Blue Lake, Nelson - The Clearest Lake in the World

In the pristine Nelson Lakes National Park in New Zealand, you'll find the clearest lake in the world - Blue Lake, or Rotomairewhenua in Maori (the Maori people consider it a sacred place, meaning "land of peaceful waters"). In 2011, scientists discovered that the lake's visibility reached 70 to 80 meters, second only to distilled water. The water source of Blue Lake comes from the nearby glacial Lake Constance, which filters suspended particles through underground channels. Both lakes are located next to Mount Franklin in Nelson Lakes National Park, and because they are located at the foot of Mount Franklin, the lake water is cold all year round, with temperatures ranging from 5 to 8 degrees Celsius. To protect the lake from pollution, swimming, bathing, drawing water, or putting any equipment (such as GoPro cameras or mobile phones) in the lake is prohibited. The best time to visit is in summer, from November to April. There are two routes to Blue Lake, the shorter route is to take a boat from Lake Rotoroa Jetty to Sabine Hut, then walk to West Sabine Hut, and then to Blue Lake Hut, where you can stay overnight. The one-way trip takes about 7 to 9 hours. You can also reach the lake by hiking (a six-day, five-night hike, taking three days to reach Blue Lake), enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Travers-Sabine Circuit along the way. In addition, Reid Helicopters offers a special helicopter tour that takes passengers to see the beauty of Blue Lake from the air.