Reviews of Historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement. (Museum) in Arrowtown (Otago).

Historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement

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397 Comments

Museum

Historical place

Buckingham Street, Arrowtown 9302, New Zealand

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Information of Historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, Museum in Arrowtown (Otago)

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Reviews of Historic Arrowtown Chinese Settlement

D.

There is a cafe and not much to see. This leads to a few track. I heard that the start point gets flooded with water but you are able to easily walk across. There are few tracks that you can choose to complete depending on the time you have. We completed a 45min track. Recommend to wear track shoes as some paths are slippery.

S.

The Chinese miners huts are worth visiting and the local walks in the area are fantastic, it feels like you're I the middle of no where but the town central is only moments away

K.

Arrowtown is the oldest village in Queenstown where started with Chinese settlement who came to Queenstown in search of gold. Arrow river is a great spot for gold mining and you can try you luck there. The old police station is the most photographs place in Arrowtown. If you visit Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown, you'll be able to find more historic information about Queenstown and Arrowtown.

T.

Very interesting , like going back in time . Got clean toilets available. About 45minutes to complete .

T.

Awsome history hear with stunning views along the way

M.

Nothing much to see, but history is amazing. You can see old chinese style houses. Most are abandoned but few are still there. They were the first chinese people who came to New Zeland for gold mining. And once they finished it, most of them migrated to other countries and some of them started farming.

s.

Good little walk to see the old little huts. Still amazing me how they built a few in the rock itself...

O.

Beautiful trees and historical site, I came here April and December 2021

L.

Very historically interesting. Loads of nooks and crannies to explore. Quite nice under the shade of the tree's. The carpark gets pretty chokka so you may want to park the other end of town and wander down.

S.

This was an amazing piece of NZ history and worth the time for a walk and some exploration. It is beautiful down by the river and the village is amazingly restored. It feels as though the inhabitants could walk in at any moment. If driving through or visiting Arrowtown this is a must see.

L.

It’s nice to be able to observe this well preserved historical settlement. It’s an important piece of history and a meaningful history lessons for our later generations.

R.

A great archaeological site. A real window into a part of new Zealand's history we don't often think about. Well worth a visit if you're at all interested in history. Especially in goldfields history or the history of Chinese in new Zealand

S.

What a beautiful place in the autumn. Really interesting reading about the Chinese settlement. Easy free parking at Arrowtown, no worries with a motorhome.

C.

This area was really nicely preserved and had information about each building on a plaque before you entered. Lots of public toilets around and short distances to walk so good for everyone. You can go inside the houses also 😊 loved it. Arrowtown also has a lot for you to look around with small interesting shops and a good looking bakery to enjoy too.

S.

Beautiful Arrowtown was originally a gold mining settlement in the 19th century. The gold rush brought people from many countries seeking wealth and prosperity - among them over 3,500 Chinese settlers. Around 60 lived in Arrowtown. They were to a large extent shunned and marginalised by the Europeans and lived in a small settlement on the edge of town. The settlement has been restored to some extent and a 20-30 minute self-guided walking tour provides an insight into the harsh living conditions they endured.

p.

Loved reading the history hard working buggers

S.

It's a place of great history that gives an insight into the history of gold mining and the lifestyle. Although, some are restructured but, they still remind you of an authentic Asian village like set up.

B.

It was a very small complex but well maintained with original doors and locks still intact and in good condition. Information is well provided for those who like history and there are clean toilets available nearby. Parking is easy and free of charge . Good for those who are visiting the old street and are struggling to find a parking . Just park here and walk yourselves there .

F.

It is a spectacular classic town with a bit commercial filled in You can enjoy your coffee / lunch in garden Cafe or do your historic town browsing Reasonable choice for shopping g too. When I up to Queenstown regain every time. I always visit here

K.

Nice information and good to know about the history. No idea how they can stay real warm during winter back then in such condition. Quite a small area to explore. Can be done in 20mins.

K.

A fantastic example of the harsh life and times of the early Chinese gold miners. Easy access and close to the Arrowtown township. Plenty of history boards depicting what life was like for them in the 1870s. Well worth a look.

J.

Compared to our first visit 19 years ago, lots have changed. Arrowtown is still lovely and the Chinese village, with information boards, is full of stories. We enjoyed our visit, especially the kids.

A.

Amazing!! Did not expect to see this piece of history while I was walking around the tracks. Was so interesting to see how the Chinese lived back in the days as they settled down here in New Zealand.

J.

A wonderful reminder of the 1863 gold rush. A lovely walk along the river. Head to Macetown if you want to see more relicks.

A.

Cute little town to explore. Neat to see such old buildings & the beautiful mountains that surround. Lovely shops where we're we're able to find perfect souvenirs.

B.

A great insight into some of NZ history. A time when we could have done better but have tried to restore the relationship since. Arrowtown your natural beauty and buildings are beautiful and restful. Thank you!

C.

Pleasant walk along with information about the Chinese community during the Gold Rush.

H.

