Archives for South Island category
Posted under South Island |
Stewart Island, known as New Zealand’s Third Island is renowned for its birdlife. It’s separated from South Island by Foveaux Strait. Getting there is possible by Air or Sea.
By Air - Southern Air fly twin-engine, Britten Norman Islander Aircraft. Several scheduled flights depart Invercargill Airport daily. The twenty minute flight, lands at Ryans Creek Airfield, a mile (2 km) out of Oban. A courtesy van brings you to the Southern Air Depot, in the heart of town.
By Sea - Foveaux Express, and it’s sister catamaran Southern Express cross Foveaux Strait from Bluff in an hour. There are morning and afternoon sailings twice daily, most days of the year. The ferry lands at the Halfmoon Bay wharf, just five minutes walk from the Pub.
Getting here is half the fun. Usually the crossing is a very pleasant trip, watching the Island grow as you approach. However, Foveaux Strait, can cut up rough at times, and the crossing isn’t so pleasurable. Very occasionally we may be cut off from the world for a day or so - but that’s island life.
Day trips are possible, either by sea or air. You’ll have time to wander round town, take a bus tour round the roads, and maybe fit in a boat excursion on Paterson Inlet. However, to really experience Stewart Island you need to spend more time.
Accommodation is available for most tastes. There’s no “Rakiura Hilton” with white-jacketed waiters hovering at your elbow, and a casino upstairs. You’ll find a range of comfortable Stewart Island accommodation, and good meals - with seafood a specialty.
Traveller’s Tips
Leave pretention, surplus baggage, and our sense of time behind. More than one local has forgotten to return from the holiday started a decade ago.
- Weather is changeable - bring sensible outdoor clothing and footwear. Don’t go to extremes - even in winter it isn’t an Arctic clime - snowshoes are never worn.
- Forget the fancy clothes - locals take anyone wearing a suit in the bar for a politician - and expect them to shout the drinks. Wear a dinner jacket, and we’ll take you for a penguin, and gently, but firmly, toss you back in the tide.
- Keep baggage to a minimum - especially if coming by air. The plane is small, and baggage per passenger is definitely limited when there’s a full complement of passengers.
Posted under South Island |
Paynes Ford
Paynes Ford Scenic Reserve is 4 km south of Takaka in Golden Bay, where Highway 60 crosses the Takaka River. From here, towering limestone cliffs lead up the river. There are many popular, bolted climbing routes on them.
If you don’t have the gear or the inclination for serious climbing but still feel in the mood for a wee adventure, try your hand (and feet) at the traverse problem 100 metres downstream from the bridge. Here the river has cut into the cliffs, leaving a deep pool framed by a grooved, pocked and pitted overhanging cliff face. The traverse to the recessed, stage-like platform is a doddle, but getting beyond there requires consummate skill and a committing right-hand lunge. If you master this move, you’ll find it gets progressively more difficult the further you go. Numerous channels and pocks (some big enough to grovel into and rest) provide entertaining climbing until you finally pump out and peel off, dropping into the cool, reviving river.
Abel Tasman National Park coastal walk
This famous coastal track between Marahau and Wainui Bay attracts tens of thousands of walkers each year. Golden beaches and green native forest, accessible only by boat or foot, make this a pretty amazing place. If you’re keen to check this area out without crashing into people everywhere, go during the calm autumn months rather than summer. Spreading the load of visitors throughout the year also means the Park gets less of a hammering.
Nelson Paragliding
For an exiting one day flying experience or a comprehensive week-long course, contact Cumulus Tandem Paragliding in Nelson. Prices start from $150.
Quinney’s Bush
New Zealand’s most eccentric camping ground is nestled amongst tall trees at Motupiko, about halfway between Nelson and Murchison. Relaxed and ramshackle, Quinney’s Bush is strewn with flying foxes and other dilapidated pieces of industrial-sized playground equipment. A remnant of the 1960s, we rate it as the country’s most adventurous camping ground.
Pelorus Track
The seldom visited Mt Richmond Forest Park is a large bush-clad range, south of Nelson. The most popular tramp in the park starts from Maungatapu road end, 12 km west of Pelorus Bridge on the Blenheim-Nelson Road, and follows the Pelorus River past Roebuck Hut to Totara Saddle (670 m). The track then descends to Hacket picnic area, 30 km drive from Nelson. Another track climbs to the Bryant Range from Midday Hut and descends to Brook Street in Nelson city.
