Marlborough Sounds

Enjoy long sheltered inlets, clear waters and sandy bays. Hike through the forest or kayak around the headlands to discover a fresh location each day.

Marlborough Sounds is a collection of ancient sunken river valleys filled with the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Forested hills rise steeply from the sea around an intricate coastline of sheltered inlets and sandy bays. The area has three main bodies of water - Queen Charlotte, Kenepuru and Pelorous Sounds. The Department of Conservation manages over 50 reserves in this scenic playground.

Several islands within the sounds are predator-free sanctuaries for native wildlife. Motuara, Long, Blumine and Allports Islands are ideal for picnics, forest walks or viewing historic sites.

History

According to Maori tradition, the South Island is the canoe of Aoraki. Its sunken prow forms Queen Charlotte Sound/Totaranui and Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere. The sounds provided good shelter and food for Maori people. To avoid travelling out into the open sea to get from one sound to another, they carried their waka/canoes over low saddles.

Captain James Cook also used the sounds for shelter and food. He made Ship Cove his base in the 1770s and discovered a plant (Cook's scurvy grass) that is high in vitamin C to cure scurvy.

Plenty to see and do

Today, the sounds are popular for kayaking and hiking, and there are numerous tent camping sites available. Kayaks, yachts and motor launches are available for hire or charter.

Walking tracks in the area range from short trails of an hour or two to overnight hikes through native forests and along beautiful sandy beaches. Five of the tracks are open to mountain bikes.

Picton (on Queen Charlotte Sound) and Havelock (on Pelorous Sound) are the main towns in the area. The large passenger and vehicle ferries from Wellington arrive at Picton.

Make the most of the Marlborough Sounds:

• Arrive by sea through the glorious maze of deep coves and bays that is Queen Charlotte Sound.
   
• Explore the town of Picton. European settlement of this area began in the 1840s and many of the early buildings still grace the waterfront.
   
• Visit the thriving art and craft galleries and Picton Museum, or take a guided tour to learn about the rich cultural history of the area. 
   
• Go on a sea kayaking safari - guide yourself or join a group for expert tuition.
   
• Walk the Queen Charlotte Track (one to four days) - a popular walkway with many entry and exit points. There are numerous top class accommodation providers and restaurants along its length.
   
• Take a 'myths and legends' eco-tour of Marlborough Sounds with a local Maori family.
   
• Visit the Edwin Fox, a maritime artefact, situated in Picton. The aquarium next door specialises in sea-horses.
   
• Dive shipwrecks. Choose between the Russian cruise liner Mikhail Lermontov and the wreck of the Hippalos, a 120-year old wooden barque.
   
• Charter a sailing boat and cruise the sounds - bareboat or skippered.
   
• Chill out in a waterfront café, sampling local cuisine and soaking up the ambience of the neighbouring marina.