Beautifully Presented and a well maintained cultural area. Easy walking within 20 minutes, with a wide gravel track, take advantage and utilise the stunning walk mixed tracks around the Gold Mining Area. 1800's Local Gold Miners History, Passionately Preserved with Pride, Main Historic Street within walking distance also. #WellWorthTheTrip!.

M.

The place is designed for the enjoyment of tourists, using history and nature. If you like historical, quaint, shopping and a stroll along the stream, this place is for you. Pick up the Arrowtown Guide from the information centre for free. It is always buzzing with tourists but there is space for everyone. No need to worry about parking, it is big enough for everyone and just a very short walk to the attractions. There are lots of photo opportunities from the shops to the Chinese Historical Settlement. Very clean toilets in different parts of the town. There are mixed toilets too!

M.

A historical place that needs to be witnessed and seen. It's just simply amazing and almost unimaginable how these people lived at that time in this settlement. All buildings are pretty small and so simple built but the settlement itself is pretty good located close to the river. A must see tourist attraction in Arrowtown.

O.

Well set up. Easy parking

T.

Still lovely to see but spoilt by the smell of sausages and toast being cooked by the Cafe right near it. Used to look more authentic.

D.

Lovely walk and interesting read along the way 😊

L.

A well maintained and beautiful historic area. It let me understand the history of gold mining in 1900s and Chinese people's lifestyle during that time.

P.

Great historical site to visit and very informative info boards and re-created buildings

K.

Loved the place. Beautiful trees and walks. Picturesque village.

S.

Arrowtown is a lovely tourest spot, and the Chinese settlement is well worth walking round, giving an idea of how hard life was, with lots of well presented information to read as you walk around. My recommendation to the council is that they close off the main shopping road to cars, which would improve the picturesque nature of the street, and would have no negative impact, since their is easy access for cars in the surrounding streets.

D.

Such a remarkable place to visit. I was so impressed with the story told of how the Cantonese, Chinese people came here and learned about their voyage, settlement and struggles. This place is has actual living quarters that the gold miners lived in. There is plenty of parking, toilet facilities and an easy walk around and only took us about 20 mins at a very slow pace. It's possibly better to stay parked down there and walk into the town. I was so close to not going to Arrowtown and would have missed out on something quite impressive. It's worth the short drive out of Queenstown.

N.

Awesome gold mine historic town, you can even pan for gold and get lucky.

j.

Kids had a ball. Small settlement but great place to explore and read the history along the way.

H.

A great history lesson on the Chinese of early Arrowtown. Set up as a lovely walk through the area.

M.

A place for the history buffs who are interested in the lives of the early Chinese settlers. A little walking is required but nothing too difficult. The signs are informative and are in both the English and Chinese language.

B.

Easy walking trail that leads to the old huts where people used to live. Makes you think about how bad it could get back then. Lots of photo opportunities as you can enter most of the huts. There are also information boards along the walkway so you can learn a bit about the history as you go along.

H.

It is necessary for us to remind the history in the past so we can make things right for the future. This Chinese settlement is one of the kind. However I don't get the point that it is for sale as there is real estate agent ad at the entrance????!!!!! History is not for sale!!!!!

H.

Amazing how well preserved the huts are. Interesting and the children loved exploring the whole settlement.

L.

Great little walk interesting to see the huts and read the history

C.

Will be nice to visit with more autumn leaves. Most had fallen when I visited mid May. Write ups help to explain the history so that was great. Peaceful place for a stroll.

J.

Great stuff to learn how Chinese manage to survive during their settlement.

J.

Great fun, lots of good photo shots, nice grounds

R.

I saw the Chinese huts that was built in 1800s.. i suggest to read the history provided in the site so you will appreciate the chinese village

S.

Wonderful little historic place. Worth checking out Arrowtown and the Chinese Settlement has a whole. Also go and check out the local pub and the remarkables sweets shop. Huge variety from rock candy to gummy bears to chocolates. Definitely worth a visit

S.

Arrowtown is a must do. The last of the autumn leaves were falling. Great shops and a warm up meal at the pub by the fire. A walk around the Chinese village is well worth it. You can easily self tour as everything has written explanations. A reminder of our not so glorious past as the treatment of the Chinese was pretty abysmal

S.

This is one of the people should visit.. Very nice and is free to explore.

L.

Very interesting place to visit. Great restoration work and information panels.

E.

In Arrowtown, the only historical site were the huts remains from the those Chinese guy digging for gold in the past, the huts tells about the poor living conditions if those good seekers.

R.

Cool historic place to visit and see some of the conditions that the chinese dealt with while here

N.

Not much to look at...

T.

You can walk into one of the houses there, so small! Sit in the old long-drop and take a photo! Also awesome too, I love Arrowtown.

J.

Within walking distance from Buckingham Street is the Chinese Settlement. During the gold rush, Chinese gold-miners flocked to Arrowtown. This settlement shows the contrast between how the Europeans and Chinese miners lived. The settlement area also displays information boards about the history, the people and how they lived. It's a very information walk.

K.

A cool little place to have a wander around. We learned a lot from our visit, not even realizing that there was a Chinese influence in NZ. It’s not very big so you don’t need a whole lot of time. It’s nicely situated right in the centre of town so you can see everything within walking distance.

