Meaning 'the cave of rushing water', Te Anau is a small settlement of just about 1800 people on the shores of Lake Te Anau. It is the second largest lake in NZ after Lake Taupo and is 53km long and 10km at its widest.

If that doesn't sound impressive enough, it has three arms of water that go right into steep rugged mountainous and forest covered shores, almost like fjords would do. The activities in Te Anau make it a smaller and more beautiful sibling of Queenstown.

The Te Anau Wildlife Centre is a good place to start and see some of the rare flightless birds like the takahe and the Underground Trout Aquarium. The Te Anua Caves are the undisputed main attraction of the area. These are on the western side of the lake and accessible only by boat. See waterfalls, whirlpools and some of the caves that have glow-worms that give it a mystical quality. You have to be careful not to go too close or you'll disrupt their life cycles. These caves are part of Maori legends and were only discovered in 1948. It's a 2 1/2 hour trip.

The Kepler Track is a gorgeous walk and the best way to see the area and the Lake. You can do any part of the walk, which can take up to four days. On the way you can stop at large huts and rest your sore limbs.

The best time to go for these is October to March when the huts are well maintained and the weather permits great views and a variety of flora. Avoid going during the wet weather months. The best paths are the Mt. Luxmore-Iris Burn - Moturau way or take guided tours for short and long walks.

Kayaking is great fun in the area and trips go to Te Anau, Manapouri, Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound. The natural beauty will blow your mind. There are lots of airplanes, helicopter and floatplanes that will take you for aerial jaunts of the area. Miss these and you'll regret it. Bus & Boat Tours will take you along the Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound - the best way to get there. Other rides will take you to areas nearby. All kinds of water sports can be experienced and enjoyed at Te Anau.

Getting There: Te Anau has flights to and from Queenstown, Mt. Cook, Christchurch and Milford. Bus services include the daily service from Queenstown that goes to Milford via Te Anau. Other shuttles go daily to Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown and Milford. There are lots of good services for backpackers to get around in. Trampers Transport (249 7777) has shuttles during the summer season that go to Kepler, Routeburn and Hollyford tracks and to Milford Sounds. Don't worry about getting around. There are loads of buses of different kinds and at regular frequencies. You can hire bicycles at $20 to get around in the area, though walking and taking buses will be just as great.The ideal way to travel of course is to have your own car.

Accommodation: Hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, motels and backpackers hostels are all available options even though it is a small town. There are lots of campsites next to the Lake set amidst attractive surroundings. Most are close to the main highways and transport systems.

Tourist Offices: For all information contact the Te Anau Visitor Information Centre at 249 7022. Fortunately this is one place you don't really need a reservation unless you're going at high peak, peak season. The DOC's Fjordland National Park Visitors Information Centre (249 7921) has information on tramps and walks, routes and tours. The Te Anau Visitor Information Centre (249 8900) has all necessary information on tours and cruises, accommodation, whatever information, a tourist may need.