Wanaka Bucks Destination

Wanaka is an outdoor playground all year round, with different activities on offer at different times throughout the year making it the perfect place for a bucks party. Icy rivers, reflective lakes, snowy mountains and hot chocolates are the signature of a Wanaka winter season, which generally sees an average temperature of around 10 degrees during the day and regular snowfall. These are the perfect conditions to channel your inner snow bunny, strap on your boots and hit the myriad of nearby ski slopes.

As the snow melts and the sun comes out from behind the clouds during the Spring, strong winds make for epic windsurfing and yachting adventures. But it is the Summer months that continue to attract thousands of travellers from across the globe every year.  From December until February, Wanaka’s weather sits in the mid-20s, with no humidity and delightfully long days. It’s warm enough to soak in your daily dose of vitamin D, without sweating up a storm and cursing your curly haired genes. 

As a small town, Wanaka is very pedestrian friendly. While you may be able to walk between most major attractions, you’ll need to account in extra time for all the stops you’ll make along the way to talk to the locals and get the perfect snaps. If you’re on a little more of a tight deadline, hiring your own wheels is the best way to tick off all the items on your bucket list, as well as get off the beaten track and see some of the natural beauty in the region.

A number of shuttle services can also get you up into the surrounding mountains and public transport is available throughout the city centre. So you’ve been hitting it hard during the day and you’re high on adrenaline after hours of exploring the region, but what do you do in Wanaka when the sun goes down?

 When night falls, this destination isn’t like most other small towns. Infact, it’s quite the opposite. After hours, Wanaka continues to live up to its reputation as a star attraction with stellar nightlife. The town is booming with bars, nightclubs, pubs and venues, where you can unwind with all of life’s little luxuries – namely specialty cocktails, craft beers and locally grown wines. If you find that you’ve still got some energy in the tank, you can stay late for the party vibe that takes over as the night continues. 

It may be considered a little sister of Queenstown, but the city of Wanaka deserves recognition in itself. It’s the type of place that offers so much that you’ll struggle to pull yourself away at the end of your time there. Give your buck the send-off he deserves with a party in Wanaka. You’ll be reaping the rewards of best-best-man for years to come. 

Getting to Wanaka

Just a mere hour South East of Queenstown, Wanaka is in close proximity to three international airports: Queenstown, Dunedin and Christchurch. Each of these terminals are serviced by national and international airlines, and are always offering plenty of fare specials. Once you land there are a number of transfer options available, including car rental, private transfers, shuttles and public bus services.

Queenstown airport is just a scenic 60-minute drive away, while Christchurch and Dunedin are both within a few hours’ drive. All three routes to Wanaka will take you through some of the most beautiful scenery on offer in the entire country.