A.

Nice place to learn history, the place is amazing for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of Queenstown city, they have many cafe over there as well! Best time to come, when it is sunny 🌞🌞

J.

They were such hard workers and put up with such hardship and racism. Today they are still hard workers and still put up with racism.

s.

A great piece of history in a beautiful lite town.

A.

Such a beautiful little town. Nice parks for picnics and walks through parkland

B.

This was a great experience the walk is easy wouldn't want to do it if it was raining so watch the weather you can go in the building and there are information boards along the way to tell the story of the Chinese who lived here

J.

Just imagine being here 150 years ago. Bleak and cold. The Chinese gold-diggers did it hard. Photo of the Chinese settlement. The town has been beautifully restored since we were here nearly 40 years ago. Sorry no photo of the shops, restaurants and cafes all newly built in to match the old style.

D.

If you like history, then this is the place to visit.

T.

Good to learn some history and how these ones made our lives easier.

S.

The history of Chinese people in New Zealand is fascinating. This restored settlement explains with first hand sources the experiences early Chinese immigrants had - some charming, some tragic. It's great fun to explore the buildings inside and out, and so important to witness this chapter in our history.

N.

Good place to observe the gold mine history of NZ.

m.

It's a cute little town but nothing very spectacular. I would give it a skip if you are short on time

A.

Arrowtown is a fantastic spot to visit. The Main Street is stunning with fabulous dining opportunities. The historic walk past the old Chinese dwellings sheds light on a time past.

J.

A very historic place that tells how chinese are settled in New Zealand back to 19th century. The most iconic building in this area was ah Lum’s store which acts as a bank, currency exchanger, new settlers center, food store, convenient store and gambling center. The building barely a 4meters square house and low ceiling of 1.5m high. The building is not insulated and only with a small fire pit to keep the house warm in the winter. There is no washroom inside the house and the nearest washroom is few meter away from the house. What’s interesting is the washroom have no door. It shows that how the Chinese in foreign country in the past struggles to survive the war in their country with poor environment and working for better living for their families.

M.

Arrowtown is awesome little town with crafty shops and few eateries. Has a nice walking tracks too so swing by for a day visit. It is worth it

B.

A historic town has very things centralized along the main Street ;) The highlight would be the Chinese settlement remains !

m.

Beautiful area around the arrow river. Well known for the gold rush and settlement histories around the river. Good for trekking and visit nearby market

A.

Must visit spot in Otago, very important to learn some history on these brave resilient people

W.

Interesting. Brief walk any one could do

R.

Beautiful day and just another really cool thing to do that only cost you time.

F.

Interesting and the plates along the walk were very informative. We were meant to do the other walks around but found ourselves on the main road instead, the set up is a little confusing but other than that it's was good. Wished there is some sort of tour or guide to ask question to.

K.

Beautiful place Well worth a walk around Such a tranquil setting.

F.

Always interesting to see how hard these people's lives were and the conditions they endured beautifully kept

V.

Lovely wee town. Really great Museum. Chinese Gold settlement walk a must.

u.

Great place to learn about the local history. The buildings are well preserved.

K.

Have been before, but always love the feeling of this place and it's history

R.

Worth going and checking it out if you are passing by Arrowtown. It shows the life of the early Chinese workers coming to Arrowtown during gold rushing.

N.

Great place, so much history to learn here

S.

Nice place, rich in history, I found it boring but my wife and kids lived it

D.

Great hiking but it can be a bit steep.

N.

Really nice walk complimented with learning about NZs early Chinese community

M.

Walking in to one of these tiny houses, gives you a sense of reality and how hard life was to the occupants, the Chinese settlers of the time.

S.

Cute town with souvenir shops and close to walking trail along the river. Beautiful place to dine in also.

A.

Lots of history and information boards. Nice walks along river. Historic high street with lots of cafés and souvenir shops

K.

Eye opening experience to see the tiny living conditions of those who left their homes to improve their families lives. The information gives a small snippet of what they would've experienced and left behind. Worth a short stop if on your way or if you're checking out Arrowroot in general. No need to go out of your way.

L.

Just a great old town with many features, Preserved so well, well worth the visit

Y.

Learnt a lot about the chinese settlers in Arrowtown, so much history preserved!

L.

Lovely wee town but very limited parking available.

t.

Cool place love New Zealand

S.

Such a great place to read up and learn about history really enjoyed my time here. For more photos like these follow me on Instagram "the_mountain.mannequin"

D.

Love the place so much, nicely shaded as well. Will definitely come back

J.

Stunning little town with beautiful park and history. There is a beer place everyone enjoying with:)

H.

Take a short walk around this partially restored and well interpreted Chinese settlement from the 1880s - kids will be fascinated with the old huts and what life was like.

D.

Great information on the display boards and tells the history for us.

M.

Very informative. The place was well maintained.

C.

Good to visit and get educated on the history of early settlement in New Zealand. Clean and well maintained public restrooms. Awesome Cafe to relax and recharge. Most importantly, access route to the popular Macetown tracks for 4x4 enthusiasts. Must visit.

