South Korea Autumn 2025 – 8 days in Jeonju, Gwangju and Seoul

One of the best times to visit South Korea is in autumn (September to November). During these months, the weather is cool and dry with beautiful scenery coloured by vibrant foliage of yellow gingkos and red maples.

In this November trip to South Korea, we spent 2 days exploring Jeonju Hanok Village and then 2 days in Gwangju, specifically to make day trips out from this city to Naejangsan National Park and Damyang. We ended our trip with 3 days in Seoul.

I chose to include Jeonju in my itinerary as Jeonju has the largest hanok village in Korea and is deeply tied to Korea's Joseon Dynasty. Jeonju was the ancestral home of the Yi clan, the family of King Taejo (Yi Seong-gye), who founded the Joseon Dynasty, making it a significant place for the royal lineage. Many historical K-dramas featuring stories in the Joseon era were filmed in this city.

Jeonju is also a city with plenty of food tradition. Bibimbap, one of the most representative food of Korea, was born out of Jeonju and the region of Jeollado-province, where the city is located. 

Jeonju bibimbap

We were travelling in mid-November which was tail-end of the autumn leaves season in South Korea but I was confident that we could still experience the autumn foliage since the weather had been unusually warm in 2025 and winter will start later. Hence, we grabbed the opportunity to visit Naejangsan National Park, which is highly raved as one of the best mountains to see the autumn foliage in South Korea.

Autumn foliage at Naejangsan National Park.

We stayed 2 nights in Gwangju, a city famous for the pro-democracy uprising in May of 1980 and also its delicious cuisine. We did not have time to explore Gwangju fully. Instead, we used this city as a base to make day trips to Naejangsan National Park and Damyang. Damyang is known for the famous Juknokwon bamboo forest and Metasequoia-line Road and is best access by bus from Gwangju. 

On a trail in Juknokwon bamboo forest in Damyang.

We ended our short trip in Seoul. We had been to Seoul several times before. This time, we spent 3 days to explore new and upcoming areas such as Ikseon-dong, Seongsu-dong and Naksan. Plus, enjoying more Korean food!

Besides autumn leaves viewing, we intended to try as much local cuisine as we can on this trip. It made sense to do prior research as to what and where to eat some of the best cuisine in places like Jeonju and Gwangju and even Seoul. We had iconic Korean dishes like

• Bibimbap, tteokgalbi, makgeolli, moju and choco-pies in Jeonju and Gwangju
• Korean BBQ of lamb skewers (Yang-kochi), pork belly and Korean beef (hanwoo).
• Korean ginseng chicken soup (samgyetang)
• Various kinds of Korean Soup Rice (gukbap) or stew (jjigae). This included gukbap with blood sausage (sundae), Jeonju’s bean sprout soup (kongnamul-gukbap), pork back-bone stew (gamjatang) and ox bone soup (seolleongtang)

The following is a day by day summary of our 8 days in South Korea. 

Day 1 (14 November 2025) – Arrival and travel to Jeonju. Explore Jeonju Hanok Village.

Our flight arrived as scheduled and by the time we cleared immigration, it was around 8 AM. We planned to stay a couple of days in a hanok located within Jeonju Hanok Village after our arrival to South Korea. The distance between Incheon International Airport (ICN) and Jeonju city is about 242 km and the best and also cheapest way to get from Incheon Airport (ICN) to Jeonju was by express bus. The trip would normally take slightly over 3 hours on a comfortable, spacious limousine bus. We took longer than that due to a little error we made at the airport.  We finally arrived at the Jeonju Intercity Bus Terminal at about 1 PM. From there, we took a short 15 minutes taxi ride to the Jeonju Hanok Village.

Trip report: Travel from Incheon International Airport to Jeonju Hanok Village.

Where we stayed: Our accommodation in Jeonju Hanok Village was the Star Rest Guesthouse located in the southern edge of the village.

Trip report: Our stay at a hanok in Jeonju Hanok Village.

We had lunch at Veteran Kalguksu restaurant which is known for its signature hot, savory knife-cut noodle soup with a rich, eggy broth, perilla seed, and seaweed.

A hot savoury bowl of noodle soup was perfect comfort food after a long journey by red-eye flight from Singapore and long bus rides from the airport.

We spent the afternoon exploring the main street of Jeonju hanok village and went to Omokdae. Omokdae is a historical site located on top of a steep hill and provides a vantage point over the Jeonju Hanok Village.

Beautiful pavilion and autumn leaves at Omokdae.

From Omokdae, it was a short walk to Jaman Mural Village located next to the Jeonju Hanok Village. The Jaman Mural Village is a colorful village filled with murals along its walls. We enjoyed murals of nostalgic anime characters, celebrities, fairytale scenes, floral patterns, and creative local art and also had coffee in a really beautifully decorated cafe.

Fun snapping photos at Jaman Mural Village.

Jeonju Hanok Village is frequently used as filming locations for Korean movies and dramas. We had time to seek out a few such locations in the village.

Many scenes from the K-drama Twenty-Five Twenty One were filmed in Jeonju Hanok Village, including this tunnel.

We also check out Jeonju's version of Choco Pie from PNB Bakery and it was pretty good.

   Jeonju’s Choco Pie

We ended the day eating the must-try bibimbap at Hankook Jib. We had both the Jeonju bibimbap and yukhoe (Korea’s beef tartar) bibimbap.

Yukhoe Bibimbap with raw minced beef.

