Back on the Road Again
After a good breakfast at Tongariro Lodge (all the meals we've had there were phenomenal), we bid a reluctant goodbye to our very comfortable accommodations and continued our journey southward, to Wellington, to the southern part of the North Island. Along the way we past the three volcanoes of Tongariro National Park (even Mount Ruapehu briefly peeked its head out from behind the clouds to greet us as we passed by), a couple of military bases, a few one-street towns, and lots of green hills and farmland. The drive took about 4.5 hours including a coffee and restroom break midway through.
We arrived in Wellington just after 1:00 PM. After checking into our hotel at QT, we ate dim sum (also known as yum cha here in New Zealand) at Dragons for lunch. While the service was attentive, the food was mediocre.
We spent most of our afternoon at the Museum of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa browsing through its exhibits on New Zealand history, culture, and art, as well as the cultures of other Pacific islands. The museum is very well done - both the indoor and the outdoor exhibits.
We spent the evening with a short stroll of Wellington's city street, focusing on Courtney Place and pedestrian Cuba Street. Because of the gorgeous landscape between hills and harbor and the pleasant architecture, we instantly fell in love with Wellington. It felt very easy going and laid back for us.
For dinner, we dined at Ombra, an Italian restaurant on Cuba Street. The menu is a selection of small plates featuring Venetian-style cicchetti, mini pizzas, salads, and pastas. The place was hopping. We would definitely go back again.
Te Papa
Wellington Harbor
Cuba Street
After a good breakfast at Tongariro Lodge (all the meals we've had there were phenomenal), we bid a reluctant goodbye to our very comfortable accommodations and continued our journey southward, to Wellington, to the southern part of the North Island. Along the way we past the three volcanoes of Tongariro National Park (even Mount Ruapehu briefly peeked its head out from behind the clouds to greet us as we passed by), a couple of military bases, a few one-street towns, and lots of green hills and farmland. The drive took about 4.5 hours including a coffee and restroom break midway through.
We arrived in Wellington just after 1:00 PM. After checking into our hotel at QT, we ate dim sum (also known as yum cha here in New Zealand) at Dragons for lunch. While the service was attentive, the food was mediocre.
We spent most of our afternoon at the Museum of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa browsing through its exhibits on New Zealand history, culture, and art, as well as the cultures of other Pacific islands. The museum is very well done - both the indoor and the outdoor exhibits.
We spent the evening with a short stroll of Wellington's city street, focusing on Courtney Place and pedestrian Cuba Street. Because of the gorgeous landscape between hills and harbor and the pleasant architecture, we instantly fell in love with Wellington. It felt very easy going and laid back for us.
For dinner, we dined at Ombra, an Italian restaurant on Cuba Street. The menu is a selection of small plates featuring Venetian-style cicchetti, mini pizzas, salads, and pastas. The place was hopping. We would definitely go back again.
Te Papa
Wellington Harbor
Cuba Street
Oh. My.
That Tongariro Crossing sounds like torture.
Granted, I am a bit soft and prefer lush, green, flat walks of less than 10 km - preferably with a nice eatery en route.
But I admire your stamina and attitude. I would definitely have been yelling at my DH about mid way.
That Tongariro Crossing sounds like torture.
Granted, I am a bit soft and prefer lush, green, flat walks of less than 10 km - preferably with a nice eatery en route.
But I admire your stamina and attitude. I would definitely have been yelling at my DH about mid way.
Adelaidean, LOL. The hiking trails on Waiheke Island would suit you well, and part of the reason we find it so enjoyable. There are so many options that we could choose in which we are able to easily incorporate easy to moderate hikes with winery visits and time on the beach all across the island. Now, hiking after a few wine tastings could get dangerous 
The Windy City by the Bay
We spent the entire day today exploring New Zealand's charming capital city on foot. Beginning at our hotel, we explored the city center, window shopped, and enjoyed some morning coffee. From the city center, we took a cable car to the Wellington Botanic Gardens, where we wandered among the beautiful flora for about 90 minutes. Home to an Australian garden, a succulent garden, a fern garden, an herb garden, and a rose garden among others, the paths are very inviting for strollers like us. And it being warm and partly sunny, it was perfect to be out and about. The views of the surrounding landscape, with the hills tumbling down to the gardens and the rest of the city, enhanced the beauty of the place. We love this place.
