South Island Natural Environment

Great place to stay lots to do weather it's relaxing or enjoying the outdoors. Lots of cafe's to stare out to the sounds. Charter boats galore, seakaying tours avaliable etc

A must visit for wine-lovers. Try the classic Marlborough Savs and the dry Reislings. We managed about twenty of the wineries in Blenheim and Renwick and weren't even half way there. Even in the middle of winter the weather was pleasant. The best part was having most of the cellar doors to ourselves so we got to try everything and really talk to the proprieters.

The 'pancake rocks' are a must see if you are on the West Coast of the South island. The kids loved the blow holes. Makes for some great photos if you are there in good weather. In my opinion, the most beautiful scenery in New Zealand is in this area, a stunning mixture of sub-tropical rainforest, mountains, rivers and beaches.

Winter (July) is a great time to go.  No crowds, no need for reservations, great deals.  Could be rainy but the winter weather at Doubtful Sound is other-worldly beautiful!   Go to the Fat Duck for dinner and be sure to check out the local cinema for a short documentary about Fiordland.  

If you are in Kaikoura for the whale watching, keep an eye on the weather and the sea. The whale watching trips are regularly cancelled due to rough sea and it can be a big dissapointment if you only have a short time to visit. Don't underestimate the swell even if it looks relatively calm - if they say it is too rough - it is!. Great fish and chips from a couple of chippies in the town itself.