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Forested bays and coastline in New Zealand's Marlborough Sounds
Holiday park · South Island

Marlborough Sounds & Picton

Marlborough

Where the Cook Strait ferry lands — a maze of forested bays, kayaking and the Queen Charlotte Track.

Picton is the South Island end of the Cook Strait ferry, and the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds: a labyrinth of sheltered waterways, native bush and quiet bays best explored by kayak, water taxi or the Queen Charlotte Track. Marlborough's wineries are a short hop south.

It's a natural first or last night on a South Island trip, with waterside camping and easy walks straight from town.

Picton is where the ferry lands, which makes it most people's first hour on the South Island — resist the urge to drive straight through. The Queen Charlotte Drive to Havelock is one of the best short coastal roads in the country, though narrow and winding in a camper. If you are catching a morning sailing, stay in Picton the night before rather than driving up from Nelson at dawn.

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