Bloody Early Start to Beat the Crowd
Okay so my dumb jet-lagged ass woke up at like 5am buzzing. Couldn’t sleep anyway, figured why not chase that sunrise view everyone screams about? Slapped on yesterday’s hiking pants – clean ones weren’t happening – shoved a banana and some breadcrumbs pretending to be breakfast into my bag, and stumbled out into the cold Queenstown dark. Hopped in the beat-up rental car praying the engine wouldn’t conk out.
First Stop: Frankton Arm
Drove straight towards Frankton Arm ’cause some backpacker swore it’s “low-key stunning.” Yeah right. Found the tiny car park almost empty though – small win. Sat on this rickety bench near the boat sheds shivering, watching pink splotches slowly creep across the Remarkables. Damn mountains live up to the name. Took like a hundred blurry photos before my frozen fingers cooperated. Wind nearly blew me into the lake. Peaceful? Kinda. Worth freezing for? Debatable.
That Frickin’ Lookout Everyone Instas
Headlights on, wound my way up the steep hill to Queenstown Hill Summit lookout. Halfway up already saw three tour buses rumbling past – knew it was gonna be packed. Parked halfway on the dirt shoulder ’cause the actual lot was jammed. Huffing and puffing up the last bit, dodging selfie sticks wielded by people with way nicer jackets than mine. Made it to the top. Yeah, alright. Postcard view for sure: lake like glass, snowy mountains, town spread out below. Proper gorgeous. Also proper crowded, everyone shuffling for their perfect shot. Sipped cold instant coffee from my thermos, snapped five decent pics quick before elbowing out.
Found an Actual Secret Spot (Sort Of)
Driving back down grumbling about crowds, spotted this tiny overgrown pull-off just before Sunshine Bay. Threw the car in park like “what the hell.” Followed this little muddy track skirting the hillside for ten minutes, almost faceplanted twice. Ended up on this little rocky ledge basically invisible from the road. Boom. Full panoramic lake view minus twenty tourists breathing down my neck. Sat my butt on a wet rock and just breathed. Heard water lapping, birds chirping – proper quiet magic. Kept glancing around waiting for someone else to stumble in, but nada. Jackpot.
Bob’s Cove Fiasco
Felt smug about my secret spot until I got cocky and tried Bob’s Cove Track next. Big mistake. Car park overflowing, families having picnics right on the trail entrance. Walked the loop through the bush – it’s okay, kinda nice trees. But every single viewpoint bench was occupied. Reached the actual cove expecting paradise, found eight kids chucking pebbles into the water and four drones buzzing overhead like angry bees. The water is insanely blue there, gotta admit. Took one decent photo where no small child was mid-jump and booked it out fast.
Final Verdict After All That Driving
Honestly? Queenstown’s jam-packed everywhere lately. Best shots/stolen moments I got? Before sunrise (brutal but true), totally random roadside pull-offs nobody mentions, and briefly poking my head into Bob’s Cove before the world woke up. Would I fight the crowds again tomorrow just to see that water colour? Probably. But next time I’m bringing better snacks and lower expectations.
