Marlborough Sounds

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.

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.

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.

d'Urville Island

At the outer edges of the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand's fifth largest land mass offers a quiet sanctuary from the modern world.

Large areas of ancient native forest provide an attractive setting for hiking. Sweeping views across the surrounding ocean and Marlborough Sounds reward those who climb to the peaks. Free from most mammalian predators, the island has plenty of birdlife and the dawn chorus is particularly memorable.

Dolphins and seals are frequently seen, and fishing is generally productive. Paddling a kayak around the coast reveals a new perspective on the bays and rugged cliffs of this scenic island.

The island is named after the French explorer, Admiral Jules Cesar Dumont D'Urville. He came close to losing his ship, the Astrolabe, as he navigated the treacherous currents that sweep through French Pass between the island and the mainland.

Access to the island is by water taxi or chartered boat. Most people drive to the settlement of French Pass and take a water taxi from there. There is accommodation on the island and the unsealed roads are suitable for mountain bikes.

Blenheim vineyards

The large river plains near Blenheim were purpose-built by nature for wine growing. Long dry summers with warm days and cool nights help grapes to retain acidity over a long ripening period. Shallow, fast draining, low fertility soils help to produce quality wines because they reduce the vines' vigour. Marlborough wines are known for vibrant fruit and crisp, herbaceous characters.

About 59 per cent of the grapes are sauvignon blanc. Pinot noir (15 per cent) and chardonnay (13 per cent) are the other main wine styles.

Wineries range from large exporting companies to small, cosy vineyards. Many give you the chance to match wine to food at an adjacent café or restaurant. The sunny climate lends itself well to alfresco dining and wine tasting in wonderfully scenic settings. You'll also find boutique breweries, olive groves and liqueur distilleries to further tempt the palate.

Touring the wineries by bicycle is a great way to fully enjoy the scenic and culinary delights of the Marlborough vineyards. You can pick up a wine trail map from any information centre, and there are plenty of places to hire a bike in either Blenheim or the satellite town of Renwick, just five minutes from the airport.