Ohakune, New Zealand

Ohakune, 35km south of National Park, welcomes you with a huge (artificial) carrot, celebrating its position at the heart of one of the nation's prime market-gardening regions. This is easily forgotten once you are in town among the chalet-style lodges and ski-rental shops geared to cope with the massive influx of winter-sports enthusiasts who descend for the skiing at Turoa. During these months, the bars and restaurants swing into action, everyone makes their money for the year and then most shut until next season. Consequently it is pretty quiet in summer, but once the snows have melted, the trails are open for tramping, mountain biking and horse trekking.