Maungatapu Track
This popular mountain bike trip also starts at the end of Maungatapu Road. An adventurous cycle touring short cut, it crosses the Bryant Range before descending a fast pylon track to Nelson. For more information ask at the local DOC office.
Pelorus River
Turn west off Highway 6 at Pelorus Bridge and drive up Maungatapu Road for 8 km to the Tinline River tributary. The frequently run section is from here down to Pelorus Bridge. There are a number of grade II rapids which rise to grade III after rain.
Many of the people who jump off the Pelorus Bridge do not suffer serious injury. However, we recommend you give this 16 metre fall a miss and satisfy your suicidal tendencies with slightly smaller jumps.
Wakamarina River
The Wakamarina River flows under Highway 6 (the Nelson-Blenheim road) at Canvastown, 10 km west of Havelock. Whakamarina Road takes you 15 km upstream to a DOC camping ground at the road end. From here there are many tight grade III rapids, including some difficult drops and chutes. The hardest one, Tinopener, is about halfway down from the road end, under a footbridge. Keep an eye out for gold claims as you spin and swirl along. This is a great trip for experienced tubers.
Kayaking from Picton to Ship Cove
From Picton paddle across Queen Charlotte Sound to a lovely camp site hidden in the bush at Kumutoto Bay. By the end of the day you should be quite proficient at cutting through, or surfing with, the bow waves of fishing boats and ferries.
Blumine Island, further along Queen Charlotte Sound, is your next destination. It’s a deserted island that only kayakers seem to know about and has an excellent camp site in the large, unnamed western-facing bay. There are some well hidden WWII gun emplacements on the north side of the island that were manned by American soldiers over 50 years ago.
The next day head over to Ship Cove via Motuara Island. The whole of Motuara Island is a bird sanctuary. The wide variety of inhabitants are incredibly tame. Little blue penguins keep an eye on you as you pass only a metre or two away. It’s only a short paddle across to Ship Cove, from where the water taxi can take you and your trusty kayak back to Picton. If you wish to stay in Picton for the weekend, The Waterfront Apartments is highly recommended.
Nelson Lakes Tramping
Nelson Lakes National Park is a marvellous place for trampers of all abilities. An excellent 6 day trip for intermediate trampers heads up the Travers Valley, over Travers Saddle and down the Sabine Valley, to Sabine Hut at the head of Lake Rotoroa (4 days). From Sabine Hut, head out to St Arnaud via the Speargrass Track (2 days). Alternatively, if your party is fit, and the weather looks fine, you can climb over Mt Cedric to Angelus Hut and out via Robert Ridge, or Travers Valley, the next day.
In winter, crampons, ice axes, and a wary eye for avalanches are essential for a safe trip. During summer, wasps can be a serious problem so you should carry medication for stings, such as antihistamine pills. There are plenty of shorter trips to do as well - for more information ask at the DOC visitors centre in St Arnaud.
For more information about other tramping spots in New Zealand, check out the NZ Tramping blog.
Dolphin and Seal Swimming
This is an exciting way to discover these graceful creatures in their natural environment. After being taken out in a small boat, and decked out in a wetsuit, mask and snorkel, jump in the sea and have an exhilarating one-on-one with the dolphins or seals. Book through the Kaikoura Information Centre on the beach front. It costs $35 for seal swimming, and $75 for dolphin swimming.
So enjoy what Marlborough & Nelson in the South island has to offer. Conveniently stay at Nelson accommodation and Marlborough accommodation so you can be close to all the adventure action!
Posted under South Island |
This series of articles has been designed to provide the ‘independent traveler’ with suggestions as to where to go, and what scenic sights to visit, in New Zealand’s South Island. Visitors agree that the South Island has by far the most stunning scenery within New Zealand, and areas of wilderness which are unrivaled anywhere in the world.
