bay of many coves
 

Do any of you seasoned new zealand travelers have an opinion about whether to spend 2 or 3 nights at Bay of Many Coves resort ?(trip planned for dec 2010) 3 nights at BOMC means we miss nelson and the saturday market. However, since we are flying from San Francisco and traveling right through to BOMC, maybe we need 3 nights to recover? (We want to walk part of the QC track and not sure if we will be up to it the next day given the long flight the day before ...) Any feedback would be most appreciated.

Hi ez1 -

I've been to the BOMC twice, staying three nights each time and loving every minute of it. I highly recommend it as a place to relax and soak up the scenery. If you stay three nights, you'll have one day to relax and recover from jet lag and then a day to explore the Queen Charlotte Track. Just be aware that the BOMC isn't directly on the track...you'll need to take another water taxi to access the track, OR hike two hours straight up from the resort via an unformed path (I tried this once - didn't work so well).

I suggest you take a water taxi to Ship Cove, spend several hours walking to Furneaux where you can meet the water taxi to go back to BOMC. This is a lovely section of the track and the views are incredible.

I've stayed in Nelson a few times, but have never visited the market, so can't comment on that, but...if it's important to you, maybe you can do both...spend your first night in Nelson, visit the market (assuming you arrive on Friday), then head to BOMC for two nights? Will that work?

Where are you headed after Nelson/BOMC?

Thanks Melnq8. I was hoping you'd respond, and yes, we plan to do the track exactly as you propose. We arrive on a Wednesday so 3 nights would preclude the saturday Nelson market (given water taxi, drive times etc. from picton to nelson on saturday.) After bomc, we're staying at a B&B in Blenheim (prob 1 night, 2 if we cut short the bomc) and will do a self-guided bike tour of wineries one day. Then driving to christchurch (2 nights), then Wilderness Lodge arthur's Pass (2 nights), Fox Glacier (1 night), Wanaka 2 nights, Glenorchy (1 night at Blanket Bay for husband's bdy), then 3 nights Qstown. Then fly to auckland area for 4 nights (nephew's wedding...) and trip is over! Re:resort- besides QC track, did you kayak?take ecotour? hang out? Thanks again.

Hi again ez1.

We were there primarily to hike, walking the Ship Cove to Furneaux section of the QC track on both of our visits. We also did some hikes around the resort (one to a lookout was particularly memorable...and challenging).

On our second visit we took a water taxi from BOMC to Punga Cove and walked a section of the QC track from there to Craglee Lodge, where we were collected by a dinghy sent by BOMC (pre-arranged). This portion of the track was more scenic and challenging, but the bit from the track down to Craglee was really difficult (unformed as it's private property and not part of the QC). I'll never forget it because this is where I took a spill that eventually resulted in the first of two knee surgeries!

We didn't kayak or do any water activites (winter both times). We spent our days walking, then relaxing in the hot tub and hanging around soaking up the views.

We hope to go back to BOMC on our next visit - we like it that much. There are new managers since we last stayed, but the resort continues to get good reviews, so hopefully, it's still the place we fondly remember.

The Nelson market is worthwhile doing but not if you are going to be rushed. My daughter who is now living in New York says the Nelson market beats any she has seen in the US so far.(we are probably a bit biased seeing we live in Nelson). It is not just a flea market, it is more of a craft and food market, great pottery, jewllery, paintings, wood carving etc etc all done by local artists. It is a very popular tourist attraction, and is held only on Saturday mornings.

Thank you both so much for all this good information. Really invaluable. I'm still not sure whether I will make the saturday morning market, but have decided to make the trip to Nelson regardless.

1) If you start in California, you really are not especially jetlagged on arrial (you just want to get up really early, but in NZ that's an advantage especially if you are hiking).

2) Is there any reason you have to go straight to BOMC, eg pricing or availability? Why not juggle things to be in Nelson Friday night, eg do Blenheim and the wineries first?

We arrive in Blenheim at 9am. BOMC resort told us it was fine to check in early (10am water taxi) whereas the place in Blenheim asked for afternoon check in so that's how this whole plan evolved. Based on the input received here am now thinking we will spend 2 nights at BOMC (but have essentially 3 days), then 2 nights (fri and sat) in Nelson, next day and night in Blenheim, 1 night christchurch and on to wilderness lodge etc.. I really appreciate the time taken by everyone to help me with this plan. By the way, this is one expensive trip..hope the USD holds up.

Yeah I feel your pain. My last trip in January/Feb was a bit less fun with the weak USD. Eating out seemed especially pricey. At least in NZ there is no charge for visiting their park system.