Relaxing, Bicycling And Jet Boating In Hanmer Springs
There are so many places in New Zealand which are beautiful, it’s rather difficult to pick one but I want to cover Hanmer Springs in this post. It’s perfect for both relaxation and exercise and it’s located in the South Island of New Zealand. It’s located approximately 130 km north of the city of Christchurch. The drive alone is a great experience in itself!
Stay At Hanmer Hot Springs
One of the main reasons to visit this area is the actual hot springs themselves. It has a good selection of hot spring pools, with different temperatures, views and water types. They include:
Three Sulphur Pools – these are my favorite as they are true volcanic pools in my opinion. No chlorine is added meaning many of the healthy minerals are untouched by chemicals. They are very hot though, reaching up to 42 degrees Celsius but this can vary.
Tip: Don’t spend ages in the high temperature pools, it’s not a competition! I found alternating between the very hot and ‘only’ hot pools worked best for me.
Twelve Thermal Pools – they also have a good variety of thermal pools, which still use the volcanic water but it’s treated a little. These pools come in all shapes and sizes including rock pools where you can relax against a bolder watching the day go by and taking in the views of course. They also have some message pools where various water jets and waterfalls are used to massage your body.
Private Pools – these cost extra but you can hire one of their private pools for those who want to be left alone.
Other Activities – the pools are the main reason to stay here but they do have other activities and services such as massage, spa treatments, a waterslide etc.
Tip: If you have the time and money then go ahead and try a massage and spa treatments but if you have to choose then I recommend you always go with the pools over their other activities. You can find more information at their Hanmersprings website.
Cycle To Hanmer Springs
For those of you with some energy and a little bit of adventurous spirit you can do a cycling trip around the Hanmer Spring area, taking in the views, finally ending up at the springs themselves. You can either start cycling from Christchurch or get someone to drive you with your bikes to somewhere closer such as Glasnevin. The ride is quite gentle and the route fairly simple. If you’re starting from Christchurch then you need to head north on state highway 1 then turn left onto state highway 7, approximately 4km north of Glasnevin.
Once you’re on route 7 you should be able to see some lovely views on the way to Hanmer Springs. You’ll pass through the small towns of Waikari and Culverden (if you’re a golfer then stop here for a round of golf) before turning right onto route 7A (Hanmer Springs Road) where you’ll ride approximately 10km until your arrive at the actual Hanmer Springs resort. You can either use a bike touring company such as Pedaltours to plan and travel with you or you can plan and go by yourself or with family and friends.
The benefit of using a company is they will usually book all the different accommodation and places to eat, they’ll know some good places to stop at on the way and they’ll have transport to carry your baggage and other items which you may buy along the way. If you have the budget then using a cycle touring company for this type of trip is usually a stress free option.
Jet Boat
The jet boat is something New Zealanders are proud of since we invented them. So it makes sense to ride in one of these marvelous boats while you’re in the Hanmer Spring area as it contains some great rivers that are perfect for jet boats. You’ll share the ride with a number of other brave passengers where the boat weaves its way through the river, seemingly dodging rocks and other obstacles at the last possible moment. This ride isn’t for the faint hearted but if you’re up for some thrills, then it’s a lot of fun. The well-known company for jet boating in this area is Thrillseekers who also do other activities such as bungy jumping, rafting and quad bikes.