We also tried the moju (literally “mother's wine”) which is a Jeonju makgeolli (rice wine) with medicinal herbs like jujube, ginger and cinnamon.   

Trip report: Exploring Jeonju Hanok Village – Day 1

   

Day 2 (15 November 2025) – Exploring Jeonju Hanok Village

    

Arched bridge over Jeonjucheon River.

We started the day with a morning walk along the Jeonjucheon River to the Nambu Market. We specifically went to this market to eat the kongnamul gukbap (bean sprout soup) from the Hyundaiok store.

Kongnamul gukbap (bean sprout soup) in Nambu Market is highly recommended for breakfast in Jeonju Hanok Village.

We walked past the Pungnammun Gate, built during the Joseon dynasty, on our way to the Gyeonggijoen Shrine. There are many gingko trees planted on the side of the roads leading to the gate and the area was beautiful in autumn.

Pungnammun Gate

Gyeonggijoen Shrine is a highlight of Jeonju. The shrine holds the portrait of King Tae-jo, the founder of the Joseon dynasty.

Best time to visit Gyeonggijoen Shrine is in autumn.

Gyeonggijoen Shrine is extremely beautiful in autumn. Many people were dressed in traditional hanbok costume and doing photo-shoot inside and outside the shrine. Many of these buildings were actually used to film movies and dramas depicting the Joseon era, such as the drama “Love in the Moonlight.”

Portrait of King Tae-jo, the founder of the Joseon dynasty.

We joined the 11 AM free English language tour. We were hosted by an excellent guide who explained the history of the shrine and why the king’s portrait is important to the Korean people, especially those in Jeonju. The tour ended outside the Royal Portrait Museum and we went to see the exhibits inside. This museum exhibits the original portraits of Joseon kings and other relics like royal palanquins used during the enshrinement of King Taejo’s portrait in 1872.

Leaving the shrine, we walked along the Gyeonggijeon Stone Wall Road to the Jeondong Ddeokgalbi restaurant. Tteokgalbi is a popular Korean dish of sweet and savory grilled short rib patties, resembling burgers. It is juicy and sweeter in seasoning and is a signature food in this region.

We went back to the entrance of Gyeonggijeon Shrine after lunch. We were just in time to catch the “changing of the guard” ceremony. 

Changing of the Guards Ceremony at entrance to Gyeonggijoen Shrine. The guards are dresses in traditional Joseon era uniforms.

We joined the free hanok village alley tour at 3 PM. We visited a few places of interest within the hanok village during the tour. This includes the Jeondong Catholic Church, Hagindang, a 600 year old gingko tree, pansori museum, home of last prince of Joseon and even a house with 3 flags (Korean, France and USA) flying outside. It was good to have a local guide explaining the history and significance of the places we visited.

Listening to our guide during the hanok village alley tour.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the hanok village on our own. Not to miss is the Jeonju hyanggyo where there are many gingko trees inside, including a 400-year-old ginkgo tree.

Jeonju hyanggyo with many beautiful gingko trees in autumn. This is another popular K-drama and movie filming location.

We ended our exploration of the hanok village with another tteokgalbi dinner at Gyodong Tteokgalbi. 

Tteokgalbi dinner in Jeonju.

 

Trip report: Exploring Jeonju Hanok Village – Day 2.

Day 3 (16 November 2025) -  Travel to Gwangju by bus. Day trip to Damyang to see Juknokwon Bamboo Forest  and the Metasequoia-lined Road.

The plan for the day was to travel from Jeonju to Gwangju in the early morning. Upon arriving in Gwangju, we would store our luggage in the lockers at the bus terminal and make a day trip to Damyang to see the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest and Metasequoia-Lined Road. We would check into our hotel in Gwangju at the end of the day.

With help from our helpful hanok host, we managed  to catch the 8.10 AM express bus to Gwangju. After leaving our luggage in the lockers at Usquare Gwangju Bus Terminal, we took the local bus 311 to Damyang. The journey took about 1.5 hours and the bus stops directly at Juknokwon. Juknokwon (namely Bamboo Garden) is the most famous bamboo forest in South Korea and is certainly worth a visit. This bamboo forest is open all year round. Autumn is a nice time to visit as it is cooler and less humid.

Within the large and dense bamboo forest, there are many walking trails for those looking to enjoy peaceful walks close to nature and snapping photos without the crowds. Overall, we had about 2.5 hours of fun exploring the trails and taking lots of photos within the bamboo forest.

Trip report: Day trip to Damyang Bamboo Garden (Juknokwon) from Gwangju.

After Juknokwon, we went to see the Metasequoia-lined Road, located about 2 km away. As the name implies, the Metasequoia-lined Road is an 8.5 km boulevard with towering metasequoia trees planted on both sides. The canopies of the trees form a nice “tunnel” if you walk down the road.

Metasequoia-lined Road in Damyang.

It is especially beautiful in autumn when the leaves of the trees turned golden and crimson in the afternoon sun.

Although there are many people visiting Metasequoia-lined Road on this weekend, there are plenty of photo opportunities. We enjoyed our visit to Damyang and snapped plenty of photos.

One of my favourite photos in Damyang.

Trip report: A walk down a Metasequoia-lined Road in Damyang.

Returning to Gwangju, we checked into our hotel (Madrid Hotel) located near Gwangju Seongjeong Station.

There are many eating places near the train station and our hotel.  We had Yang-kochi (Grilled Lamb Skewers) in a Korea-Chinese Restaurant called Jangbaesan.

