World-Class Wines, Breathtaking Scenery, And Wildlife Galore!
Written: Sep 21 '05 (Updated Nov 13 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The scenery, balmy climate, excellent wines, diverse sea life, and superb beaches!
Cons: I am not there!
The Bottom Line: Any trip to New Zealand should include the Marlborough Region. One word sums it up: spectacular!
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| whalewatcher's Full Review: Marlborough |
Mother Nature must have pulled out all the stops when creating New Zealand's spectacular South Island and gave the Marlborough Region its share of blessings with those endless miles of breathtaking coastline, golden beaches, and an incredibly diverse sea life. And, let's not forget the glorious mountain ranges and lush, fertile valleys, where many of the earlier sheep and cattle farms have been replaced by award-winning wineries.
It only takes a little over 2 hours by high-speed ferry (Lynx) to cross the Cook Strait from Wellington (North Island) to Picton, a small but picturesque little town on the shores of the Queen Charlotte Sound. One-way fare is $40 NZ, or $100 if you bring your car. The last stretch of the crossing brings you through the scenic Marlborough Sounds via the Tory Channel, where you can marvel at a maze of inlets, bays, hidden beaches, and small peninsulas rising steeply from the water's edge. Here, the ferry has to slow down to minimize impact to nearby shorelines, which leaves extra time to appreciate nature's wonders along the way. The occasional mussel farm hugs the coast, unobtrusive for the most part, but important for the commercial raising of one of New Zealand's staples, the green lipped mussel. Roe is attached to huge ropes which are hung on buoys and, 9-10 months later, the grown mussels are ready for harvesting. A winch is used to heave the heavy load out of the water. Green lipped mussels rank a close 2nd in New Zealand's seafood export, right after the Orange Roughy.
Ferry traffic provides most of the activity in Picton, some visitors stay to explore the vast maze of islands and inlets or tramp (hike) the well known Queen Charlotte Track, but the majority of travelers (including us) continue on by either train, bus, or car, to experience the many wonderful places this part of the South Island has to offer.
We drove straight to Blenheim, capital of the Marlborough wine region, from where we set out on the famous Wine Trail. The relatively cool maritime climate in this area allows grapes to ripen slowly, producing more fully flavored and aromatic grapes. The flagship wine is the Sauvignon Blanc but, more recently, the area has also produced award winning Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Merlots, Rieslings, and more. Winemaking in New Zealand is surprisingly state-of-the-art and touring any of the 40+ wineries in this immediate area can be considered a real treat. However, some do require reservations.
The Montana Brancott winery is perhaps the most popular and hosts the yearly Food & Wine Festival during the month of February. The multi-million dollar facility is simply stunning and the Wither Hills and Richmond ranges provide an ideal back-drop. Over the years, we've visited numerous wineries the world over, but the best and most informative wine tour ever was here at Montana. Not to mention that the wines are excellent as well :)). To avoid confusion, Montana wines are sold in the U.S. under the Brancott label. The French Provincial-style visitor center is impressive and houses a fabulous restaurant with a gorgeous riverstone fireplace, even an old Steinway grand piano, a Rachmaninov favorite! Food can also be enjoyed on an outdoor patio, and a visit to the Cellar Door gift shop is a must! Montana also happens to be the only child friendly winery I've ever seen, with a pretty little playground and a big slide in the shape of a corkscrew!
Next, we visited the Villa Maria Estate, New Zealand's largest privately owned winery. Again, the views are superb. The winery's claim to fame is not only the production of New Zealand's most award winning wines, but the architectural design of this modern facility has won its own awards. Villa Maria wines are excellent across the board (available in the U.S.).
Our final stop on the Wine Trail was the Allan Scott Winery, where we at last settled down for an extensive and long overdue lunch. Also family owned, this is a jewel of a place. The interior is rustic with high, beamed ceilings and a cozy fireplace, but we were most impressed with the beautiful outside dining area, nestled among water fountains, pretty plantings, and herb gardens. The 'Twelve Trees Restaurant' is popular with locals but also attracts its share of international visitors. Food is superb here, so is the wine, although my taste buds were slightly compromised after a morning's worth of tastings!