From the Gardens we wandered over to the political district. We made arrangements for a noon tour of Parliament. The one-hour tour took us through the Beehive, home of the executive offices of the government including the prime minister and his cabinet; the Parliament building; and the library. While the Beehive and the Parliament were modern in style, the library could have easily been picked up and dropped off in Westminster. We learned a bit about how New Zealand's political system works as well as some of its important milestones such as being the first country in the modern world to grant women the right to vote.
We ate lunch at Backbenchers, a gastropub across the street from Parliament. Frequented by parliamentary staff, the gastropub offered a good selection of standard and nonstandard fare. The poke bowl was very delicious as well as the sandwiches.
We spent part of the afternoon at the Wellington Museum, where we learned about the city's history. The sky opened up while we were exploring the museum, but began to wind down when we were about to leave. From there we strolled along Oriental Parade fronting Wellington Harbor. While the views of the harbor with beautiful homes draped down the hillside all around us were wonderful, the on-again, off-again drizzle took away some of the enjoyment. Oriental Parade would be a perfect people-watching spot on a fine day; one could easily look at the water out towards the open sea as well. And the wind! Boy, was it windy. Chicago has competition; we could understand why Wellington is recorded as the windiest city in the world. We ate dinner at Coene, right by the water. Coene had an Italian-inspired nautical vibe, similar to some of the great seaside restaurants found in San Francisco and in Sydney. The seafood as well as the beef dishes were fantastic as were the broccoli and green beans. No wonder the place was packed.
Wellington reminded me very much of two of our favorite cities, San Francisco and Sydney. The streets and waterfront are delights for strolling. And there are excellent coffee ships throughout the city. Two that we very much enjoyed are Astoria, with its Vienna cafe atmosphere, and Kaffee Eis, with its awesome affogatos.
We have one more day to enjoy this very pretty city, but wish we had planned for more.
Lambton Quay in Central Wellington
Wellington Skyline from Kelburn Cable Car Station
The "Beehive"
Parliamentary Chamber
Parliamentary Library
Homes along Oriental Parade
We spent the entire day today exploring New Zealand's charming capital city on foot. Beginning at our hotel, we explored the city center, window shopped, and enjoyed some morning coffee. From the city center, we took a cable car to the Wellington Botanic Gardens, where we wandered among the beautiful flora for about 90 minutes. Home to an Australian garden, a succulent garden, a fern garden, an herb garden, and a rose garden among others, the paths are very inviting for strollers like us. And it being warm and partly sunny, it was perfect to be out and about. The views of the surrounding landscape, with the hills tumbling down to the gardens and the rest of the city, enhanced the beauty of the place. We love this place.
From the Gardens we wandered over to the political district. We made arrangements for a noon tour of Parliament. The one-hour tour took us through the Beehive, home of the executive offices of the government including the prime minister and his cabinet; the Parliament building; and the library. While the Beehive and the Parliament were modern in style, the library could have easily been picked up and dropped off in Westminster. We learned a bit about how New Zealand's political system works as well as some of its important milestones such as being the first country in the modern world to grant women the right to vote.
We ate lunch at Backbenchers, a gastropub across the street from Parliament. Frequented by parliamentary staff, the gastropub offered a good selection of standard and nonstandard fare. The poke bowl was very delicious as well as the sandwiches.
We spent part of the afternoon at the Wellington Museum, where we learned about the city's history. The sky opened up while we were exploring the museum, but began to wind down when we were about to leave. From there we strolled along Oriental Parade fronting Wellington Harbor. While the views of the harbor with beautiful homes draped down the hillside all around us were wonderful, the on-again, off-again drizzle took away some of the enjoyment. Oriental Parade would be a perfect people-watching spot on a fine day; one could easily look at the water out towards the open sea as well. And the wind! Boy, was it windy. Chicago has competition; we could understand why Wellington is recorded as the windiest city in the world. We ate dinner at Coene, right by the water. Coene had an Italian-inspired nautical vibe, similar to some of the great seaside restaurants found in San Francisco and in Sydney. The seafood as well as the beef dishes were fantastic as were the broccoli and green beans. No wonder the place was packed.