The most interesting thing about the yangkochi is the automatic, self-rotating grills, which allow diners to cook the skewers easily at the table.

This dish has a history rooted in Chinese cuisine that was later adopted and popularized in South Korea as a staple "Korean-Chinese" dish. It was the first time we tried yangkochi in Korea and we loved it.

Trip report: Yang-kochi (Lamb Skewers) dinner at Gwangju’s Jangbaesan Restaurant.

Where we stayed in Gwangju: We stayed at the Gwangju Madrid Hotel. I chose this hotel which is located within walking distance from the Gwangju Seongjeong KTX Station since we would travelling by KTX (South Korea’s High Speed Rail) on the next 2 days for a day trip to Naejangsan National Park and then to Seoul.

Day 4 (17 November 2025) – Day trip to Neajangsan National Park

Naejangsan National Park is located near Jeongeup, a city in North Jeolla Province. We made a daytrip to Naejangsan from Gwangju since it is only 20 minutes away by KTX (Korea’s high speed train). 

This place is extremely popular and hence crowded during the peak autumn foliage season. It is advisable to arrive early on a weekday to beat the expected crowds so we had an early start from Gwangju. We enjoyed a hearty bowl of boiling hot gukbap at the popular Yeongmyeong Gukbap shop located opposite the train station.

One of the best breakfasts we had on this trip. Gukbap that came with cuts of tender pork head meat, pig stomach, liver, bean sprouts and sundae in a boiling pot of rich savoury broth.

From Jeongeup Station, we took the local bus No. 171 to Naejangsan National Park. It was about 9 AM when we alighted at the small town beside the Naejangsan National Park. 

The views of the autumn leaves at this park were magnificent. We were not hampered by any crowds by going on a weekday and arriving early.

The “maple-tree tunnel” from the park entrance to Uhwajeong Pavilion is one of the best places to enjoy the autumn foliage.

Some “must-not-miss” highlights in the park include Uhwajeong Pavilion, cable Car to Yeonjabong Peak, Maple Tree Trail to Naejangsa Temple and the trail from the entrance of the park to Uhwajeong Pavilion.

Trip report: Day trip to Naejangsan National Park in autumn.

We left Naejangsan relatively early and got seats on bus 171 back to Jeongeup Station. From there, we took the KTX back to Gwangju SeongJeong Station.

One of Gwangju’s signature local delicacies is the tteokgalbi (grilled minced beef or pork short rib patties).

Tteokgalbi dinner at Gwangju’s Tteokgalbi Street.

The best place to try this dish while visiting Gwangju is at the Tteokgalbi Street in Gwangju Songjeong-dong which was just minutes walk from the train station and our hotel.

Trip report: Tteokgalbi - Must eat food at Gwangju.

Day 5 (18 November 2035) – Travel by KTX to Seoul and free and easy in Myeongdong

My original plan for the day is to travel from Gwangju to Seoul by KTX (South Korea’s High Speed Train) in the morning and go explore the Daehak-ro and Naksan area in the afternoon. But Seoul was experiencing an unusual cold spell on this day. I thought Naksan, being at higher elevation would be cold, so our plan changed. We spent the afternoon in Myeongdong instead. Myeongdong is a famous shopping district in the heart of Seoul, known for its dense concentration of Korean cosmetics, fashion brands, restaurants and vibrant street food. 

We had lunch at Sinseon Seolleongtang (Myeongdong Branch). Sinseon Seolleongtang is a popular restaurant chain found all over Korea serving up tasty bowls of ox bone soup known as seolleongtang.  

Ox bone soup known as seolleongtang.

After an afternoon of shopping, we had pork BBQ at the Hanam Pig House.

Hanam Pig House is a popular Korean BBQ chain specializing in premium, grilled pork (pork belly, shoulder loin, ribs).

 

Trip report: Travel to Seoul and shopping & eating in Myeongdong

Where we stayed: Our hotel in Seoul for the next 3 nights is the Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong. We chose this hotel because it is located close to bus stops along Namdaemun-ro, Euljiro 1-ga (Line 2) subway station. The bus stop for the limousine bus to the airport is also just at its doorstep!

Day 6 (19 November 2025) - Explore Seoul’s Seongsu-dong area

The Seongdong-gu area, best known for the trendy Seongsu-dong area, often called the "Brooklyn of Seoul," which blends industrial, repurposed warehouses with chic cafes, pop-up stores, and street art. We planned to spend the whole day exploring the area.

We went to Seoul Forest in the early morning before visiting Seongsu-dong since the shops and cafes open after 11 AM. Seoul Forest Park is known for cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, and ginkgo trees in autumn. There is also a deer corral in the park and access to Hangang Riverside Park.

Seoul Forest is known for their beautiful gingko trees in autumn.

It was about 11.30 AM when we left Seoul Forest. We made a stop at Lowide Coffee Bakery, located near Seoul Forest. After the coffee break, we continued our exploration of Seongsu-dong.

There are plenty of cafes, restaurant and stores to explore. We had delicious gamjatang, a Korean pork and potato stew, at Somunnan Seongsu Gamjatang and also tried the famous salt-bread from Jayeondo Sogeumppang and pies from Ho Gwa Dang Tiger Pie House.

Yummy stuff we had in Seongsu-dong.

