The southern shore
Pebble beach and swimming.
Wildman NZ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Krzysztof Golik — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Krzysztof Golik — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Oliver Haeusle dantiero — CC0
Lake Hāwea is New Zealand's ninth largest lake, in the Otago Region of the South Island at an altitude of 348 metres. It covers about 151 square kilometres and reaches 392 metres deep, and its centre lies about 29 km north-east of Wānaka in a straight line. The lake stretches 35 km from north to south in a valley carved by glaciers in the last ice age, and is fed by the Hunter River. Lake Wānaka lies in a parallel valley to the west, and at their closest point, a rocky ridge called The Neck, the two lakes are only about 1 km apart. Bare mountains in browns and golds surround the water and are mirrored in its deep blue on calm days. The south end is dammed by an ancient terminal moraine about 10,000 years old, and in 1958 the lake was raised 20 metres to store water for hydroelectric power. The small settlement of Lake Hāwea on the southern shore is the easiest place to start. In summer the lake is popular for fishing, boating and swimming, and the road towards Haast Pass follows its shore, with pull-offs for wide views along the way.
Pebble beach and swimming.
A ridge between two lakes.
Lookouts on the shore.
Otago Region, South Island, New Zealand
Yes in summer; the water is cold.
Lake Wānaka and its town.