T.

Histroric Arrowtown Chinese had a lot of historical storytelling to be able to see👍🙏

C.

Never been before and pleasantly surprised how cool it was!

K.

Must visit place to know about Chinese settlement in NZ.

G.

Arrowtown and the whole area worth a visit and more..try panning for gold, or for more adventure a longer trip to the mining ghost town...plus the Chinese village history and reconstructed dwellings for a feel of those early prospecting days..

S.

Wonderful day out in arrowtown for autumn. Picture perfect

T.

Excellent place for a bit of NZ history

k.

For me been once dont need to ho again. Maybe as a miners town and tourist attraction have shop owners dress in period clothes. And some locals walking around dressed the same sharing some local knowledge.

C.

Arrowtown is rich with history from the gold mining days. Loved everything about the place. The main street has the feel of being in a movie set.

K.

A well preserved piece of local history. The remaining buildings give a good sense of the hard life lived by the Chinese gold mining community and its great to be able to walk through them - watch your head if you're tall, the doorways are low, although the ceilings are higher inside. There are also uneven floors inside so you need to watch your step. The walk through the village is suitable for most fitness levels, the are many informative signs, as well as parking and toilets available.

P.

An interesting piece of Arrowtown history that many visitors might overlook.

c.

Excellent reconstructions of early Chinese dwellings, makes you realise how tough the settlers were

E.

Very interesting place. Interesting recreations of conditions Chinese miners endured.

S.

Interesting place to visit in the most picturesque town in NZ

P.

Too twee and touristy for my liking. Best bit was the anniversary walkway up the river and back the far side.

N.

Not much to see. But is a good insight into how my ancestral Chinese gold rush settler family lived when they came to NZ.

K.

Wish we had allowed more time to explore the town and walks. Don't touch the opossum fur rugs or you will get told off by a grumpy shop owner, a sign saying not to would have prevented him ruining our daughter's view of the town.

D.

Amazing history, well worth the experience

C.

Really interesting history of the Chinese settlers in Arrowtown. Tiny houses.

A.

Great to find out about the Chinese settlement !! Well preserved..

F.

Well maintained and a lovely area to walk around.

J.

Very nice and beautiful place, with free parking and public toilet

S.

Picturesque 🥰🥰🥰 and a lot of informative signs too about the place so you won't be left wondering what was on this place before.

P.

A Historic Place. Tell us the whole history about settlement of Chinese in NZ. How they came here for working in gold mines and later settled here. This settlement is referred to as a village, set up by Chinese people during the Otago gold rush of the 1860's, has been restored and is now a common tourist attraction. If you are planning for Queenstown then visit this place. It's worth coming here. Also Arrowtown is beautiful place to spend some time away from Queenstown.

L.

Nice place for picnic lovely walk

M.

Beautifull town

J.

Very interesting, well preserved.

G.

Very cool and interesting gold rush town

J.

Really interested in the history.

C.

Arrowtown is great for the historical information, shops of a good standard.

R.

Awesome fun! Check out the gold panning, historical town and walking tracks.

J.

A lovely walk & great conclusion after visiting the goldmine the previous day

K.

Great insight into the Chinese contribution

V.

Beautiful place and trails along with the river .

S.

It was good to see how they lived

L.

Stunning. Absolutely spectacular

A.

Nice historic place. The buildings have plaques outside explaining how the settlers lived.

A.

Interesting place with lots of information boards describing the history of the place and the people - with photos showing how it used to be. The houses (which you can go into) have mainly been restored so you can see how they must have looked when people lived there. Fascinating!

R.

Beautifully preserved, it's a must visit place for sight seeing.

M.

Very interesting. I was not even aware of it.

L.

Good place to know about the history of Otago, the Chinese immigrants, the gold rush and so on

Z.

A great little historic visit.

D.

Very sad to see the conditions these people had to live in. While we were there a great gust came through which added to the sad feelings we felt

L.

Beautiful, quaint, and historic. A must.

C.

Great place to visit early in the morning before the crowds. The museum would be among the best I have been to, well worth a visit. Plenty of cafe's and eating places. Nice easy walk around the Chinese area and the old buildings, houses are great.

K.

Groovy place to delve into abit of history of Arrowtown. Can't imagine the toils the Chinese had to go through in the winter time...cramped cold abodes...

R.

Interesting place with some straw and adobe houses to look at, lots of sand flys haha

E.

Nice place for a walk around and some historic info.

o.

An Arrow town must do. A great free activity with a short walk in a historical area. It was fun going into all the old buildings. Doesn’t take very long and the walk is packed with historical information to help give some perspective of the regions gold mining days.

L.

Amazing place, a step back in time with the old building being kept and used. Some great eateries to boot. A bit out of the way but well worth the short drive. Put this on your to visit list you won't regret it.

N.

Nice presentation of Chinese history in the area. Several historic buildings with informational panels. Would definitely have been more enjoyable without the rain. Very large parking lot adjacent.

V.

I found this place rather poignant. Here were the homes of Chinese labourers, many of whom probably didn't make it home. Once the morning ended, the survivors made a living as best they could, but died far from home. I wonder how many of their families never knew their fate.

