milford using the Klook pass.
The advantage of booking a smaller cruise is that there are fewer people onboard which makes the experience more pleasant and peaceful.
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| Super dry at the start |
The cruise was 1 hour 45 minutes long and brought us to various scenic points in Milford Sound.
The rain created this misty and moody vibe which made the place seem so unreal.
Due to the rainfall, we were fortunate to witness a plethora of additional waterfalls, a spectacle that would not have unfolded under sunny skies.
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| Fur seals lazing on the rocks |
We also enjoyed the delightful sight of fur seals leisurely basking on the rocks.
Zhi Sheng was kind of the first ones who spotted the fur seals from afar.
We were drenched from that fun experience!
Another highlight of the cruise is that the skipper will steer the boat under the Stirling Falls to enable visitors to experience the full force of a waterfall.
As our boat was smaller than the others, we got even closer to the waterfall.
Zhi Sheng was happily filming the entire experience, including my attempts to stay as dry as possible.
After some time, Zhi Sheng became my shield.
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| Drenched |
We were drenched from that fun experience!
We had some complimentary hot drinks and chocolate cookies to warm us up.
Time flew by really fast and our cruise came to an end.
No regrets booking with Cruise Milford as it was such a pleasant experience.
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| Sandwich from Four Square supermarket |
We originally intended to have picnic lunch at Milford Sound.
As the rain didn't stop, we found a quiet corner inside the visitor centre and had our sandwiches.
A passerby saw us having sandwiches and wondered where to get them!
While eating, we had a good view of the cruises docked at the harbour.
We were intrigued by the long lines formed for Southern Discoveries.
They were only due for boarding 30 minutes later and they were waiting out in the rain.
After our quick lunch, we took the Milford foreshore walk.
The famous Milford Sound swing was located near the trail.
Unfortunately, we couldn't find the route leading to the swing and this could be due to the higher water levels we experienced during our time there.
We then slowly made our way back to the car with a short detour as Zhi Sheng cut his finger by accident.
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| NZ native bird, Kea |
We saw the Kea while waiting at the Homer tunnel entrance!
Kea is a native bird commonly found in the Fiordland region and it loves to bite on the car parts.
After a short drive, we stopped to visit the Falls Creek falls.
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| Falls Creek |
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| Falls Creek Falls |
The waterfall was pretty sizeable!
Apart from the waterfall, we saw river rapids.
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| Suspension bridge to get to Marian Falls |
Our next stop was Marian falls!
The waterfall is located near the start of the Lake Marian track.
From the parking lot, you will need to cross a suspension bridge to get on the track.
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| Marian Falls |
After 10 to 15 minutes of walking, we arrived at the viewpoint.
The waterfall was pretty but at the point in time, we had an overdose of waterfalls.
So, we returned shortly after taking photos.
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| Mirror Lake |
Another must-see on your way to Milford Sound is the mirror lake.
Sadly, as it was cloudy and windy, we could not see the mountain reflections on the water.
This is the downside of visiting Milford Sound on a rainy day.
However, I felt that the numerous waterfalls at the Sound made up for it!
Finally after many hours of driving, we arrived back in Queenstown.
We stopped to admire a field of yellow flowers!
Having driven long hours, Zhi Sheng was getting tired and he agreed to let me take the wheel!
We switched at Te Anau and I drove us to NPD Mossburn station.
It was an easy drive with few sharp bends.
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| Queenstown Pier |
Finally after many hours of driving, we arrived back in Queenstown.
Our accommodation for the night is Melbourne Lodge, which is a short walk away from the main shopping area.
We paid S$196 and the room had a queen bed and a single bed.
I loved how chill the owners were.
We checked in an hour after the reception closed and all I had to do was to collect the envelope with my name at the reception counter.
Amazing!
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| Goku Shabu Shabu |
I originally wanted to have Mexican but Zhi Sheng is not a fan of this cuisine.
As the both of us were practically cold and wet the entire day, we settled for shabu shabu at Goku Shabu Shabu.
This restaurant was a few doors down from the Mexican restaurant and we took the chance, not knowing whether it is good.
We were thinking of having ramen initially but quickly changed our minds when we saw many having the sukiyaki and shabu shabu.
We went for shabu shabu with 200g of NZ ribeye and seasonal vegetables.
The shabu shabu came with 2 types of broth: dashi and chicken broth
The chicken broth was so tasty!
We kept drinking the soup and haven't cooked most of our food items.
A waitress saw how little soup we had left and asked if we wanted more soup.
I immediately nodded my head and said yes please!
The bill came up to 78 NZD which was so worth it.
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| Patagonia Chocolates |
When in Queenstown, you must have ice cream at Patagonia Chocolates!
We had a double scoop in a cup for 10 NZD.
Zhi Sheng chose hazelnut cremino which tasted like Ferrero Rocher while I chose the Patagonia dark chocolate and macadamias.
Hazelnut cremino wins hands down but my flavour is still yummy!
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| Icelandic yoghurt |
Before checking in, we popped by Countdown and I found my beloved Icelandic yoghurt in my favourite flavour.
Oh my, I missed this dearly!
This became my breakfast the next morning.
And that marks the end of day 5!
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