Wellington reminded me very much of two of our favorite cities, San Francisco and Sydney. The streets and waterfront are delights for strolling. And there are excellent coffee ships throughout the city. Two that we very much enjoyed are Astoria, with its Vienna cafe atmosphere, and Kaffee Eis, with its awesome affogatos.
We have one more day to enjoy this very pretty city, but wish we had planned for more.
Lambton Quay in Central Wellington
Wellington Skyline from Kelburn Cable Car Station
The "Beehive"
Parliamentary Chamber
Parliamentary Library
Homes along Oriental Parade
Wet and Windy Welly
We awoke to more wind and rain, which led us to reshuffle our plans for the day. Out was a morning hike up Mount Victoria for a bird's eye view of the city. We instead tucked in for a breakfast inside the comfort of our hotel before travelling by Uber to Weta Workshop on the Miramar Peninsula on the eastern end of Wellington. Even though we were booked on a 11:20 AM tour, we saw that tickets for earlier slots were still being sold and headed there straight after breakfast. We were able to exchange our tickets for the 9:40 AM tour. The 90-minute tour of the took us around one of the sheds-turned-workshop, where we learned about how props used in the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, and many other movies are created. We had also wanted to visit Weta Cave but it was closed for renovations. After the tour we walked around Miramar for a bit, getting a feel of the place.
From here we travelled by Uber to Zealandia, a sanctuary for New Zealand's native flora and fauna. While it is reported to be home to numerous types of birds including the kiwi, we saw very few birds and none of the national icon. We didn't think the visit was worthwhile, and instead felt like we paid a good bit of money for nothing more than a 2-hour walk in the forest.
We spent the late afternoon wandering around downtown Wellington, doing some shopping, people watching, and coffee drinking. While we were enjoying our coffee, sitting by a window, we eyed one another - the rain stopped and the sky appeared to be less ominous. We checked the forecast and it was supposed to be dry for next few hours albeit still windy. We finished our coffee, dropped off our purchases at our hotel rooms nearby, and hiked up Mount Victoria. The way up took just under an hour, with glimpses of the city skyline throughout the gentle trek up. For those who prefer not to hike, there is at least one city bus, the number 20, that goes to the summit from the city center. At the top we were treated to awesome views of the city, the harbor, and the surrounding hillsides with its gorgeous homes. Oh, how beautiful is Wellington, even in the fog cover.
For dinner, we chose Ortega Fish Shack just below Mount Victoria. The restaurant has an elegant atmosphere and the staff are superb. We ordered green-lipped mussels (hey, we're in New Zealand) and a pan-fried prawn pappardelle for starters and different fish and steak dishes for our mains - simply divine and fitting of a Thanksgiving dinner (Happy Thanksgiving to those back home). Our meal at Ortega was definitely our favorite during our time in Wellington, although Ombra and Coene's were not far behind. If you're a foodie, Wellington is a definite haven. Oh, and let's not forget the coffee.
Photos from atop Mount Victoria:
We awoke to more wind and rain, which led us to reshuffle our plans for the day. Out was a morning hike up Mount Victoria for a bird's eye view of the city. We instead tucked in for a breakfast inside the comfort of our hotel before travelling by Uber to Weta Workshop on the Miramar Peninsula on the eastern end of Wellington. Even though we were booked on a 11:20 AM tour, we saw that tickets for earlier slots were still being sold and headed there straight after breakfast. We were able to exchange our tickets for the 9:40 AM tour. The 90-minute tour of the took us around one of the sheds-turned-workshop, where we learned about how props used in the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, and many other movies are created. We had also wanted to visit Weta Cave but it was closed for renovations. After the tour we walked around Miramar for a bit, getting a feel of the place.
From here we travelled by Uber to Zealandia, a sanctuary for New Zealand's native flora and fauna. While it is reported to be home to numerous types of birds including the kiwi, we saw very few birds and none of the national icon. We didn't think the visit was worthwhile, and instead felt like we paid a good bit of money for nothing more than a 2-hour walk in the forest.
