Situated at the top of the South Island, Marlborough boasts the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand. The warm dry summer weather, safe swimming, secluded bays and scenery all combine to make the Marlborough Sounds a preferred holiday destination for many New Zealanders.
The Sounds consist of two major bodies of water, being the Queen Charlotte and Pelorus Sounds. The Kenepuru and Mahau Sounds are separate waterways adjoining the inner Pelorus Sounds.
Nestled in the Queen Charlotte Sound, lies the seaside town of Picton. This vibrant tourist hub is the main arrival point for most travelers. When leaving this holiday destination, travel the Queen Charlotte Drive towards the historic village of Havelock on the road to or from Nelson. Queen Charlotte Drive is one of New Zealand’s most delightful drives, winding around bush-fringed coastline overlooking sheltered inlets and bays. Stop at some of the many vantage points to enjoy the stunning scenery.
To truly experience the timeless magic of this area, take time to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the Pelorus, Kenepuru and Mahau Sounds, a paradise for those who want to get away from it all and explore an unspoiled wilderness.
Scenery
Experience an area of unsurpassed beauty, where high mountains covered in forest tower over the flooded river valleys creating 1500 kilometres of stunning coastline sheltered from the open sea.
Explore the labyrinth of waterways only accessible by boat and enjoy the smooth blue waters of the numerous bays and hidden coves. Around every headland is another photo opportunity. An ever changing landscape with the mountains and the water forming a backdrop to every scene.
Wildlife
Dolphins are visitors to the area. Blue Penguins are regularly seen out on the water along with Herons, Oyster Catchers, Stormy Petrels, Shearwaters, and Terns. Often Gannets are to be spotted diving from great heights in their ceaseless search for a fishy meal. Shags nest on coastal trees, dive deep for their daily food, and bask on a sunlit perch to dry their wings.
Mussel farms
Learn how Mussels are grown and harvested. Areas of the waterways have been set aside for the establishment of mussel farms. The greenlip mussels are grown here and thrive in the clean warm waters.
Havelock, the village at the top of the Pelorus sound, is famous as the “Greenlip mussel capital of the world”.
Secluded beaches
Land on beaches where there are no roads, jetties or well worn tourist tracks. Enjoy your lunch with the local wildlife. Stroll along the shores of sparsely populated beaches. Soak up the peace and tranquillity.
Walking tracks
There are walking tracks throughout the Marlborough Sounds, the most well known are the Queen Charlotte walkway and Nydia Bay track. Many more were established in the 1850s as pathways to link up the old homesteads. Accessible only by boat, sections of these tracks still remain to take you back in time through an ancient forest of large trees and stunning ferns.
Jurassic forest
The microclimate of the Sounds is ideally suited to subtropical rain forests. Some pockets of ancient Jurassic forest still remain. This untouched native forest, includes large Podocarps which evolved over 130 million years ago – some of the best examples of how the world once was. Mighty Rimu over 1000 years old, towering above a wonderland of Ferns, native Beech and the red flowering Rata vines. This spectacular forest is home to an abundance of bird life. The brightly feathered Wood Pigeons, Fantails, Tui and Bellbirds appear almost tame within their natural environment.