We ended our visit to Seongsu-dong at Haus Nowhere. I particularly like the gigantic animatronics dog at the ground floor. The sleeping dog was so realistic, complete with gentle breathing, muscle twitches.    

Gigantic animatronics dog at Haus Nowhere, Seongsu-dong.

In addition to the dog, there are other impressive displays of robots.

Since we were near to the COEX Mall, we took a bus there. Just to visit the Starfield Library.

We ended the day having hanwoo or Korea beef at Wangbijib Korean BBQ Restaurant, Myeongdong branch.

Korea beef barbeque to satisfy our craving for high grade Korean beef.

Trip report: Autumn morning at Seoul Forest and afternoon at Seongsu-dong and COEX Mall.

Day 7 (20 November 2025) – Explore Seoul’s Naksan area and Ikseon-dong

Since the weather turned warmer on this day, we decided to go explore the area around Naksan Park in the morning, followed by Ikseon-dong in the afternoon.

We wanted to visit Naksan Park for the views of Seoul city from the summit of Naksan and also the see the Seoul fortress wall that had been featured in many k-dramas and movies.

We took the bus to Daehak-ro, near the Hyehwa Subway Station and Marronnier Park. This area is nice to visit before making our way up to Naksan Park.

Marronnier Park along Daehak-ro.

Naksan Park is nice to visit in autumn. We spend time taking photos of the landscape along the Seoul Fortress Wall. Seoul fortress wall at Naksan.

There is a walking trail along the Seoul Seonggwak (fortress wall) stretching about 2 km from Hyehwamun to Heunginjimun, the East Gate of Seoul. The walk down to Heunginjimun is particularly nice in autumn with views of the city and vast fields of silver autumn grass.

Heunginjimun, the East Gate of Seoul, at Dongdaemun.

We also spent time exploring Ihwa Mural Village. There are some nice cafes there that is worth a visit.

After visiting Naksan Park, we went to shop for some toys and gifts at Dongdaemun Stationery and Toy Street. This vibrant alleyway is home to nearly 120 shops selling toys, stationery, and party goods.

Trip report: Exploring Seoul – Daehak-ro, Naksan Park and Toy Street.

From Dongdaemun, we took a bus to Ikseon-dong for lunch and also to check out the famous cafes. This area has many trendy boutiques, themed cafes, restaurants and pubs.

Narrow alleyway lined with cafes, restaurants and boutiques in Ikseon-dong.

Steak pot rice at Damsot Ikseon for lunch.

Dessert at Cafe Onhwa Ikseon.

We ended our visit to Ikseon-dong and also food tour in South Korea with dinner at Jangsu Samgyetang restaurant. This restaurant is a highly recommended for their delicious and value-for-money samgyetang.

Samgyetang, or Korean ginseng chicken soup, is a nourishing dish featuring a whole young chicken  stuffed with glutinous rice, garlic, jujubes, and ginseng.

Trip report: Exploring Ikseon-dong Hanok Village.

Day 8 (21 November 2025) – Travel  to airport

From Myeongdong, we took the 6015 Airport Limousine bus to Incheon International Airport. This bus runs directly from Myeongdong to Incheon Airport (T1/T2), taking roughly 60 to 85 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.

Personally I prefer the bus to the train since we need not lug our suitcases up and down the stairs to the train station. We chose to stay at a hotel (Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong) that has the limousine bus stop to the airport at its doorstep!

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New Zealand South Island – 12D/11N Self-Drive Road Trip Itinerary

New Zealand’s South Island is the land of farms, fiords, glaciers, dark skies and breathtaking landscapes of blue lakes and mountains. One of the best ways to tour New Zealand is to self-drive with a rental car. During our road trip, we went hiking, wine tasting, cruise in a fjord, glowworm hunting, stargazing and much, much more. 

Our rental car from Ezi Car Rental. A spacious and fuel efficient Ford Escape Hybrid AWD.

Being from Singapore, driving in New Zealand’s South Island was easy since we had the same right hand drive road system. It was also relaxing and fun to drive on this road trip since we spent most of our time outside the larger cities where traffic was light and parking was not a hassle.

Our 12D/11N self-drive road trip starts and ends at Christchurch. Our route was as follow:  

Christchurch –> Hokitika –> Fox Glacier –> Wanaka (2 nights) –> Te-Anau (2 nights) –> Queenstown –> Mount Cook –> Lake Tekapo –> Christchurch.

Day 1 – Arrival and overnight in Christchurch

We flew to Christchurch via Auckland and arrived at Christchurch International Airport at 6.30 PM. We picked up our rental car at the airport and drove to our accommodation.

Our car rental agency has its office right next to the place where we collected our luggage. 

After a long flight, we had a lazy evening in Christchurch. We had dinner at a Thai restaurant near the motel and did grocery shopping for food, drinks and snacks that we would need for our road trip. 

Where we stayed: We just needed a place near the airport for a one night stay before embarking on our road trip. Airport Birches Motel is a value- for-money motel with free parking and located near amenities like restaurants and grocery stores.

Day 2 - Travel NZ’s Great Alpine Highway from Christchurch through Arthur’s Pass to Hokitika

We started our road trip with a coast to coast drive from Christchurch to Hokitika via the Great Alpine Highway. The 230 km journey would take us through amazingly scenic landscapes and offers plenty to do along the way.

Key activities along the way include: 

Stop at the small town of Sheffield and try the World Famous Sheffield Pies. This little bakery shop is highly recommended by people driving to and from Arthur’s Pass.