We spent the late afternoon wandering around downtown Wellington, doing some shopping, people watching, and coffee drinking. While we were enjoying our coffee, sitting by a window, we eyed one another - the rain stopped and the sky appeared to be less ominous. We checked the forecast and it was supposed to be dry for next few hours albeit still windy. We finished our coffee, dropped off our purchases at our hotel rooms nearby, and hiked up Mount Victoria. The way up took just under an hour, with glimpses of the city skyline throughout the gentle trek up. For those who prefer not to hike, there is at least one city bus, the number 20, that goes to the summit from the city center. At the top we were treated to awesome views of the city, the harbor, and the surrounding hillsides with its gorgeous homes. Oh, how beautiful is Wellington, even in the fog cover.
For dinner, we chose Ortega Fish Shack just below Mount Victoria. The restaurant has an elegant atmosphere and the staff are superb. We ordered green-lipped mussels (hey, we're in New Zealand) and a pan-fried prawn pappardelle for starters and different fish and steak dishes for our mains - simply divine and fitting of a Thanksgiving dinner (Happy Thanksgiving to those back home). Our meal at Ortega was definitely our favorite during our time in Wellington, although Ombra and Coene's were not far behind. If you're a foodie, Wellington is a definite haven. Oh, and let's not forget the coffee.
Photos from atop Mount Victoria:
To the South We Go
Today we leave Wellington and the North Island for the Marlborough Sounds, at the northern end of the South Island. We travelled via Interislander ferry for the crossing between the two islands. We ate a quick breakfast at one of the three cafes on the ship upon boarding and spent most of our time on the outer deck drinking in the beautiful views. For the first hour we sailed out of Wellington Harbor and west around the North Island coast before crossing windy Cook Strait. About 2.5 hours into the journey we sailed into the entrance of Queen Charlotte Sound. The hourlong trip down the Queen Charlotte Sound was stunning, with green hills and mountains tumbling down into the turquoise blue waters with its many bays and coves. And a bright, sunny day no less. The journey from Wellington to Picton, located at the end of Queen Charlotte Sound, took about 3.5 hours.
Picton is a small town with a main High Street and a picturesque waterfront made for lazy strolls. We ate a casual lunch at Seabreeze, right by the water. The fish burgers were very fresh and delicious as were the green-lipped mussels. From Picton we travelled by water taxi to Torea Bay, from where a hotel shuttle picked us up for the short ride to our home for the next three nights, the Portage Resort, right on the shores of Kenepuru Sound.
We took advantage of the nice weather, dropped our bags in our room, and went for a short stroll along the shores of Kenepuru Sound. The views of the Sound were postcard-perfect. We walked for about 1.5 hours before retiring to our hotel for dinner. We ordered mussels, prawns, and a caprese salad for appetizers and lamb and fish for mains - all amazing. The food here is so, so good. Dinner finished, it's back to our room with glasses of wine watching the sun set over the water the Sound - life could not be better.
Today we leave Wellington and the North Island for the Marlborough Sounds, at the northern end of the South Island. We travelled via Interislander ferry for the crossing between the two islands. We ate a quick breakfast at one of the three cafes on the ship upon boarding and spent most of our time on the outer deck drinking in the beautiful views. For the first hour we sailed out of Wellington Harbor and west around the North Island coast before crossing windy Cook Strait. About 2.5 hours into the journey we sailed into the entrance of Queen Charlotte Sound. The hourlong trip down the Queen Charlotte Sound was stunning, with green hills and mountains tumbling down into the turquoise blue waters with its many bays and coves. And a bright, sunny day no less. The journey from Wellington to Picton, located at the end of Queen Charlotte Sound, took about 3.5 hours.
Picton is a small town with a main High Street and a picturesque waterfront made for lazy strolls. We ate a casual lunch at Seabreeze, right by the water. The fish burgers were very fresh and delicious as were the green-lipped mussels. From Picton we travelled by water taxi to Torea Bay, from where a hotel shuttle picked us up for the short ride to our home for the next three nights, the Portage Resort, right on the shores of Kenepuru Sound.
We took advantage of the nice weather, dropped our bags in our room, and went for a short stroll along the shores of Kenepuru Sound. The views of the Sound were postcard-perfect. We walked for about 1.5 hours before retiring to our hotel for dinner. We ordered mussels, prawns, and a caprese salad for appetizers and lamb and fish for mains - all amazing. The food here is so, so good. Dinner finished, it's back to our room with glasses of wine watching the sun set over the water the Sound - life could not be better.
Wellington Harbor
Entrance of Queen Charlotte Sound
Queen Charlotte Sound
Picton
Torea Bay
The Gap at Kenepuru Sound
Bird (Could someone help identify this?)