Because of the relative remoteness and small size of the population centres, however, it can be difficult for the overseas visitor to obtain adequate information about the wilderness spots that make a visit to the South Island so memorable. This article will hopefully be of some help. The readers for whom the travelogue will probably be most useful are those wishing to have a:
- tramping/walking or camping/backpacking
- botanical tours
- photography/painting
- birdwatching
- ‘away-from-it-all in a safe part of the world’ eco tourism
type of a vacation. It doesn’t really cater for ‘activities-R-us’ type people who would prefer a guided tour of NZ bungy jumping, for example; or anyone who is interested in local history to any extent.
Information regarding native flora, climate, recommended ‘away from it all’ accommodation for the independent traveler, and daily weather forecasts is included. Not all areas include accommodation recommendations however; it depends whether there is a particularly unusual and/or pleasant place to stay in that locality. You can check out the New Zealand Accommodation directory for other accommodation in New Zealand.
Click on the South Island destinations above to get more information about the attractions and accommodation available in each region.
Posted under South Island |
Kaikoura is a small town between the Pacific Ocean and the mountains on the east coast of the South Island. The region is renowned for its seafood (the name Kaikoura means “Crayfish meal” in Maori), and is a convenient stop on the journey between Christchurch and Picton (where you catch the Cook Strait Ferry to Wellington in the North Island).
Because this part of the east coast is quite hilly, with a very narrow coastal strip of level land, coastal Bush is still the predominant vegetation. However, because the level of rainfall is much lower than on the West Coast, the plant community is slightly different. There are no Nikau Palms, for example, and a flowering shrub called the Marlborough Rock Daisy has this stretch of coastline as its sole natural habitat. These plants can be seen (especially when in flower during November/December) literally growing out of hairline crevices of the cliff faces along the coast road.
Getting here?
By Air: Regular 30 minute duration daily flights from Christchurch with Southflight Aviation.
By Rail: Catch the Coastal Pacific - Kaikoura is on the main trunk line that runs between Christchurch and Picton. Head off to Back on the Tracks for more information.
By Road: Serviced by buses and shuttle services running between Christchurch and the Picton Ferry Terminal at the top of the South Island.
Alternatively you could always hire a rental car and take a little more time to stop along the way as you travel through North Canterbury.
Accommodation
If you’re looking to stay a few nights in Kaikoura, check out this Kaikoura accommodation listing page.
Things to do in and around Kaikoura
In recent years Kaikoura has become a popular stop with tourists due to the internationally renowned Whale Watch; the Maori company has an admirable record of being able to accurately guess the location of whales in the coastal waters. There’s a seal sanctuary along the coast, and dolphin pods are a regular attraction.
In summer nearby Gore Bay is popular with local surfers. There is a golf course handy as well. The sea (and its inhabitants) also provide a number of activities. Besides Whale Watching, try Swimming with the Dolphins. There’s also the The Kaikoura Coast Track, horse trekking is available nearby, and in winter - an hour and a half drive will take you to Mt Lyford or Amuri Ski Club.
On land, climb aboard a four-legged or four-wheel (motorbike) mount, and explore inland. There are a number of horse trekking companies that operate near Kaikoura.
On foot there a number of easy walks that can fill the day. After a day out in the fresh sea air you should have built up a healthy appetite, ready to enjoy the plentiful local seafood at local restaurants.
Posted under South Island |
The Lewis Pass is the northernmost pass allowing road traffic through from the east of the South Island, to the West Coast. Travelling west, even before the Pass, the landscape has changed from the usual grass-covered hills and plains of farmland, to dense native forests of evergreen Beech and Podocarps, with an understorey dominated by the famous Tree Ferns. The vegetation at the pass itself is sub-alpine, with stands of Beech forest.
The spine of mountains called the Southern Alps that run north to south along the entire length of the Southern Island, divide the island’s climate. Most of the rainclouds never make it east over the Alps; so that half of the island is much drier. However, the rain along the western half allows the vegetation to grow a kilometre a minute! (almost).
The two main towns along the coast are Westport and Greymouth; but the entire population, from Fiordland to Karamea, is no more than about 30,000 people. This is definitely the area to come to if one wants to ‘get away from it all’ in a remote corner of the world. Westport is a prettier base, with a range of accommodation, if one wants to stay in a town rather than a tiny settlement (there’s lots of those along the West Coast) and the Mandala Cafe along the main street is a nice place to eat there. One of the nice motels to stay at in Westport is the Blue Tasman Motel.
