From the air this long, thin lake looks like a thunderbolt of dark blue surrounded by green and brown mountains. It's almost like a wide zig-zagging river – it runs for 30 kilometres then turns east, then for another 20 kilometres before turning south again, and in places it's more than 100metres deep. Partly due to the shape, and partly due to the glacial start it gets the lake has a strange additional rhythmic tide – it goes in and out about 12cms every five minutes – Maori legends say the rise and fall is caused by the beating of the heart of the monster who lives in the lake's depths.

This is a mountainous area, and as well as being scenic, its charms also attract extreme sports fans.

Written by  World Reviewer Staff.

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