Kenepuru Sound
Kenepuru Sound View from Room at Portage Resort
Your bird is a Weka, known for being very friendly.. I look forward to your trip reports every day. As a 6th generation New Zealander I love seeing our country through such appreciative eyes. I have a photo of my great uncle and aunt in Tongariro in about 1900 if you would be interested in seeing it. They were keen fly fishers.
Adelaidean, thank you. We simply love this part of the world, not just New Zealand but also Australia.
jennylong5396, thank you. We saw more wekas today. You are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful country. Would love to see the photo of your great aunt and uncle.
Sounds of Heaven
We woke up to a gorgeous morning, with the sun reflecting off the waters of the Marlborough Sounds just outside our bedroom window. The views at the resort restaurant are equally amazing. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast before setting out on our tramp on the Queen Charlotte Track.
The Queen Charlotte Track is one of New Zealand's great walks and takes about 5 days to complete. Today we set out with the goal of conquering the first section, from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge. We arranged for a private water taxi to take us from Torea Bay down Queen Charlotte Sound to Ship Cove for the start of our day's hike. Ship Cove was visited by Captain James Cook in the 1700s; it was understood that he loved the area so much that he made multiple trips to the area and stayed for seven months total.
From Ship Cove we climbed our way up go Ship Cove Saddle, taking about an hour even though it was signposted at 30 minutes. The ascent was a steeper gradient but nothing too challenging. In fact, none of the track to Furneaux Lodge were challenging. Most of the ascents and descents are gentle. There are a few wet patches from recent rains but nothing that required technical navigation skills. At the saddle we were treated to gorgeous views of Ship Cove as well as Resolution Bay on the other side. Even though we were walking through fern forest for much of the way (hey, we're in New Zealand), we caught glimpses of the Sounds throughout our hike.
From Ship Cove Saddle we descended to Schoolhouse Bay for our first real break. We sat by the picnic table next to the waters, enjoying some snacks and refreshments while drinking in the gorgeous views. Continuing on, we walked around Resolution Bay and up towards Tawa Saddle. Signposted at just under 2 hours, it took us about 3. Once again at Tawa Saddle we were rewarded with awesome views of the Marlborough Sounds, with its azure blue waters and surrounding hills and mountains - true paradise.
From Tawa Saddle, the walk followed Endeavor Inlet over to Furneaux Lodge, located at the end of the inlet. This walk took us 1.5 hours (signposted at 1 hour). Along the way we passed streams and two fairly significant waterfalls, both full from the recent rains. We also took a chance to dip our toes into the crisp, clear waters of the Sound; there are several access points to the water from this section.
Seven and a half hours later, we arrived at Furneaux Lodge, where we spent about half an hour relaxing at its restaurant patio with cups of coffee. Our water taxi was waiting for us at the jetty at Furneaux Lodge, to take us back to our hotel. Midway back while on the water, we saw a group of shags feeding on fish. Moments later, with the help of our captain, we spotted several Dusky Sound dolphins feeding in the water - incredible. What a day it's been.
Maori Pou at the Start of the Queen Charlotte Track at Ship Cove
Ship Cove
Weka near Ship Cove
Resolution Bay from Ship Cove Saddle
Weka at Schoolhouse Bay
Resolution Bay
Tawa Saddle
Endeavor Inlet
Weka at Furneaux Lodge
jennylong5396, thank you. We saw more wekas today. You are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful country. Would love to see the photo of your great aunt and uncle.
Sounds of Heaven
We woke up to a gorgeous morning, with the sun reflecting off the waters of the Marlborough Sounds just outside our bedroom window. The views at the resort restaurant are equally amazing. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast before setting out on our tramp on the Queen Charlotte Track.
The Queen Charlotte Track is one of New Zealand's great walks and takes about 5 days to complete. Today we set out with the goal of conquering the first section, from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge. We arranged for a private water taxi to take us from Torea Bay down Queen Charlotte Sound to Ship Cove for the start of our day's hike. Ship Cove was visited by Captain James Cook in the 1700s; it was understood that he loved the area so much that he made multiple trips to the area and stayed for seven months total.