Greymouth is remarkable in that it has a long white sandy beach, full of artistically shaped driftwood; if you stay at one of the beach side motels such as Gables Motor Lodge you can indulge yourself with a romantic bonfire under the stars every night of the week.
Huge parts of the West Coast are protected by the Department of Conservation (DoC); logging of the native timber is a dying industry; and the poor soils ‘unfortunately’ don’t support agriculture too well. With some luck, and lots of eco-tourism, this part of New Zealand will not get ‘made productive’ by this century’s inhabitants, like the rest of New Zealand by last century’s settlers. Even today, some NZers find the Bush ‘overpowering’ and ‘ominous’. They probably haven’t lived in an urban area with millions of real ‘overpowering’ and ‘ominous’ people.
The heavy rainfall and persistent sand flies are custom-designed to ensure the wilderness is not a comfortable option for anyone wanting a mundane ’sea and sand’ style vacation. Such a shame!
Traffic; well….it’s not heavy, exactly. Possibly on a bad day you might see another car every half hour or so. Scenery is splendid; I usually don’t drive as I tend to crash into the roadside while trying to identify particular plants on the banks. It probably pays to travel with someone who is botanically challenged.
Posted under South Island |
Banks Peninsula, is an ancient volcanic double cone on the eastern coast of the flat alluvial Canterbury Plains. The huge drowned craters provide the deep water harbour’s of Lyttleton Port; and Akaroa. Between Lyttleton and Christchurch are the Port Hills, on the northern slopes of which lie some of the city’s suburbs. The Port Hills were unfortunately stripped of native vegetation by the early European settlers, and are now covered in grass, which becomes very yellow in the region’s hot dry summers.
Christchurch itself is an extremely flat city (apart from the hill suburbs), and has the distinction of being the one city in a relatively pollution-free country that suffers from LA-style inversion layer weather during the winter, and hence smog.
If you find yourself there with a few days to spare, here’s a sample itinerary which while not exactly ‘a thrill a minute’ aka Queenstown’s attractions; it’s nevertheless a relaxing interlude which won’t break the bank either.
Hurunui River is an hour’s drive to the north of Christchurch. It shows the characteristic ‘braided’ banks of rounded grey gravel of the rivers in the South island.
Posted under South Island |
These are some suggested sightseeing ideas within the Christchurch area. The day trips are very easily arranged by either using the city buses and tram (all buses depart from the main, Cathedral Square, where there is also a bus info kiosk); or organised guided tours in the case of Akaroa. Like all other NZ towns, there’s an excellent Visitors Information Centre. The days can be arranged in any order of course; but the Arts Centre day should be a Saturday or Sunday for the full range of activities to be available:
Day 1
Take a tram-ride around the centre of Christchurch to orient yourself. Eat lunch at The Globe Cafe; then take a bus from the main Cathedral Square to Lyttleton Port. Lyttleton consists of veranda-decked wooden houses perched on the steep hillsides above the working port; container ships are at the quayside rather than yachts. This day’s itinerary allows you to see a lot of Christchurch at once, without having to drive and get lost in the sprawling and not very unique suburbs.
Day 2
A day trip to Akaroa; incorporating a dolphin-watching tour and perhaps a visit to a specialty cheese factory. Akaroa is (another) small settlement, very picturesque, some nice walks, a couple of nice cafes to eat lunch, and worth a day trip. Dolphin watching tours are booked at the Christchurch Visitors Information Centre. If you wish to stay at Akaroa for the night there is The Old Shipping Office which was an old historic building which has been transformed into beautiful accommodation.
Day 3 (only on Saturday or Sunday for the Craft Fair part)
A day at the Arts Centre (originally the old University buildings), with art gallery, restaurants, film theatre et al; and an outdoor Craft Fair at the weekends. Things in the close vicinity:
- the Botanical Gardens (including Native NZ Garden)
- the Canterbury Museum
- the McDougall Art Gallery
- outdoor food stalls: Chinese/Czech/Mexican/Thai for example (weekend only)
- Craft Fair for souvenirs/gifts (weekend only)
- Dux de Lux vegetarian restaurant with al fresco eating, among others.
