Hanmer Springs was on our list of places to visit before we even got to New Zealand!
Surrounded by stunning landscapes and home to the natural hot pools, we think this Alpine Spa village should be on your list of spots to visit when you travel the South Island of New Zealand.
Our few days here included visiting the famous natural thermal pools and spa, a hike through Hanmer Forest where we found the forest sculptures (more on that later) and sharing a bottle of port under the beautifully clear and starry night sky while sandflies feasted on our feet- again, more on that later!
This article is going to show you what we got up to in Hanmer Springs and hopefully inspire you to go and check it out. It also includes a warning about the sandflies which should absolutely not be taken with a pinch of salt!
Our journey to Hanmer was from Kiakoura as we had just spent a few days there, and we drove through some of the scenic road that is Lewis Pass.
First Impressions
Situated about an hour and a half north of Christchurch, Hanmer Springs is really easy to get to.
Initial thoughts and impressions of the place (once we had parked up and sorted our accommodation) was that, despite being beautiful, it was small and there didn’t seem to be much going on. But after three nights here we were definitely proved wrong. We did not do anything adventurous, however it was the perfect place to relax and recharge.
Things to do / What we did
The Thermal Pools
During our time here it was inevitable that we would visit the Thermal Pools and Spa as it is the main attraction here- we had read so much about them! We literally spent the entire day just chilling in the pools, soaking up the sun and exploring the site.
The pools themselves range in temperature from 34-42 degrees and vary in size and shape. I think we managed to try them all out which was cool! Unfortunately for us, we went in the school holidays so it certainly could have been more relaxing (especially around the lazy river which was absolutely not lazy as we spent our time dodging rogue hands and feet flying in our direction). Our recommendation, if you are going during the school holidays, would be to go to the pools slightly later in the day as all the kids and families seemed to leave around 4pm and the pools are open until 9pm.
We also went on a really hot day which made the 42 degrees pool feel even more like a bath! So, if you are going during the summer, 100% take a water bottle (which you can refill at the various water stations dotted around). We definitely want to go back to the pools in the winter.
Some of the pools are sulphur pools, so expect a smell and remember to take off your silver jewellery (there are signs). Apparently sulphur pools are beneficial as they can help with building collagen, soothing eczema and psoriasis, and helping with dry skin, so that’s cool!
We got rather hungry in the day so ate lunch here the food was ok. It was standard café food- pies, baguettes, and ice creams (which were perfect for us on a day like we went) so you’re not going to have a Michelin star meal but that’s not what you’re here for.
Another fun fact is that a guy (staff, not just a randomer with a camera) was going round taking photos of people for you to purchase when you leave the hot pools. I’m not sure if this was just because it was busy season or happens all the time. But, be ready for those classic ‘head on shoulders’ couples poses.
Hiking
Away from the pools, we enjoyed exploring Hanmer Springs by foot. We decided to do a walk in the Hanmer Heritage Forest as it was mid-summer, and the sun was burning us from the second we stepped foot in it. It was a very chill walk which was made much more exciting by the Forest Sculptures! Here are some pictures of us being childish next to them!
There are loads of walks to do in Hanmer Springs depending on your ability and what you want to do. Some consist of small ambles like we did or multi day tramps through the hills.
RELEVANT: The Queen Charlotte Track: Furneaux Lodge to Ships Cove
Places to eat / where we ate
Out of the top places listed on Trip advisor, we ate at The Powerhouse Café, Fire & Ice Restaurant and Bar, and a good old fashioned Monteith’s Brewery.
We had arguably the best brunch/ breakfast ever here in Hanmer. We were just wandering around town looking for a breakfast place near to the pools and stumbled across a place called the Powerhouse Café without even checking out the ratings- it certainly lives up to expectations!
A renovated building, the Powerhouse Café used to literally be a powerhouse which powered all of the local buildings using hydroelectricity back in 1926. The décor honours its history, and the menu makes this café a must visit as the food was honestly awesome! We went twice.