From Ship Cove we climbed our way up go Ship Cove Saddle, taking about an hour even though it was signposted at 30 minutes. The ascent was a steeper gradient but nothing too challenging. In fact, none of the track to Furneaux Lodge were challenging. Most of the ascents and descents are gentle. There are a few wet patches from recent rains but nothing that required technical navigation skills. At the saddle we were treated to gorgeous views of Ship Cove as well as Resolution Bay on the other side. Even though we were walking through fern forest for much of the way (hey, we're in New Zealand), we caught glimpses of the Sounds throughout our hike.
From Ship Cove Saddle we descended to Schoolhouse Bay for our first real break. We sat by the picnic table next to the waters, enjoying some snacks and refreshments while drinking in the gorgeous views. Continuing on, we walked around Resolution Bay and up towards Tawa Saddle. Signposted at just under 2 hours, it took us about 3. Once again at Tawa Saddle we were rewarded with awesome views of the Marlborough Sounds, with its azure blue waters and surrounding hills and mountains - true paradise.
From Tawa Saddle, the walk followed Endeavor Inlet over to Furneaux Lodge, located at the end of the inlet. This walk took us 1.5 hours (signposted at 1 hour). Along the way we passed streams and two fairly significant waterfalls, both full from the recent rains. We also took a chance to dip our toes into the crisp, clear waters of the Sound; there are several access points to the water from this section.
Seven and a half hours later, we arrived at Furneaux Lodge, where we spent about half an hour relaxing at its restaurant patio with cups of coffee. Our water taxi was waiting for us at the jetty at Furneaux Lodge, to take us back to our hotel. Midway back while on the water, we saw a group of shags feeding on fish. Moments later, with the help of our captain, we spotted several Dusky Sound dolphins feeding in the water - incredible. What a day it's been.
Maori Pou at the Start of the Queen Charlotte Track at Ship Cove
Ship Cove
Weka near Ship Cove
Resolution Bay from Ship Cove Saddle
Weka at Schoolhouse Bay
Resolution Bay
Tawa Saddle
Endeavor Inlet
Weka at Furneaux Lodge
This photo is of my great aunt and uncle (uncle barefooted and smoking lol) on one of their many trips to the Tongariro area.
Tongariro c.1900
Tongariro c.1900
Along for the ride. Love New Zealand, love reading about New Zealand, loving your report. So sorry to learn of your Tongariro experience. I do remember the never ending walk back down and the slide down a steep scree field alongside the Red Crater, but it is definitely on my list of favorite day walks. That said, if it had been raining and I had fallen, it probably would not have made my list.
jennylong5396, such a treasure. Thanks for sharing.
PJTravels, thanks. Don't get us wrong. We were glad to have accomplished the Tongariro Crossing, but once is enough for us.
Nautical Playground
The Marlborough Sounds are made up of multiple sounds, bays, and insets. In addition to the Queen Charlotte Track, there are numerous hikes and walks of all levels throughout. After a day exploring Queen Charlotte Sound, the most well-known within the Marlborough Sounds, today we explored a couple of nooks and crannies of the lesser-visited Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds by water taxi.
We were picked up at the jetty next to our hotel by Dean, the proprietor of Pelorus Sound Water Taxi and Cruises, and set sail for Paradise Bay on Pelorus Sound. From the boat we learned a little bit about the geography and the history of the area before sailing to Four Fathom Bay to visit one of the 700-plus mussel farms of the Sounds. The Marlborough Sounds is famous for its green-lipped mussels. We learned how the mussels were cultivated and picked some up to be cooked for sampling later on the visit. There are about 8 to 10 lines at a farm, and each line are about 5 to 8 kilometers long. The mussels are harvested year-round.
From there we sailed over to Fairy Bay, where we went for a short hike through native bush in the Dillon Bell Reserve to Jacobs Bay. The trail isn't maintained and there were fallen trees from recent rains all along the track. It took about an hour for us to complete the walk. Once back at the boat, Dean prepared some of the mussels that we picked up earlier for tasting.
We then sailed to the small town of Havelock at the head of Pelorus Sound, where we had spent a couple of hours. Havelock was on our itinerary as we wanted to dine at The Mussel Pot, famous for its green-lipped mussels. It was raining pretty hard when we reached Havelock, so we didn't hit up any of the trails in the area. Instead, we spent our time at a nearby coffee shop, did a little shopping at the corner grocery store, and visited the compact but informative town museum. Havelock's first industry was gold, followed by forestry, and now mussel farming and tourism. Havelock is the green-lipped mussel capital of the world.