See Homer’s Doughnut in the small town of Springfield. The doughnut is based on the doughnut frequently featured in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, which is set in a city also named Springfield.

Enjoy the scenic views at the Porter’s Pass Lookout.

Stop at Castle Hill (Kura Tāwhiti) and do a short hike amongst the interesting boulder formations. This is one of the most popular stops on the scenic Arthur’s Pass drive and is a good place for photography.

Interesting boulder formations at Castle Hill (Kura Tāwhiti).

Take a look at Mount White Bridge. This remote and beautiful place is a hidden gem that many people will miss when driving across Arthur’s Pass. It is also good place for landscape photography.

Beautiful landscape at Mount White Bridge.

Stop at the Arthur's Pass Scenic Lookout (Gateway to Arthur’s Pass National Park) to enjoy the views. 

Hike to Devil’s Punchbowl Falls. This is a 45 minutes (2 km) hike to view the 131m Devil’s Punchbowl Falls in Arthur’s Pass Village.

Devil’s Punchbowl Falls in Arthur’s Pass Village. 

See the Otira Viaduct from the

Otira Viaduct lookout points.

Trip report: Travel NZ’s Great Alpine Highway from Christchurch through Arthur’s Pass to Hokitika

Hokitika is a good place to stay for a night before continuing our road trip down the West Coast of the South Island towards the glacier towns of Fox and Franz Josef.

We spent the evening exploring Hokitika town and beach.

We were lucky to view a fantastic sunset from Hokitika Beach.

After dinner, we went to Hokitika Glowworm Dell to see glowworms.  

A free attraction in Hokitika at night!

The glowworms appeared as
tiny pinpoints of blue lights. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of tiny lights shining like the stars in the night sky. This was my first experience with glowworms and it was quite magical.

Trip report: Hokitika’s Sunset, Bunnies, Pizzas and Glowworms.

Where we stayed: Amberlea Cottages in Hokitika. The 2 bedroom cottage is located in a quiet part of town and is nicely furnished with a very modern feel and had everything we need for a lovely stay.

Our rental car parked next to our cottage with a ramp that made it easy to transport our suitcases.

Day 3 – Visit Hokitika Gorge and drive to Fox Glacier

We did the Hokitika Gorge Walk in the morning. Hokitika Gorge is located some 33 kilometres or 40 minutes drive inland from Hokitika town. 

Hokitika Gorge with its turquoise blue water.

The 1.2 km trail is generally flat and it was an easy walk through a fern forest with plenty of ferns.

We had to cross a suspension bridge over the gorge where we could see the turquoise water with white rocky limestone cliffs and lush green rainforest on both sides. Overall, a very enjoyable activity to do in the morning. 

We had lunch in Hokitika town, refuel our car before continuing our road trip down the West Coast to the small glacier towns of Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier.

Trip report: Morning Walk at Hokitika Gorge.

The drive to Franz Josef Glacier from Hokitika took about 2 hours. Upon arrival, we did short hikes to see the Franz Josef Glacier and also Peter’s Pool.

Franz Josef Glacier.

After our little hikes at Franz Josef Glacier, we drove about 40 minutes to Fox Glacier, another town named after the glacier next to it. 

Trip report: Hokitika to FranzJosef and Fox Glacier road trip.

Fox Glacier is a smaller town compared to Franz Josef. I choose to stay here instead of the Franz Josef because of Lake Matheson. After checking into our accommodation, we had time to do a hike at Lake Matheson before dinner.

Lake Matheson is one of the most popular lakes in New Zealand and famous for its mirror-like reflections of New Zealand's highest mountain Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman from its surface.

I was looking forward to taking some epic photos but the weather on this day was not favourable.

For dinner, we ate at the highly rated restaurant Betsey Jane Eatery & Bar. It was certainly a good place for a meal when staying at Fox Glacier.

Although we had seen glowworms at Hokitika’s Glowworm Dell, we went glowworm hunting again at Fox Glacier! The place to see glowworm is at Minnehaha Walk. This is a 20 minutes loop trail through the rainforest, full of old trees, mossy areas, ferns. 

Trip report: Fox Glacier - Lake Matheson hike and Glowworm Hunting at Minnehaha Walk.

 Where we stayed: Rainforest Motel in Fox Glacier. This is a value-for-money motel that came with everything we needed for a one night stay.

Rainforest Motel at Fox Glacier.

Day 4 - Drive across Haast Pass from Fox Glacier to Wanaka and do the Roy’s Peak hike

The drive from Fox Glacier to Wanaka should take about 3.5 hours (262 km) without any stops but there are many attractions and sights to see along the way so it could take much longer.

My original plan was to take a slow leisurely drive to Wanaka arriving in the evening. We had planned to hike up Roy’s Peak for sunrise the next day, departing early at 4 AM.

Roy’s Peak is a difficult hiking trail located just outside the town of Wanaka near the edge of Mount Aspiring National Park. It is one of New Zealand’s most popular trails as the view from the Roy’s Peak Lookout is stunningly beautiful!

Stunning landscape at Roy’s Peak Lookout.

We had to adjust our plan due to rain forecasted at Wanaka on the day we were supposed to do the hike.

We decided to do a direct drive to Wanaka, timing to arrive at noon so that we could do the hike up to Roy’s Peak in the afternoon while the weather is still good.

The drive from Fox Glacier in the early morning was quite scenic. We crossed many one-lane bridges on the way.

One of the many One-lane bridges in NZ.