They had plenty of options for all dietary requirements so if you’re in travelling with allergies or dietaries of any kind it’s an even more excellent spot where you will be spoilt for choice.
As for Fire & Ice, it had good vibes and good food- nothing too exciting but we certainly can’t complain. The menu looked the best for a quick evening meal, so we popped in.
We BBQ’d at the campsite for dinner on two of the nights which was a nice way to spend slightly less money and choose exactly what we ate.
Next time we go to Hanmer I think we will branch out and try a few more of the restaurants in town- but we’ll definitely go back to the Powerhouse Café!
Places to stay / Where we stayed
We stayed at the Top 10 Camp Site on a non powered pitch, which was so good that we stayed an extra night. The facilities were clean and plentiful, the entire campsite was neat and tidy and because it was a family camp site, it was pretty chilled out. The toilets were close and clean and double headed showers were a pretty cool and practical addition. It is worth noting that this camp site is a “premium” site, so it is ranked in the top tier out of the Top 10 Camp Sites.
We really enjoyed sipping wine in the wood fired hot tub (which you do have to pay additional for). Then finishing said wine looking at the stars whilst sat outside our tent.
To view luxury places to stay in Hanmer then click here.
Sandflies!!!
This section acts as a warning! We had absolutely no idea about the sandflies at this point, and we learnt the hard way what they are.
For some context, the couple camping next to us were leaving as we were cooking breakfast in the morning dressed in shorts and they asked, “have you guys not been eaten by the sandflies?”. No, we hadn’t. We must be safe! How wrong we were.
The next morning, after spending a lovely romantic evening sat under the stars chatting and drinking wine, we woke up to our feet looking like inverted golf balls. I do have pictures, but I don’t want our blogging niche to quickly turn into a weird variety of feet pics.
The itching did not end for days, verging on a week. We woke up in the night scratching and unable to think of anything else.
So yeah, take bug spray and just cover up to avoid spending the next week or so scratching the life out of your feet and ankles.
Travelling to Hanmer Springs
As you can see from the fun map that Jess drew, Hanmer Springs is pretty central relative to other significant locations.
From Christchurch…
It takes approximately an hour and a half along three different roads to get to from Christchurch. You travel up Highway One and turn off just before Waipara onto Highway Seven. Follow Highway Seven and you’ll eventually come to Hanmer Springs Road… and then it is really self explanatory! We found that New Zealand is super easy to navigate as there are only a few main roads that are all connected eventually. So when we say it takes three roads to reach it, we aren’t joking!
Hanmer is just off of Highway Seven. You can get to it from either highway one or six depending on how much of Lewis’ Pass you want to see or if you’re coming from the west or east coast.
From Picton…
If you are travelling from the North Island and have just arrived on the South Island via the ferry, then Picton will be your first taste of the South! From Picton, it takes around four hours of driving to get to Hanmer Springs along State Highway One.
RELEVANT: The Marlborough Sounds: Why You Should Visit
From Franz Josef (/ the West Coast)…
The longest journey out of our starting points, this is roughly a five hour drive from Fanz Josef. However, you will have the pleasure of driving through most of Lewis Pass; a scenic mountain pass road through the southern alps.
You will also drive through some of it if coming for Christchurch just not as much as if coming the other way but the views are still phenomenal.
Regardless of your route, it’s worth leaving some extra time for stopping to look at some of the stunning scenery that you will definitely encounter!
After three days in Hanmer Springs
All things considered, it is definitely worth taking the time to go and see particularly if you’re travelling up or down the east coast. It’s a great stop and a must do when on the South Island.
We had a lush time, had some great food and the hot pools really do act as a great opportunity to just take a break, relax and think about all the awesome things you’re going to do in your travels.
We will definitely be going back in winter to experience the pools when the air is cold, so keep an eye out for that article when we do it to see our comparison.