Dinner was at no place other than at The Mussel Pot. The food was as good as we anticipated. In addition to the obligatory mussels, the fish and chips are among the best we've had on this trip.
It was back to the boat after our very nice dinner. For about an hour we sailed back to Portage, where we enjoyed our final evening in our comfortable digs before continuing onward.
In spite of the rain in the afternoon, we had a very good time on the waters of the Marlborough Sounds and on the lands surrounding it. Dean was a fantastic host and took good care of us throughout the day. We highly recommend Dean, and would happily travel with him again, whether by boat or on land; his wife, Denise, who handles the booking, was super-responsive in answering our questions and tailoring the tour to meet our needs.
Portage Jetty
Paradise Bay
Mussel Farm
Pulling Up a Mussel Line
Fairy Bay
Jacobs Bay
Havelock Marina
PJTravels, thanks. Don't get us wrong. We were glad to have accomplished the Tongariro Crossing, but once is enough for us.
Nautical Playground
The Marlborough Sounds are made up of multiple sounds, bays, and insets. In addition to the Queen Charlotte Track, there are numerous hikes and walks of all levels throughout. After a day exploring Queen Charlotte Sound, the most well-known within the Marlborough Sounds, today we explored a couple of nooks and crannies of the lesser-visited Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds by water taxi.
We were picked up at the jetty next to our hotel by Dean, the proprietor of Pelorus Sound Water Taxi and Cruises, and set sail for Paradise Bay on Pelorus Sound. From the boat we learned a little bit about the geography and the history of the area before sailing to Four Fathom Bay to visit one of the 700-plus mussel farms of the Sounds. The Marlborough Sounds is famous for its green-lipped mussels. We learned how the mussels were cultivated and picked some up to be cooked for sampling later on the visit. There are about 8 to 10 lines at a farm, and each line are about 5 to 8 kilometers long. The mussels are harvested year-round.
From there we sailed over to Fairy Bay, where we went for a short hike through native bush in the Dillon Bell Reserve to Jacobs Bay. The trail isn't maintained and there were fallen trees from recent rains all along the track. It took about an hour for us to complete the walk. Once back at the boat, Dean prepared some of the mussels that we picked up earlier for tasting.
We then sailed to the small town of Havelock at the head of Pelorus Sound, where we had spent a couple of hours. Havelock was on our itinerary as we wanted to dine at The Mussel Pot, famous for its green-lipped mussels. It was raining pretty hard when we reached Havelock, so we didn't hit up any of the trails in the area. Instead, we spent our time at a nearby coffee shop, did a little shopping at the corner grocery store, and visited the compact but informative town museum. Havelock's first industry was gold, followed by forestry, and now mussel farming and tourism. Havelock is the green-lipped mussel capital of the world.
Dinner was at no place other than at The Mussel Pot. The food was as good as we anticipated. In addition to the obligatory mussels, the fish and chips are among the best we've had on this trip.
It was back to the boat after our very nice dinner. For about an hour we sailed back to Portage, where we enjoyed our final evening in our comfortable digs before continuing onward.
In spite of the rain in the afternoon, we had a very good time on the waters of the Marlborough Sounds and on the lands surrounding it. Dean was a fantastic host and took good care of us throughout the day. We highly recommend Dean, and would happily travel with him again, whether by boat or on land; his wife, Denise, who handles the booking, was super-responsive in answering our questions and tailoring the tour to meet our needs.
Portage Jetty
Paradise Bay
Mussel Farm
Pulling Up a Mussel Line
Fairy Bay
Jacobs Bay
Havelock Marina
Wine and Beach
We woke up to a beautiful morning at the Portage Resort. The rain was gone, the wind subsided, and the tapestry of green and blue outside our window beckon us to stay. And stay we wanted, but our next destination awaited us. We could have easily spent a couple more days at the Portage Resort and the lovely Marlborough Sounds.
After another delicious breakfast, we left Portage, winding through the bays and inlets of the Marlborough Sounds and over to Havelock and onto Nelson, the South Island's third largest city. The drive took about 2.5 hours. While we had planned to stop in Nelson for a lookaround, it was already 10:45 AM and we had a wine tasting booked for 11:30 AM, so we continued onwards.
