Te Anau is a charming township located in the South Island of New Zealand. It lies on the shore of Lake Te Anau, and on the border of Fiordland National Park and Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area and is the closest town to Milford Sound. Te Anau connects...more
Te Anau is a charming township located in the South Island of New Zealand. It lies on the shore of Lake Te Anau, and on the border of Fiordland National Park and Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area and is the closest town to Milford Sound. Te Anau connects Queenstown to Milford Sound and the centre of Te Anau is where New Zealand’s great scenic route; Milford Road, begins. Tourists will find it easy to locate a place to stay here, be it a hotel or motel, or even homestays and camping grounds. However, Muslim tourists will find it difficult to locate Halal restaurants in Te Anau. The same goes with locating mosques and other prayer facilities.
It is hard to miss Lake Te Anau, which is the second-largest lake in New Zealand and the largest in the South Island; most of which lies within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. There are two fabulous scenic walks that start at this lake, namely; Milford Track and Kepler Track. Those visiting Te Anau will find themselves bonding with and appreciating nature like never before. The town is surrounded by wilderness areas, mountains and breathtaking scenery and is the perfect place to go cycling, kayaking, fishing, jet boat riding and water skiing, trekking and hunting. There are also a few notable bird species, including the endangered Takahe, which can be found in the area.
Located about a kilometre from Te Anauis city centre is Te Anau's Wildlife Park or the Te Anau Wildlife Centre. This popular park is operated by New Zealand's Department of Conservation and is home to unique native birds, endangered birds and various other bird species, as well as ones that are rare or need special attention. There is a path along the lake that tourists can use to reach the park, or it is also quite easily accessible by car. It is the ideal place to visit with the family and will prove to be a fun day out for all.
Another must-visit when in Te Anau is the fascinating and well-known Te Ana-au Glowworm Caves. This is an unusual limestone cave that is ecologically and culturally important and was discovered in 1948. It is a prominent attraction in Te Anau that is home to thousands of tiny, magical looking glowworms. Visitors will learn more about the caves and be taken in a small boat to a hidden grotto to see the glittering glowworms that live there. This activity is suitable for all ages and is a once in a lifetime experience.
Te Anau has one local airport called the Te Anau Airport. This airstrip is used only for sightseeing aircrafts. The two closest international airports to Te Anau are Queenstown International Airport and Dunedin International Airport. They are both located 200+ kilometers away and will have to be reached by car or bus.
There are no known Halal restaurants in Te Anau. Muslim tourists should stick to vegetarian food at local non-Halal restaurants after verifying that the vegetarian dishes do not contain alcohol or other non-Halal items.
Muslim visitors can also check with local butcheries regarding the availability of Halal meat since most meat in New Zealand is said to be slaughtered according to Islamic laws due to large scale exports to Muslim countries.
There are no known Mosques or Islamic Centers in Te Anau. It is therefore best for Muslim visitors to offer their prayers in their hotel rooms, if possible.
Prayer times for Te Anau,New Zealand