C.

Worth the walk. The coffee and scones in the cafe behind bike hire shop were good and reasonable price.

P.

Interesting open air display of the asian herotage of Arrowtown. Amazing to see how poor the asian workers there were during gold rush, and the conditions they were living in

R.

Great place to learn some knowledge about early Chinese settlement history in Arrowtown. Both English and Chinese displayed and the site is well maintained. Donation is highly appreciated. There is a toilet that impressed me a lot and I believe the life in that time is quite hard. Worth a visit when you are in the town and you can pay $10 for a gold rush. Good luck :)

S.

There is just a small wooden house as the main attraction for this. It is pretty cool, but there is not much to see. I think the more important thing is to understand the history behind the settlement and how the Chinese came over.

A.

Well worth a visit - Chinese goldminers deserve all respect and their old buildings are set out nicely - shame about the houses the Arrowtown town planners have allowed to be built on the Chinese garden patches.

D.

Step back in time. Would have liked a bit more history around the village. Worthy of a visit.

M.

Interesting to see the remnants of the gold panning Chinese single men's camp. Life was tough in the 19th century. Found wealth was hard. Pixels generate much more wealth without the harsh weather.

c.

a little walk to know more about Chinese settlement in Arrowtown

S.

Just so interesting and quaint. I loved the people and the history.

P.

It gave an insight into the lives of the early Chinese migrants. The recreated models of the living quarters was interesting. Overall,a good place to visit.

N.

The history provided with the photos made this such a fascinating place to visit.

V.

A great little town with so much history. Go in earlier to get free parking. Great walks and stunning retail outlets. Historical walk through the Chinese settlement. Would definitely go again.

V.

Short historic walk

R.

So historical, so classic! So charming small town!

J.

Gain insight into a forgotten history in the world of the Chinese miners and their interactions with the early version of New Zealand's developing communities. A cool place to spend 1/2 hour - 1 hour and walk through

S.

This park offers a walk along the local river and has many restored Chinese settlement buildings. One can easily imagine people living here in the early days of Arrowtown. There are interpretive signs to help you understand the lifestyle of the early Chinese settlers.

T.

Don’t go their in a rainy day. It’s not maintained very well.

B.

Beautifully preserved and a great outdoor walk. Amazing that the history has been retained and some really interesting stories to be read along the walk. Well worth doing

V.

If you are in arrow town this is a worthwhile and facinating walk where you will see a number of restored ancient huts which are part of an old Chinese mining settlement. There are plaques which explain the history. You can take anywhere between 10 to 45 minutes depending on how many of theirs and info plaques you want to see. All of the buildings can be entered as well

M.

So amazing to look at the history these houses have and great for all ages

M.

Good site to visit as part of a trip to Arrowtown. Close to the main street so cool to take in some history of the area before /after lunch & shopping.

B.

What a beautiful place

S.

Such a beautiful little town!

E.

It's an awesome wee walk along the huts giving you a glance back in time to the heeart of the Chinese sites during the Gold rush . It's very busy but a great find for anyone who enjoys looking to the past

B.

Lovely little place with a real villagy feel. Easy parking and nice shops/cafes to spend a bit of time in. Plenty of walks in the area that looked good too. Well worth a visit if you're in the area.

P.

A great memory for the many Chinese who worked the early gold fields. A significant stop for the thousands of Chinese tourists who flock to Arrowtown each year... but basic its its offering.. the buildings are historic and the walk easy and short...but there is little else. You have to walk to the Main Street of Arrowtown for food and shops.... Expensive town to buy anything significant....

C.

Very interesting, lots of history of early Chinese gold miners. Glad these buildings were saved.

A.

Nice walk with some background information about the Chinese gold settlers

W.

Well restored and immaculately maintained, with fascinating insight into the history of the Chinese miners

A.

Nothing amazing probably it was a week day.

B.

Great place to visit

C.

Interesting to visit and see how they lived

U.

I lost my daughter here and it took like an hour to find here. Keep an eye on your kids if you visit.

M.

Well done signage and reconstruction to bring to life type of life the Chinese miners lived during the gold rush in this region. Well worth 30 minutes of your time to see the camp and learn some history.

M.

LOVED Arrowtown!! Great shops, scenery, businesses with wonderful ambassadors working. Spent double what I thought to, but bought all NZ made :-)

P.

The history of this place alone is amazing, the up keep and the grounds are simply stunning, beautiful place

E.

Love Arrowtown. If you're a homesick Montana man woman or child, the beautiful alpine surrounding forest and homely atmosphere will not disappoint. Also, best pies in the local bakery.

J.

Walking through the Chinese settlement and looking into the shacks will give you an idea of the harsh conditions the Chinese people had to endure in the gold rush days, so far away from their families back in China. Well worth a visit.

K.

Love this place.. it's magical for me.

C.

Historical stories preserved.

G.

Awesome experience and the hosts were great, friendly and informative.

D.

Well worth a visit if you like visiting wee homes that are quite old....

R.

