Wanakards is a gift shop at 101 Plantation Road in Wānaka, holding a perfect 5.0 rating on Google from three reviews. The best small-town gift shops earn their keep on things you will not find in a mall: cards from independent designers, pieces by local makers, and small gifts chosen for the person rather than the occasion. In a visitor town like Wānaka, that is the difference between a keepsake that says something and one that could have come from any airport. Regulars tend to shop early in the season, when shelves are freshly stocked and staff still have time to talk through what has just arrived. It also pays to ask what is made locally, because that is usually the stock worth having. On Plantation Road, Wanakards is a handy stop for the card you nearly forgot and the gift you had not yet thought of.