https://ph.trip.com/moments/detail/arrowtown-17133-134560288?locale=en-PH
Dan WuangSingapore
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Are still still Gold somewhere in Arrowtown!

Nestled in a river valley surrounded by mountains, a charming gold-mining town, called Arrowtown, established in 1862 , attracted immigrants from China to this humble town that is rich with natural beauty, history and culture. It used to house mining cottages which now turns in vibrant mixture of businesses , private homes , cafe and restaurants. You can choose to take bus 2 or bus 4 from Frankton town to Arrowtown for just Nzd4 on a 20-25 minutes journey. Bus 2 goes straight to Arrowtown with just 5-7 stops in between whereas Bus 4 will drive through more scenic mountain area of Arthur Point and river for Jetski-ing. I took bus 4 to save time and the bus ride will drive pass beautiful Lake Hayes where you can drop by if you want for walks along the 8 km loop around the lake. Morning was cold at -1 degree Celsius and you find frost on the grass or icicles on the trees by the Arrow River. The days are short, but the skies are blue and cloudless. Activities Walks - Lake Hayes Walkway- cycle or walk along the Te Araroa Trail for 2-3hours. Or just around Arrowtown the Arrow River Trail and Bush Creek Walk. Both are easy walk which takes 50-60 minutes returns. Head to the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement site to view the stone cottages and huts showcasing the history of Chinese Gold miners tough living conditions. 5-10 minutes After the walk head back to the town centre for lunch at the local restaurants or have a cup of coffee and croissants at a local bakery. Bakery- ab Arrowtown Bakery - huge selection of breads and cakes to complement your coffee. Cafes - WOLF Coffee Roasters with a huge coffee roaster machine inside the cafe - Provisions OF ARROWTOWN- coffee n cakes n breads Cuisine- Japanese - Crave Japanese Sake & Tapas Local n Western- Fork n Tap The Dishery- bistro dining And many others. Gin tasting - ARROWTOWN Distillery RIFTERS Download Transit Apps to monitor Orbus timetable and be there slightly earlier in case the bus reaches early. I chose to talk bus 2 for return as I want to see the Arthur Point site and River where the Jet Ski activity runs. The bus will bring you back to Queenstown CBD.
Posted: Aug 6, 2025
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Arrowtown

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