Next, it was on to Nelson, New Zealand's sunshine capital. This bustling fishing and container port is located on the Tasman Bay and is popular not only because of its sunny climate, but also for its art and crafts. As of late, the wine industry is taking hold here as well, replacing earlier tobacco farms, but the surrounding areas also support plantings of hops, kiwi, and other fruit. Although we didn't stay in Nelson overnight, we took the time to visit the amazing World of Wearable Art Museum, which displays award winning 'wearable' fashion made out of the most unusual materials, such as metal, stone, feathers, household junk, etc. The display is mind boggling and fascinating to see. The costumes on exhibit were created in various parts of the world for the yearly World of Wearable Art Show, held during the Nelson Arts Festival in September. Sadly, the show has outgrown Nelson and has been moved to Wellington. But, the museum remains and should definitely find a place on your to-do-list. An added attraction is a huge collection of antique and unusual cars. Admission is $15 NZ.
Don't miss a meal at the 'Boat Shed Cafe' on Wakefield Quay, a must while in Nelson! We stopped for lunch there and the rustic atmosphere couldn't be better in this old converted shed which sits perched over the water with fabulous views over the Tasman Bay. They offer an astounding variety of excellent seafood (although pricey), but the ambiance alone is worth it! Open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Marlborough Region is also home to the Abel Tasman National Park, just an hour's drive from Nelson, and it is considered to be one of the most beautiful parks in all of New Zealand. Abel Tasman, the Dutch explorer who discovered New Zealand in 1642, landed here in Golden Bay but quickly retreated after a skirmish with the Maori who, at the time, had already occupied this area for about 800 years, cultivating the 'Kumara' (sweet potato) and fishing the coastal waters.
We stayed in Marahau, also referred to as "The Abel Tasman Village", in the south-east corner of the Park. Our accommodations were at the Marahau Lodge, a fabulous place just a short walk from the park's main entrance. Rustic, fully equipped rooms have everything you could possibly need, including a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker. A continental breakfast was brought to our room in the morning and could be enjoyed on the back patio, overlooking the mountains. You are almost guaranteed to see (and hear) the Pukeko, a very large and almost pre-historic looking, iridescent indigo-blue bird (almost the size of a small chicken) with an enormous scarlet bill and orange-red legs and feet. Thanks to his presence you can forget setting your alarm clock in the morning as his noisy calls are sure to wake you up. Nevertheless, it's a fascinating creature and a real treat to see up close. The owner of the lodge told us that she was in the process of selling the place so, in the meantime, things might have changed slightly. But, the location certainly couldn't be better. www.AbelTasmanMarahauLodge.co.nz
We enjoyed some of our best hiking on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track which meanders through dense coastal bush, brings you to spectacular look-outs and along pristine, crescent shaped beaches. The scenery is simply breath-taking. Some of the most interesting limestone and marble formations in the Southern Hemisphere can be found here, which includes a massive network of underground caverns and limestone caves. The golden sand beaches were empty for the most part during our stay but can get busy during the height of the summer. Expect the water to be very cold, at least by our standards! We paused during our 4-hr hike at one of these beautiful beaches. It was low tide and we were looking forward to wade into the shallow water to cool our tired feet. It wasn't long before we encountered a mine-field of sea stars and crabs, no matter where we stepped. There must have been thousands of them. Unhappy crabs darted from underneath our feet in all directions, reminding us with an occasional pinch that this was their territory! We must have been a sight to behold, trying to tip-toe our way to safer grounds!
You can have a great meal at the Park Cafe and Restaurant, located at the park's entrance. If you don't mind slow service, the place is great, primarily because of wonderful water views, but they also serve excellent food. Especially interesting though is the place across the street, still owned by Maori who carve life-like statues out of tree trunks. You can take a walk through the back yard which is filled with these incredible works of art, or browse in the gift shop, stocked chock full of interesting smaller carvings, jewelry, and other gift items.
Water taxis can transport you to almost any beach of your choice, pick up or drop off hikers, or many just enjoy cruising along this spectacular coast line. Sea kayaks are available for rent for either guided or self-guided tours or, like us, you can experience a bit of Maori culture and tradition during a hands-on trip in a 'waka', the original Maori war canoe. Learn the ceremonial greetings, the rhythmic paddling of the canoe, the chanting, exchanging of stories, all to be topped off by a fabulous lunch on the beach. With luck, you might spot seals, dolphins, even penguins, depending on the season.