The most scenic part of the drive was along Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, after crossing Haast Bridge.

Scenic view on the highway to Wanaka.

Trip report: Scenic Drive across Haast Pass from Fox Glacier to Wanaka.

We had lunch in Wanaka and checked into our accommodation before doing the hike up Roy’s Peak in the afternoon. The weather was perfect for our hike.

Stunning view of Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains along the trail.

A series of non-stop switchbacks on the trail up to Roy’s Peak Lookout.

The hike took about 7 hours and it was dark when we completed our sunset hike. Hiking Roy’s Peak trail is on the bucket list of many people. We cannot come to Wanaka and not attempt this challenge.

Savouring the rewards after all the effort.

Trip report: Our afternoon hike to Roy’s Peak Lookout.

Where we stayed: We stayed 2 nights in a nice three bedroom house in Wanaka. Alpine Abode has a size of 190 square metres and was our favourite accommodation on this trip.  

Alpine Abode in Wanaka.

It is very well furnished and luxurious. 

Fully equipped modern kitchen with dishwasher, induction hob, appliances and utensils for cooking our breakfast and dinner.

Day 5 – Free and Easy in Wanaka

After the grueling hike up Roy’s Peak, we had a rest day in Wanaka where we had nothing really planned except a leisurely walk along the shore of Lake Wanaka and taking photos of the famous Wanaka Tree in the evening.

This is probably the most photographed tree in New Zealand. It even has its own hash tag on Instagram, #thewanakatree. 

After a lazy morning in our accommodation, we decided to go to some nearby vineyards for wine tasting. Central Otago is one of the most scenic wine regions in New Zealand. It is also home to some of the best pinot noir in the world.

Vineyard near Wanaka.

There are several vineyards near Wanaka that offered wine tasting. We visited Maori Point Vineyard that is located 25 minutes by car from Wanaka. Maori Point’s cellar door offers standard wine tasting of six wines for NZ$20 per person (waived with bottle purchase). They also carry local food items for assembling our own platters to enjoy with the wine. 

Trip report: Free and easy at Wanaka – wine tasting and #thatwanakatree.

Day 6 – Drive from Wanaka to Te Anau.

This is the day where we did a long drive from Wanaka to Te Anau via Arrowtown and Queenstown.  

We took the Crown Range Road from Wanaka to Arrowtown, a historic gold mining town. We did a 2 hour stop for lunch and enjoy the ambience within the historic town.

Arrowtown is a living historic gold mining town. Many tourists visit this place as a day trip or half-day trip from Queenstown.

Trip report: Exploring Arrowtown.

The Crown Range Road is an exhilarating road with hairpin bends and steep grades.

The Crown Range Road is an exhilarating road with hairpin bends and steep grades. There are plenty to see along the viewpoints on this scenic route.

We made stops at a few places for photos, namely Cardrona Bra Fence, Cardrona Hotel, Crown Range Summit Lookout and Crown Range Scenic Lookout.   

I made a stop at the small town of Cardrona, just to visit a charming old hotel. Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand's oldest and most iconic hotels. 

Crown Range Road offers many scenic views as it is the highest main road in NZ.

Trip report: Driving the Scenic Crown Range Road from Wanaka to Arrowtown.

Our final destination for the day was Te Anau. Te Anau is a relaxed, lakeside town on the South Island of New Zealand. We stayed at this town for 2 nights since it serves as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. Milford Sound is one of the few places that visitors to New Zealand must not miss and was

Te Anau has some fine restaurants. We had dinner at the Redcliff Restaurant and Bar.

After dinner, we did some star gazing and astrophotography just outside our hotel. Te Anau has little light pollution and is a great place for star gazing.

We managed to take some photos of the constellations and the Milky Way.

       

Where we stayed: Our accommodation in Te Anau was the Amber Court Motel. Amber Court Motel offers modern accommodation in a quiet location, just a few minutes walk from Lake Te Anau. Our 1-bedroom apartment includes kitchenette facilities, satellite TV and electric blankets on the beds. 

Trip report: Our Evenings at Te Anau – great food and star-gazing.

Day 7 – Cruise on Milford Sound and hiking in the Fiordland National Park.

The plan for the day was to do a morning cruise at Milford Sound and then take our time to drive back to Te Anau. Along the way back, we did some short hikes in the Fiordland National Park.

Morning is the best time to cruise Milford Sound.

The 119 km drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound and back was one of the most scenic and unforgettable journey we did. Commonly known as the Milford Road, State Highway 94 is the only road access to Milford Sound. There are easily accessible scenic spots like the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Lake Gunn, Monkey Creek and short hiking trails to waterfalls or viewpoints along this road. There is also the Homer Tunnel that is bored through the sheer granite of the Darran Mountains.

Surreal landscape at Eglinton Valley at dawn.

Lake Gunn and Mirror Lakes are best visited just after sunrise.

We had to leave early in the morning to make it in time to catch our 9.45 AM cruise with Cruise Milford. More details on how to plan the drive to and from Milford Sound and why we chose to cruise with Cruise Milford are in the following trip reports.

Trip report: Driving the Milford Road to and from Milford Sound.

Trip report: Morning Cruise on Milford Sound with Cruise Milford.

We had time for a 3 to 4 hour hike along the Milford Road after our Milford Sound cruise in the morning. We chose to do the 6.8 km hike to Key Summit, one of the best short hikes in Fiordland National Park.