Awesome place in Autumn, the history here is well worth checking out.

M.

If you love historical places that is a place for you, but either way you can go there for looking around or even looking at the old things that were built.

R.

This was amazing to walk around..

S.

Really good place for kids, shallow water

J.

Actually kinda cool. Wandered through the replica homes, storage areas and store. Interesting stuff because I'd never learned about this gold rush in school, only the California and Alaska ones.

G.

Very nice little Town

T.

Beautiful has history the air is clean and you can drink right out of the river

J.

Superb, almost hidden little gem of historical value. Take time to visit this village, I learned a lot about Chinese immigration, life and times in 19th Century NZ.

A.

Lovely yo see that community have restored some of the old buildings

B.

After walking through the charming little Arrowtown streets, we found this fascinating little walk that took us through where the Chinese came in the 19th century to help pan for gold. Sad to know that after an initial warm welcome they were discriminated against and people (as they often do during financial hardships) began to blame them for their own problems and spread lies. Thankfully Arrowtown restored some of this area and now you can take a FREE walk where they have clear signs at each spot of what that building was, who lived or worked there, and you could walk in. Quite amazing and just sitting there for you to explore. When we were there we were completely alone, it was quite eerie. Definitely recommend.

G.

Scored a beautiful day in Arrowtown on Monday it was great to see the historical old buildings and foundations if you're interested in a bit of gold history beautiful little town

W.

Lovely place to stroll around on a nice day. See how some people lived once

M.

The ambience is lost by having cars drive through the shops. A cobbled walkway with no through traffic would add to the character of the place

H.

Lovely historic settlement beside Arroqtown , surrounded by nature. Great spot to explore on a day trip to Arrowtown

A.

Old Chinese village is really historic . There were old houses and some other belongings of Chinese settlers who entered into Nz about 150 years ago.

T.

Great history covered in consumerism. Sad to see both how the Chinese were treated and how we are inundated with commercial business out to make a buck.

m.

One of the most scenic panorama areas in nz in autumn simply stunning. Very much a walk down memory lane great shopping an ice creams

r.

Awesome and amazing

P.

Nice place to visit, either family or couple.

B.

A fascinating insight into the lives of pioneering Kiwis. Recommended.

S.

Wow.... What a colorful place

D.

Arrowtown beautiful in all seasons, lots of places to eat, just a half day needed to see this and the restored Chinese settlement which tells a great human story of how the Chinese settled here.

R.

Nice place to visit. Still very busy

T.

Interesting historic site worth spending 30 minutes reading the signs and checking out the different huts used by Chinese pinoeers to NZ.

I.

It a good free thing to do. You have a somewhat forest like view, with a lake and the nice mountains in the back. And again it's free

N.

Really interesting to see the old Chinese settlers living conditions.

D.

For a council looked after location, It is very well done, Reading the plaque, it's amazing how the chinese people were so hard working but were always about looking after each other and any one in need.

H.

Beautiful town.

N.

Very interesting and sobering to think how these people lived and were treated.

W.

Really interesting history

a.

Good history lesson. Inspiring for an Asian like myself to hear about how brave you had to be to be an immigrant back in the day. Perhaps even until now.

M.

It was quite nice and especially in autumn was quite historical and overall nice

A.

Arrowtown was full of orignal facades from the gold rush era. Good wine shop. Cute historical houses.

C.

It's a nice enough town. Very tourist-heavy and some decent food options. Not a must see though.

C.

Beautifil place for a family walk while learning some NZ history.

P.

Arrowtown is simply stunning and one of the most visited small towns in New Zealand... however the chinese village is only a minor small corner and nothing special

R.

Pleasant way to spend and afternoon. Plenty of places to eat or get a coffee. Take the scenic roads to get there, worth it.

C.

Good to visit.

D.

Great history and fascinating. Restored huts are accessible and give an insight into how life was for the settlers

M.

Very interesting to see and to read the history of the Chinese in arrowtown in the 1800

p.

Pleasant but unexceptional. Im from ireland and have seen plenty of similar tiny huts. Good info boards around the site telling of the chinese settlers journey and plight upon trying to settle in Arrowtown and NZ. Wouldnt go out of the way to come to Arrowtown just for this, incorporate it as part of a full day in the town, or tag onto the end of a walk or 4wd tour.

C.

Important history recreated with interesting information ...we treated our Chinese immigrants very badly... Take the time to walk through and read the well presented information!

L.

Parked in main street, watched tourists. Welcome cup of coffee. Well crafted yesteryear. Beautiful scenery.

H.

Great place to look back in time and to see how tough they were

S.

Amazing work completed by the early Chinese settlers.

d.

Great historical place!

t.

Fantastic walk through a historical Chinese gold mining site. Informative plaques. Lets you walk inside some of the old buildings

Z.

Very interesting!!! Dont reccomend going when it's raining out. But would be very beautiful on a nice day

S.

Fun location for kids to explore, and eye - opening as to the hardships the mines faced.

k.

Great place to visit. It's like stepping back in history to a wild west Hollywood set

M.

Loved Arrowtown with all the quant shops and the History..nice cafes

A.

