The colour is real: fine glacial sediment suspended in the meltwater scatters light into that turquoise blue. Summer water temperatures make lakeside swimming and paddling genuinely comfortable, and all three main lakes have easy road and trail access.
Highlights
Lake Tekapo lakefront
Swimming and paddleboarding within walking distance of the village.
Lake Pukaki
The largest and most vividly coloured of the three, with a straight view down to Aoraki/Mount Cook.
Lake Ruataniwha
A calm, purpose-built rowing lake at Twizel, popular for swimming and picnics.