KEY POINTS:
The tiny township of Lake Tekapo - tucked away like a hidden gem in the Mackenzie District - is probably best known for the spectacular night sky that brings star-gazers from around the world.
And, true to its promise, we find the skies are amazing, but it doesn't
take long during a relaxing three-day weekend away to realise there's more to the town than its twinkling stars.
When the sun is shining, this little corner of the South Island is postcard-perfect, with an amazing turquoise lake - the largest and highest glacial lake in the land which gets its arresting hue from "rock flour" particles suspended in its waters. The snow-capped mountains and lush green pines cap off the scene.
At night, the heavens take centre stage. But the atmosphere doesn't change.
Lake Tekapo is home to about 350 people and has traditionally been seen as a place most people travel through on their way to larger towns or nearby skifields.
But now the town is trying hard to change that image and wants to be seen as a destination where you stop for few days and relax (probably in sunshine, because the area is blessed with high annual sun hours). It certainly provides the perfect setting with its unrelenting beauty.
In summer the town markets itself as an "aquatic playground", with everything from fishing to jetskiing on offer. In winter, the mountains and the three local skifields are the key drawcards, although the water is a playground for most of the year.
The addition of Peppers Bluewater Resort has also helped with Tekapo's makeover.
Nestled on the edge of town, it offers upmarket accommodation ranging from studios to three-bedroom villas with all the latest trimmings - including underfloor heating, heat pumps and fluffy white robes for nights when the temperature drops to below zero. The inhouse restaurant serves the best soup I've tasted for a long time and the richest chocolates that you could possibly imagine.
Peppers opened this year, with stage two scheduled to be completed by early next year.
The resort's opening coincided with that of the Alpine Spring and Spa - an attraction popular with tourists and people from throughout the region.
When we arrived for a soak on a Monday afternoon, dozens of primary school children were visiting. The prospect of joining them in the pools was not entirely appealing, but we were saved by the owners' good sense - one of their three pools, all of which have been designed in the shape of the district's lakes, was declared adults-only.
The open-air pools are relaxing during the day, with views of the lake and mountains. At night they are magical, with steam rising through coloured lights.
The centre sits at the base of Mt John, enticing visitors to the top for the stunning views by day and night. It's no wonder astronomers zero in on Lake Tekapo and the observatory at the top of Mt John: crystal-clear nights and a sky unpolluted by artificial light have put it on the map of star-gazers around the world.
The weather gods were against us on Saturday night, but our tour to the top with Earth & Sky gave us a show to remember.
We piled into a minibus for the short journey up Mt John and that was an adventure in itself. Winding your way up a hill in the pitch-black of night without headlights (to avoid spoiling the impact on visibility for astronomers) is a tad scary. The view from the top makes it all worthwhile, though, and we soon learn from our guide that stars don't actually twinkle - despite what the nursery rhyme says. We also learn the stars are so far away that the image we see is actually from millions of years ago - it takes that long for their light to reach us.
Mt John's telescope - the biggest in the country - allows unparalleled views of planets like Saturn and Jupiter on clear nights.
The lake and Mt John are Tekapo's main attractions, and are impressive enough to bring it under constant seige from camper vans. But this is no two-trick town, and there is surely no more serenely-placed church than the famous Church of Good Shepherd and, just a minute or so away, the Dog statue.
The tiny church, a favourite for regional weddings because of its majestic position at the head of the lake, offers amazing views through the wide altar window, while the statue pays tribute to the hardy mustering dogs which made farming possible in the vast Mackenzie Country.
If sitting and gazing isn't your thing, try exploring the lake with the help of Greg Crow from Cruise Tekapo, stopping off at Motuariki Island where you can wander amongst the trees while the skipper cooks breakfast, lunch or dinner. Near the island the waters are so clear you can see underwater forests - old fallen trees - in great detail.
Greg will also point out the huge boulder that was sliced in two by the power of the water and spin a yarn or two about a princess and her necktie-wearing lizard.
For a different perspective of the region, a flight with Air Safaris is also worth the money. Again, you need the weather on your side, but the operators are pretty flexible.
On our clear Monday morning we took to the skies with pilot Don Aldridge for a stunning view of Lake Tekapo, the Mackenzie Country and Southern Alps.
As we flew over 2700m snowcapped mountain ranges, Don pointed out glaciers, crevasses and floating icebergs. We circled the majestic Mt Cook several times so everyone could get photographs before heading to Mt Cook airport to drop two passengers off.
I don't like small planes, but the flight was amazing and the scenery breathtaking.
Elizabeth Binning was a guest of Peppers Clearwater Resort Christchurch and Peppers Bluewater Resort Lake Tekapo - www.peppers.co.nz