Interesting historical information and restored huts. Pretty small area though so don't expect too much.

J.

Did the gold panning lesson and tried our luck in the river. It was good fun, but it would be nicer if they did the lesson at the river.

P.

Very pretty place We went to Arrowtown just before dusk so everything was closed Best to go during the day so u can explore the shops and eateries

A.

Very cool

A.

Very interesting to see how they lived back in the day old days. They’ve fine a wonderful job of restoring these to keep history alive.

J.

Awesome went here when I was 6 been now even better couldn't remember first time

R.

Lovely parking by the river. Very peaceful area

r.

The Chinese settlement is interesting, especially with the historical facts on the boards.

G.

Well preserved historic place

J.

Always interesting to see this sort of history we don't hear a lot about. What a way to live, they were a very different breed

A.

Beautiful place, quaint little town, with good places to eat and shop. The history is interesting.

C.

Very interesting place. Lots of history to learn here.

O.

It was really cool seeing all the old buildings and all the history there, and how they would have lived

O.

Beautiful place to look around especially in the mornings of winter. Nice walk to start the day.

D.

Some of NZ's very own historical dwellings. Well worth a look to see how early pioneers lived in the wild.

L.

Cure little historical town. Worth a half day trip from Queenstown to relax in a country town with a drink and some food. Suggest 2.5 hours here.

F.

Nice place for walk, you can enter to one little house so is cool

N.

Good fun panning for gold after seeing the chinese huts, unfortunately didn't get rich but there is always next time :-)

M.

Thhere are a very few thing in arrowtown being a small town. Must visit the museum.

N.

Interesting to check out the insode of the remaining huts

L.

A very short walk from the shops and restaurants in Arrowtown, and a great park with educative preservations of the Chinese gold mining life in the 1800s.

T.

Well worth a visit great Musium great display of world native costume , China town as the gold mining Chinese lived and worked.

S.

Nice place to spend some time with family.

D.

Not a lot to it but worth it if only to see how the settlers lived. It's quite remarkable just how small these places are.

S.

Awesome history of Arrowtown restored to enjoy

A.

Very colorful during autumn.

R.

Its a nice walking around place

J.

A must visit spot and i have memories of it as a kid. Make sure to walk along the stream right next to the settlement

M.

Nice place, a few historical little houses. It doesn't spent much time.

C.

Cold. But some wonderful history. Definitely worth looking if you're near arrowtown

D.

Loved this place and will come back and explore further and pan for gold further up the river

J.

Very interesting heritage site. It is kept clean and I like that it's free to visit.

A.

History never lie..

J.

Lovely village full of history and very interesting. Nice background on how the first gold mining settlements were.

J.

Good for seneric photos. Will only recomend here is you stay at Queenstown as it is just 25min drive away.

M.

Intresting place to learn about the Chinese workers during the gold rush in the 19th century.

J.

Really interesting historical place. Well laid out and loads of info available

M.

Great insights of early Chinese immigration

A.

Beautiful and educational.

A.

History of first Chinese settlement in Arrowtown.

W.

Must visit well done team

C.

There's a lot to learn about the Chinese gold diggers and a beautiful place.

N.

Great place, well restored and educational in a beautiful setting.

C.

Great spot for a walk, to learn the history, enjoy the autumn weather and colors.

M.

Interesting place, some signs to know better about the history. Nice walk.

W.

Arrowtown and the Chinese village was an awesome place to spend a few hours. Beautiful in the fall and rich in history.

P.

Quaint town, nice stop on the way to wanaka from Queenstown. The Chinese settlement is well preserved and worth seeing if you have time.

C.

There is a really cool cafe around it and a lot of readings on the chinese settlements. Spent about 20mins there, interesting place!

C.

A good place to stroll around and take it easy. Excellent street entertainment.

K.

Wasn't aware that this even existed in Arrowtown. Great history lesson on a beautiful day.

v.

Lovely interesting place to stop by at and to marvel at how the Chinese of that era lived in not very great living conditions, and many hardships endured know doubt

P.

Beautiful, fabulous scenery. Definitely a place to visit again

A.

Absolutely a must to do when in queenstown . Lovely restaurants cafes and great to walk around in their numerous walking tracks

D.

Been here a few times nice place

J.

Never new so many from Canton lived in these hills

E.

A true lesson in history

A.

Beautiful place Great historic

w.

Love this town. Quiet and nice. The shops are very authentic and have a cowboy town feel.

N.

enjoy historic buildings like going back in time nice store good services

A.

Small little town, add to your list if you are visiting Queenstown.

B.

What an awesome place, so much history

R.

Very cool little place to explore

J.

A textbook example of a tourist trap but fine to pass some time and lots of nice cafes and restaurants.

J.

Touching open-air museum into the dwellings and lives of Chinese Settlers and prospectors in Arrowtown.

V.

Great history trip down gold rush times in NZ... all I could imagine was how bitterly cold it was!!!

A.

Cool little spot to visit

E.

It was very informative of the way in which the Chinese community helped with the gold mining industry.

P.

Informative site showing how Chinese miners lived in the "gold rush" and later

J.