Day 4
A day trip to Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools. You can go by bus (the Christchurch to Westport one), and perhaps stay the weekend; or even hire a car to do this one. Its worth it; especially if it’s snowing or raining (no, that is not a typographical error!). Hamner Springs is about two hours drive north of Christchurch, in the alpine foothills. Go in the morning, stop along the way at the Cider Barn at Amberley for mid-morning food or lunch if going by car; arrive at Hamner one hour later. Take a stroll through the human-planted State Forest for an hour or so; then soak in the beautifully landscaped (with native shrubs) Hot Pools.
Surrounded by pine-covered mountains; never overcrowded; very relaxing; and the fee is $NZ10.00 per adult! The pools also have a pretty reasonable cafe/restaurant on site.
Day 5
A bus trip to Sumner and its beach, which is an outlying suburb at the foot of the Port Hills between Christchurch and Taylors Mistake cove. (Number 3 bus route). Eat lunch at Cellinis; or another of the cafes or pubs in Sumner. Just be careful of the sun intensity in the summer, and wear lots of sunblock! (even when it’s cloudy). The coastal cliffs are all volcanic lava flows; with a layer of brick-colored rock in between which is actually baked clay.
Day 6
For anyone who hasn’t got the time to visit the many locations along the West Coast of the South Island, taking a return journey on the Tranz-Alpine Express from Christchurch through to Greymouth is a must. The train starts from the main railway station at 9.00am, reaches Arthurs Pass for a brief stop before lunch time. After proceeding on to Greymouth, it ‘rests’ for an hour, and by early afternoon is on its way back to Christchurch, returning there at around 6.00pm. Considering it takes you through the flat Canterbury Plains, the grass-covered eastern hills of Porters Pass, up through Arthurs Pass National Park and then the tree-ferns and rain forests of the West Coast - all for about NZ$100 return, in very comfortable carriages with an excellent buffet car - well, it’s probably one of the most value-for-money train journeys in the world.
Posted under South Island |
This area is ‘the end of the road’, in one sense. The coastal highway north stops here. Anyone wanting to go further has to walk, along the Heaphy Track, (one end of which starts here); a few miles south is the less well-known Wangapeka track. The coastal Bush has a sub-tropical look about it, with stands of Nikau Palms; and there are more sunshine hours than in Auckland (in the north of the North Island). At the height of the season, there are probably three hundred visitors in the area.
Karamea itself is a tiny settlement at the point where the road more or less stops. The Bush and the Heaphy Track are a few miles north, down a gravelled road, and the beaches of the Tasman Sea stretch for miles either way along the coast. You reach Karamea by driving an hour north of Westport, and up and over a range of forested hills (with very narrow, winding roads) called the Karamea Bluffs, which are a protected reserve. Just before the Karamea Bluffs at Gentle Annie beach, Mokihinui, is the Cowshed Cafe for any visitor passing thru in need of sustenance. It was a cowshed, and now is a Cafe, with delicious food and generous portions.
Past the Bluffs, in Karamea, is the Last Resort. It’s more than just a hotel, being the centre of a wide variety of eco-tourism activities; the restaurant is excellent (try the venison). The recreation/bar areas are guaranteed to relax you at the same time as you admire the craftsmanship of the builders. The Last Resort makes a superb base from which to explore the surrounding area; you can easily spend a week here and do something different every day. Highly recommended for an escapist, relaxing holiday!
If relaxing in a spacious home which on looks an unspoiled beach and beautiful sunset is more your thing, then I can recommend this Karamea Beachfront Farmstay.
The entire region is now part of the Kahurangi National Park, where examples of 60% of New Zealand’s native plant species can be found.
Posted under South Island |
This region is the most north-westerly of the South Island. Although part of the West Coast, the rainfall here is much less than further south; together with the beaches and wilderness areas, it makes a good holiday location if you want to minimise the chances of rain. Heading north-west along the coast from Nelson are Motueka, Abel Tasman National Park, Takaka and the limestone Takaka Hill, then Collingwood, and finally the sandbar of Farewell Spit stretching out into Golden Bay. The flatter land in the region is well-known for market-gardening, orchards, and hop-growing.