Another of the Marlborough region's gems is Kaikoura, New Zealand's most popular eco-tourism destination. About 1 1/2 hours south of Blenheim and the wine region, this small east coast town packs a punch when it comes to activities. The drive alone is worth it, with the spectacular and rugged Kaikoura Ranges (8000 ft) towering immediately to the west, and the Pacific Ocean to the east. The 3000 ft drop in the seabed just offshore creates an upwelling and the nutrient rich waters lure a large variety of sea mammals to this area. And, this is the world famous feeding ground for the giant Sperm Whales which stay here year around. These masters of the deep ocean dive thousands of feet down to hunt for squid and can hold their breath for up to 2 hours. Other whales are more seasonal, such as the Orca, Humpback, or Pilot Whale. Fur seals are abundant here as well, and schools of dolphins can reach numbers in the hundreds.
Although once a whaling town, the emphasis these days is on marine conservation and, since 1978, whales, dolphins, and seals are finally safe under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. A stark reminder of those old days is the Fyffe House, the town's oldest surviving building which still sits on it's original foundation made of whale bones.
We stayed at the White Morph Motor Inn (see separate review), just across the street from the ocean, a perfect location for our planned activities. Our first adventure was a swim with the seals. Protected by an 8 mil wet suit, we set out by small boat for Shark Tooth Bay where we had a great encounter with the seals who came eye to eye with us on several occasions and seemed to enjoy showing off their incredible swimming skills. Darting in and out of huge swaying kelp beds, we never knew from which direction they were approaching, only to suddenly have them appear in front of us, staring at us as if to assess our reaction. Plenty of other sea life is camouflaged in the kelp beds, from small to large fish, crayfish (spiny lobster), even octopus.
If you don't feel comfortable swimming/snorkeling with the seals and prefer to stay dry, there are plenty of boat tours which can take you out to some of the remote seal colonies, although there are plenty of opportunities to see them on rocky outcroppings along the shore (free of charge!).
Later in the day we drove to Kaikoura's tiny airport to board a small 6-seater for a "Wings over Whales" excursion. It's a 30 minute flight ($140) in search of sperm whales but don't expect to see them up close since an altitude of 1000 ft has to be observed, so bring binoculars. Personally, I don't think it was worth it, especially since the whales only log on the water to rest after coming up from their deep dive, so there is not much action other than the spouting and the eventual dive down. It might be much more impressive and their size more appreciated when seen from a boat. As disappointing as the whale sighting was, observing the antics of hundreds of Dusky dolphins chasing a huge school of fish, made up for it.
Sea birds are abundant as well, among them albatross, gannets, petrels and shags. Special offshore bird watching tours are offered and don't be surprised if you see dolphins, seals, or maybe even a whale along the way.
Just south of town is 'The Point Sheep Shearing'. This is a great place if you are interested in watching a good sheep shearing demonstration. There's plenty to learn about the various sheep breeds, wool types, and different shearing utensils, and you can even hand-feed their prize Drysdale Ram, the "Ram-Man"! Afterwards, we went out to the pasture high up on a bluff overlooking the ocean, to see those amazing sheep-dogs in action. It's time well spent and the whole experience only costs about $10.
Outdoor enthusiasts can rejoice here in Kaikoura. Apart from the various water activities, there is great hiking including overnight treks, caving, 4-wheel drive adventures, sky-diving, horseback riding, and the list goes on.
Make sure you set aside enough days for the Marlborough region when planning your trip to New Zealand. It's perhaps the most diverse area when it comes to climate, geology, flora and fauna. And, rarely will you find such an extensive coastline, dishing up everything from rugged boulder shorelines and wind-swept dunes to those perfect crescent beaches, golden sands, and forest fringed bays. Couple that with fertile valleys, alpine landscapes, and a thriving economy thanks to a burgeoning wine industry, extensive horticulture, dairy, sheep and marine farming, and an ever growing tourist industry, and you have the perfect recipe for success!
*Please note that prices might have changed since the Kiwi has rallied and the exchange rate is less favorable.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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Member: Claudia Testa
Location: Charles Town, West Virginia
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Travel fever is chronic. I hope no one finds a cure!
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