Beautiful little town. Perfect for a stroll and great food

J.

Trueley one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to a must do for everyone

r.

Beautiful restored old gold town. Wander through the town and the surrounding bush walks

N.

A step back in time, beautiful scenery and a amazing story behind these hearty people...

Y.

Surprisingly well documented history of the early Chinese settlers and their struggle hardship under the constant discrimination.

s.

It was a nice historic place explaining all the houses.

A.

What a beautiful little town and surrounding area just blown away by the vista

J.

Very interesting history in a loverly part of NZ

曹.

Best place for Autumn for maple viewing season.

J.

Interesting and a nice walk to learn about the Chinese immigrants during the gold rush.

A.

Nice but crowded due to School Holidays

G.

Nice to have some info boards and chance to imagine how people lived.. And free!

R.

Beautiful quaint place with a view of the old historic chinese gold mining settlement.

M.

Interesting history regarding the gold rush period.

M.

Cool place Lots of history to learn

P.

Noisy, loud music and slow with food. Coffee pleasant

E.

3rd time we have visited here . The history is amazing .

R.

Spring is in the air and the perfect time to visit the Chinese mining village and Arrowtown.

S.

Lovely area to walk. Interesting history of Chinese immigrants

R.

It is ok for a stroll

K.

The signs tell a great story about the first Chinese settlers of New Zealand.

S.

Well maintained history of the Chinese in New Zealand. First settlers and their livelihood. Well with the visit!

m.

A moving experience whether or not you are a New Zealander of Chinese descent or not. Signage in Chinese most useful.

K.

It got the history of how Chinese village was set up in this place

A.

Nice picnic areas and expanded section of restored huts.

M.

Complex feeling when I saw what my Chinese fellows’ life were like hundreds years ago in a distant continent far away from home.

P.

Some of the places are recreations but some are original. There seem to be some remains that are not called out in the interpretive signage.

K.

Absolutely wonderful. What hardships they had.

H.

Great history and nice walk.

S.

Excellent place to visit for a free walk in history

K.

Beautiful spot to soak in some Arrowtown history and have a nice walk just at the edge of town.

D.

Beautiful place, take your bathers and go for a swim in the river

V.

Really interesting. very hot but worth the walking in the heat.

H.

Beautiful and relaxing

B.

Quaint historic village

S.

Very good. Worth a visit.

B.

Loved the walk thru this history very well signposted and explained

A.

Nice place for a stop on the way through. The gold panning is fun.

F.

The only thing that I missed in this place is exhibit of indoor equipement in the setlement. But generaly we enjoyed the visid.

F.

A place that many New Zealanders should visit

G.

We will return!!!!

A.

Best time of year to visit this region. Autumnal brilliance!!

R.

Feel the history and the shame of how the Chinese were treated 1000's of mile away from home

B.

Amazing history. Well-preserved *shacks*.

R.

Great way if preserving the history! Such serene town!

E.

Check the life of early Chinese workers who devoted their life at this place far away from their home town.

K.

Very informative. Fantastic renovations

J.

Wonderful and historic little town. A must see!

S.

Interesting chapter of Arrowtowns gold.mining history. Well worth a visit.

C.

Great place to have a walk around for young and old

N.

Informative and interesting history of the area + great walking.

P.

The most amazing history of our hard working Chinese Gold miners

A.

Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area

A.

Loved it. Marvellous meal at The Stables. Sharing platter to die for.

A.

Nice old town to walk and shopping... some shops have a good prices..

N.

I saw a historic shop building and a toilet stall, otherwise not sure where else the settlement was supposed to be.

D.

Nice little town with shops and restaurants. Walking tour of old chinese gold mining town

W.

Interesting, can see some historical building and Chinese culture here.

D.

Chinese always try hard and surviving.

G.

Genuine wild wild west experience. The town is unique!

A.

Wow! It wonderful that this has survived, its raw unsanitized history. Well done.

G.

Really interesting. Only given 4stars as think even more could be made of this area.

R.

Thought provoking. It's good to see the site being well maintained

C.

Nicely done walk through the historic chinese settlement. Insightful. Watch out for sandflies.

B.

Worth a look . But go in summer if you want to Pam for gold.

B.

Interesting history. Nice little walk. I wonder how accurate it is?

N.

Very quaint lovey & interesting history.

P.

Great little look into New Zealand history.

A.

Very interesting, check out the old newspapers in the old living area of the store.

D.

Great for a historic day out, fabulous place

D.

Quaint little museum and well worth the visit

W.

Quaint little town with some nice restaurants but not much else to do

K.

Amazing. Best place in autumn. 100% must go in autumn

F.

Great historical site well preserved.

R.

Wonderful area, not spoilt by commercialism, as left by the last inhabitants.

A.

Fascinating, interesting and enjoyable. Worth the stop and the time to wander.

R.

Must visit to learn a bit of history. Life was tough back then. Seeing is believing.

D.

Excellent site showing the hardships Chinese immigrants to NZ had to endure.

M.

Amazing place to be there and beautiful surroundings.

J.

Well maintained photographic

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