The Blue Pools cannot be missed - they're located 1 hour from Wanaka, but the drive out here is absolutely stunning. They're famous for their crystal-clear, turquoise water fed straight from the mountains — it’s one of those spots that looks unreal even without a filter! Trust me, they really are that blue. The short walk in takes you through beautiful beech forest and across a swing bridge before opening up to the pools themselves.

Walk details
📏 Distance: ~3 km return
⏱️ Time: 45 mins - 1 hour return (you'll probs spend a while at the pools themselves!)
🚶‍♀️ Track: Easy, flat, family-friendly
🌲 Start: Blue Pools car park (just off SH6, about 1 hr from Wānaka)

Good to know
💧 The water is freezing year-round. No your limits and don't swim alone!
📸 Come early or late to avoid tour bus crowds
🪰 Lots of sandflies here, so bring bug spray!
🚗 Toilets + car park at the trailhead

It’s one of those classic South Island stops that’s 100% worth stretching your legs for — and the colours really are as good as they look in photos. Have fuuun 💦