Enjoying the hike and views at Key Summit.

Trip report: Hiking the Routeburn Trail to Key Summit.

We ended the day with a wonderful dinner at Fat Duck Gastropub back in Te Anau.

Day 8 – Drive from Te Anau to Glenorchy and Queenstown. 

This was a day where we did a very long 217 km road trip from Te Anau to Glenorchy (via Queenstown) and then back to Queenstown (distance of 46 km) where we would stay for the night.

Devil's Staircase Lookout is the best scenic stop along the drive from Te Anau to Queenstown.

Glenorchy is a small settlement at the northern shores of Lake Wakatipu. It is worth a visit as the 46 km drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy, along the shores of the lake, is one of the most scenic drives in the world.

Picnic lunch at Wilson Bay.

We chose to stop at Wilson Bay for a picnic. There are a few other similar spots along the road from Queenstown to Glenorchy.

Bennetts Bluff has the best viewpoint between Queenstown and Glenorchy. 

The details on what to see and do on the drive from Te Anau to Glenorchy are in the following trip report.

Trip report: Scenic drive from Te Anau to Glenorchy via Queenstown.

We arrived at Glenorchy in the early afternoon. We spend some time to explore the town and its attractions such as the Glenorchy Wharf Shed and Pier, Mrs Woolly’s General Store and took a short drive to Isengard Viewpoint.

Iconic red shed located at the entry point to the Glenorchy pier.

Isengard Lookout is a must-visit for fans of Lord of the Rings movie.

The Isengard Viewpoint on Kinloch-Glenorchy Road provides a stunning view of the area and was used for filming the Isengard location in the Lord of the Rings movie.

Trip report: Exploring Glenorchy and looking for Lord of the Ring’s Isengard.

From Glenorchy, we took the same scenic drive back to Queenstown where we would stay for one night. Our plan for the evening was just to soak in a little of the city’s lakeside ambience and sample the famous burgers in town.

Queenstown’s waterfront is a relaxing place with nice views, especially in the evening.

Trip report: Evening at Queenstown and trying the Best Burgers – Devil Burger versus Fergburger.

Where we stayed in Queenstown:

We stayed at an Executive One bedroom apartment in St James Apartments which is conveniently located within the town center and came with free parking. After a long day of road tripping, it was good to explore the town on foot.

Day 9 – Drive from Queenstown to Aoraki/Mount Cook

Scenic Mount Cook Road leading to Mount Cook Village.

The drive from Queenstown to Aoraki/Mount Cook is 255 km long and is one of the most scenic road trips in New Zealand. It is a must-do experience when visiting the South Island. There is so much to see and do along the way that we took almost the whole day to complete this journey.

Bungee jumpers at Kawarau Gorge.

This includes the following:

• Watching the bungee jumpers at Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge.
• Wine tasting at Kinross Winery.
• Visit the heritage precinct at Cromwell.
• Driving across Lindis Pass.
• Lunch at High Country Salmon.
• Stopping at various scenic viewpoints along the Mount Cook Road to take photos of Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki.

Kinross Vineyard is one of the many vineyards that offer wine tasting in the Gibbston area.

Trip report: Epic road trip from Queenstown to Aoraki/Mount Cook Village.

On the road to Mount Cook Village.

We arrived at Mount Cook Village at about 4 PM and checked into our hotel. We had time to do a short evening hike at Hooker Valley Track before sunset which was 7.50 PM at this time of year. The Hooker Valley Track, a 10km return hike in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, was top in my “must-do” list for this road trip in NZ’s South Island.

I wanted to do this hike during the golden hour just before sunset as the light during this time is best for photography.

One the suspension bridges along the Hooker Valley hiking trail. 

We only had time to hike up to the 2nd suspension bridge but I achieved my goal of capturing the epic view of Mount Cook, painted gold by the warm rays of the setting sun, and Hooker River in the foreground.

View of Mount Cook on the Hooker Valley trail during sunset.

After the hike we had dinner at the Chamois Bar & Grill and then did stargazing with some friends. Mount Cook Village is known for its stunning night sky, being a part of the International Dark Sky Reserve.

Milky Way galaxy and a sky full of stars! 

Trip report: Hooker Valley hike at sunset and star gazing in Mount Cook Village.

Where we stayed in Mount Cook National Park: The best place to stay when visiting Mount Cook National Park is in the Mount Cook Village. Hotels are limited so book early.

The Hermitage Hotel is one of the best hotels in the village and I managed to book a Superior Room from their hotel’s website.    

Superior Room offers fantastic views of Mount Cook and the surrounding mountains.

View from our room at Hermitage Hotel.

Day 10 – Hiking at Mt Cook (Hooker Valley and Tasman Glacier Hike) and drive to Lake Tekapo

Our plan for the morning was to do the Hooker Valley hike. This hike was so fantastic that we are doing it again, but at different time of the day.

There are a total of 3 suspension bridges on the trail.

 Hooker Valley trail in the early morning.

The hike on a mostly flat track through Hooker Valley to Hooker Lake provides incredible views of the Southern Alps, glacial streams and the majestic Aoraki (Mount Cook). 

Hooker Lake is the end point of the Hooker Valley trail.

Trip report: Hooker Valley Hike at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.

After completing the Hooker Valley hike in the morning, we had time for a short afternoon hike at Tasman Valley before leaving Mount Cook National Park for Lake Tekapo. Overall, I did not enjoy this hike as compared to the more scenic Hooker Valley hike.