Each of the sparsely populated small coastal towns offer places to stay and eat. There is various Golden Bay accommodation to choose from, which all offer a lovely tranquil environment. The surrounding countryside provides a variety of landscapes and scenery. Pupu Springs for example is pretty remarkable, with 100 million litres of water per hour welling up from the depths silently to create a river. The limestone hills provide many caving and potholing opportunities.
A minor road south of Collingwood ends at the northern end of the Heaphy Track, which provides a four or five day walk through to Karamea Moving west from Collingwood towards Westhaven inlet on the West Coast, along a gravel road that seems to go for miles, takes you past a series of remote lagoons surrounded by Bush-covered hills.
Posted under South Island |
Haast is the name of a river, region and Pass. Haast Pass is the only route through from Queenstown and Fiordland in the south, to coastal Westland. The Haast river at the pass is so fierce during periods of heavy rain that boulders the size of houses are moved along by the force of the water. It has the highest ratio of normal flow to flood flow in the world. The bridge was washed away several times before it was completed, and the supports on one side are concreted to the rocks on the river’s edge for extra stability. Haast settlement is close to the coast, located near the bridge over the Haast river as it reaches the sea, and the point at which Highway 6 turns inland southwards, through Mount Aspiring National Park.
The region around Haast, in southern Westland, is one of the South Island’s most neglected travel destinations. There are two reasons for this; people are usually passing through between Fox and Franz Joseph glaciers, and Queenstown (and on to Fiordland); and the rainfall more or less ensures that visitors will get wet if they step out of doors. This also applies to Fiordland of course, but because the scenery is more majestic and large-scale, visitors put up with the rainfall there. So Haast gets passed through, rather than visited. This is a pity.
Because the population has always been small (the road didn’t actually reach Haast settlement till the mid 1960’s), the ecosystems are relatively undisturbed. In fact the land is either within the Mount Aspiring National Park (containing the Routeburn and Rees-Dart Tracks) which is immediately north of Fiordland National Park; or DoC land leased out to a few farmers. The whole lot makes up the South-West NZ World Heritage Area.
For anyone who arrives prepared for a potentially wet visit, the rewards are considerable. For example, this is one of several areas in this series of South Island articles that have a gravelled road through native bush stretching for some kilometeres. Nowadays, It’s only along those stretches of winding road that one gets the sense of how NZ used to be at the turn of the century. Going south from Haast, the road ends at Jacksons Bay, which was the site of an ill-fated attempt at settling in the area last century. The remoteness, rainfall, and completely unsuitable location of the settlement on steep and unstable hill sides, ensured its doom. Now there’s just a small fishing operation. However, before you reach Jacksons Bay, you can turn inland along a gravel road which follows the Cascade river, to the Red Hills and then the Cascade Valley. There are several tracks along the road, one taking you along (wet) river banks to the edge of Lake Ellory.
The Red Hills range near the end of the Cascade drive are distinctive for having very stunted bush (mainly Manuka); the rocks are rich in Iron and Magnesium and are too toxic to support forest. These ultramafic rocks, formed by intense heat, pressure and hydrothermal activity 250 million years ago, account for the greenstone (jade) deposits found in south Westland.
Close to Haast itself, (a few miles north along the coast) are some excellent examples of the few remaining coastal wetlands left in the South Island, showing the transition between sand dunes, a sequence of lagoons and swamps parallel to the coastline, and the final Kahikatea (White Pine) coastal forest, which was prevalant along both the east and west coasts of New Zealand till they were all cleared and drained for farmland.
The DoC centre at Haast contains lots of info about the many walks in the area, and the ecosystems found here. It is actually a very surreal and distinctive building (the last image) in its own right, especially when seen rising from the mists during a rainy day.
A recommended place to stay in Haast is the Heritage Park Lodge; there are several motels in the area, but that one is particularly recommended due to the very friendly and professional proprietors, and the range of accommodation that it offers under one roof. It also has an outlook to some native bush along one side of the grounds.
Lastly, it’s interesting to note that Haast is only a couple of hundred miles north of Milford Sound; but because there is no road between them it takes all day to reach one from the other, travelling by way of Wanaka.