A humble little farming village in New Zealand, Oamaru is sometimes called New Zealand's "coolest town". "Charming, picturesque, laid-back, and surprising" are a few words used to describe this place. The charm is brought out by the preserved archaic Victorian architecture that makes up this delightful seaside town; so serious are the people of maintaining the heritage of the town that they still use penny farthings and steam trains as alternate modes of transportation!
Apart from getting a feel of the little Victorian village, most visitors come here to see the region's penguin population. Oamaru is home to colonies of little blue penguins and yellow-eyed penguins that are major tourist attractions here.
Walk around the quiet township, visit quaint antique shops, and soak in the easy-going atmosphere of the place. As you do that, you will start to feel an off-center vibe of the quirky kind. You will find people embracing the bohemian culture, and running off-beat galleries, unconventional shops, hip venues, and even "urban wineries"!
You'd think that this is a small town where nothing ever happens, but Oamaru celebrates a Steampunk festival annually which brings Steampunk artists from all over the world to this small town. This earned the town a badge for Steampunk Capital of the World!
A Victorian village with a bohemian culture which is also known for its Steampunk artists - this is why Oamaru is New Zealand's "coolest town"!