Hiking at Tasman Valley under the hot sun.

Scrambling up a moraine to view Tasman Lake and Mount Cook.

Trip report: Tasman Valley Hike at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.

After the hikes, we drove about 100 km to Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo is known for attractions such as The Church of the Good Shepherd and is an excellent destination for stargazing since it is in the middle of Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky reserve.

The journey by car from Mount Cook National Park to Lake Tekapo would take approximately an hour and a half, offering numerous scenic viewpoints along the way.

A good place to stop for lunch is at the Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Shop located on the southern shore of the Lake Pukaki.

It was about 4.30 PM when we arrived at Lake Tekapo. For dinner, we had fish and chips from a highly raved food truck known as The Better Batter. 

Evening is the best time to go for a walk by the lake and visit The Church of the Good Shepherd just before sunset.

The Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo.

Lake Tekapo is renowned for its exceptional stargazing opportunities, being part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. I booked a stargazing tour with Astro Tekapo. This is a small group tour with a maximum of 10 participants. After experiencing stargazing with our naked eyes, we had a chance to see the heavenly bodies through the 2 telescopes provided. The guide programmed his telescopes so we could see various nebulas, star clusters, binary stars etc. 

 

Trip report: Lake Tekapo.

Where we stayed in Lake Tekapo:  The apartment, known as Stellar Apartment, is located on high ground and is a few minutes drive to the lake. We stayed in a One Bedroom apartment.

Day 11 – Drive from Lake Tekapo to Christchurch

Our drive from Lake Tekapo to Christchurch was the last leg of our 11 days road trip around the South Island of New Zealand. We took the direct route, via State Highway 8, 79 and 1, which was about 225 km long. The drive should take about 3 hours without stopping but we planned to stop at a few places along the way.

Historic village of Burkes Pass is a nice place to stop for photos.

Brief stop at the historic village of Burkes Pass. A “must visit” is the general store named Three Creeks, where retro collectables, artwork and furniture could be found. The store is also surrounded by classic cars, a 1950’s service station and memorabilia.

Stop at Farlie to eat the gourmet meat pies from Fairlie Bakehouse.

Buy some local produce like honey at the Farmer’s Corner, located just outside Ashburton.

Check out the vintage trains and working steam engines at the Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum in Ashburton.

Ashburton was our last stop. From there, we took Highway 1 into Christchurch.

Our plan for the evening was to take an evening walk into the city center for dinner and visit the Christchurch Botanical Gardens.

Where we stayed in Christchurch: Our accommodation at Christchurch was Argyle On The Park, conveniently located on Deans Avenue near the City Centre overlooking beautiful Hagley Park. I chose this motel because it is located close to the Christchurch Botanical Gardens and is also possible to walk into the city via the beautiful park just across the road from the place. The motel offers free parking too.

Day 12 – Return car at the airport and travel home.

Our flight home departs Christchurch International Airport at noon time. So we spent a lazy morning at the motel before driving to the airport.

Returning the car was easy and swift. The process was to park the car at the designated lots in the airport car park and drop the keys off. There was no one from Ezi to inspect the car so we took photos and videos of our rental car before dropping off the keys at the car rental office located next to the parking bays. 

Overall, our experience with Ezi Car Rental had been positive. The car was relatively new, clean, well maintained and it served us well. 

Some tips for a New Zealand Road trip

1. The car is a critical success factor in a road trip. Book your rental car from a reliable and reputable car rental company. Book early for the best prices and book directly with the car rental company instead of via a third party booking sites to avoid nasty surprises.

2. Plan for picnics along the journey. There are so many places in NZ with picnic benches, toilets and of course, gorgeous scenery. We brought along a cooler bag to keep our drinks cold and also store our perishable foodstuff that we bought from the grocery stores. We also brought along a flask for hot water to make tea and coffee at our pit stops. There are relatively few cafes along the way, compared to other countries.

3. Drive safe and keep your eyes on the road. It is easy to get distracted by the scenery.

4. Allow slightly more time for the drive when planning the itinerary. Do not rush and take breaks along the way. The timing on Google Maps is a bit optimistic.

5. Keep to the speed limit, especially on the curvy, winding roads.

When the road bends, there are massive yellow reflective signs indicating the safe speed for the bends.

6. Most of the roads in the rural areas are on single carriageways.

If there are faster cars tailing you, pull over off the road or move to the side so the faster cars overtake safely.

7. There are many one lane bridges, with signs indicating who has the right of way.

Typical signage at the one lane bridge. The direction with the bigger black arrow has the right of way.

Slow down and check for oncoming traffic, even if you have the right of way! There was one instance that a tour bus came at me even when I had the right of way. The driver probably did not see my car entering the bridge or he was just a big road bully!

8. Do not just pull over just anywhere on the road to take a picture. There are many designated lookout points along the highways and most of them are marked in Google Maps. Plan which ones are worth a stop for the views and photos. Skip those that are on the opposite side of the road if it is not safe to pull over.

9. Some places are remote and has no petrol stations for a long stretch. Watch your fuel gauge and top up fuel when needed, especially before going to Milford Sound or driving across Haast Pass. Contrary to my expectations, fuel is actually cheaper in the smaller towns like Te Anau, Farlie and Hokitika compared to the bigger cities like Queenstown and Wanaka.

10. Plan to arrive at your destination before last light. It is not advisable to drive on unfamiliar roads in the dark. There are no street lamps on the country roads!

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