The Nelson Tasman wine region is one of the smaller and lesser-known wine regions of New Zealand. The largest is the Marlborough wine region, near Blenheim, located in the opposite direction of where we headed today. Anyway, we called at Seifried Estate for our first of two winery visits of the day. We tasted six wines, with the Sweet Agnes reisling being our favorite; we bought a couple of bottles for tonight.
From there we continued on to Neudorf Vineyards, further up into the hills away from the Tasman Sea. Neudorf is a beautiful property set in what feels like a country garden. The patio is also gorgeous, with scenic views into the nearby mountains. In addition to a tasting, we enjoyed a picnic lunch out on the patio overlooking the vineyards.
From Neudorf, it was another 30 minutes to Kaiteriteri, passing fruit orchards (apples, apricots, kiwifruit) and other produce farms. Once in Kaiteriteri, we dropped off our bags at our accommodations, the Kaiteriteri Reserve Apartments, freshened up, and went for a low-key walk along Kaiteriteri and Little Kaiteriteri Beaches. Dinner was at the only dining establishment open in the evening in the area, the Beached Whale. The restaurant offers a selection of international fare - something for everyone. The service was slow but the food good.
Back at our apartment, the night is still young. Time to enjoy the bottles of wine we bought earlier today on our terrace overlooking the beach.
Seifried Estate
Neudorf Vineyards
Kaiteriteri Beach
Little Kaiteriteri Beach
We woke up to a beautiful morning at the Portage Resort. The rain was gone, the wind subsided, and the tapestry of green and blue outside our window beckon us to stay. And stay we wanted, but our next destination awaited us. We could have easily spent a couple more days at the Portage Resort and the lovely Marlborough Sounds.
After another delicious breakfast, we left Portage, winding through the bays and inlets of the Marlborough Sounds and over to Havelock and onto Nelson, the South Island's third largest city. The drive took about 2.5 hours. While we had planned to stop in Nelson for a lookaround, it was already 10:45 AM and we had a wine tasting booked for 11:30 AM, so we continued onwards.
The Nelson Tasman wine region is one of the smaller and lesser-known wine regions of New Zealand. The largest is the Marlborough wine region, near Blenheim, located in the opposite direction of where we headed today. Anyway, we called at Seifried Estate for our first of two winery visits of the day. We tasted six wines, with the Sweet Agnes reisling being our favorite; we bought a couple of bottles for tonight.
From there we continued on to Neudorf Vineyards, further up into the hills away from the Tasman Sea. Neudorf is a beautiful property set in what feels like a country garden. The patio is also gorgeous, with scenic views into the nearby mountains. In addition to a tasting, we enjoyed a picnic lunch out on the patio overlooking the vineyards.
From Neudorf, it was another 30 minutes to Kaiteriteri, passing fruit orchards (apples, apricots, kiwifruit) and other produce farms. Once in Kaiteriteri, we dropped off our bags at our accommodations, the Kaiteriteri Reserve Apartments, freshened up, and went for a low-key walk along Kaiteriteri and Little Kaiteriteri Beaches. Dinner was at the only dining establishment open in the evening in the area, the Beached Whale. The restaurant offers a selection of international fare - something for everyone. The service was slow but the food good.
Back at our apartment, the night is still young. Time to enjoy the bottles of wine we bought earlier today on our terrace overlooking the beach.
Seifried Estate
Neudorf Vineyards
Kaiteriteri Beach
Little Kaiteriteri Beach
Sounds like you're enjoying one of my favorite countries. We need to get back. I still have a bottle of Sweet Agnes Riesling tucked away I think. Must go look.
Thanks for taking the time to post.
Thanks for taking the time to post.
The top of the South Island brings back fond memories of our trip there in November 2024. We loved our lunch at The Mussel Pot in Havelock. We were lucky to have a sunny day and were able to enjoy our lunch on their outdoor patio which is decorated with green wooden mussels. I would have enjoyed the boat tour that you did.
Once again I am in awe that you did a 7.5 hour hike! I don’t think I ever hiked for 7.5 hours even in my younger years. Do you do a lot of hiking at home?
I love seeing your photos of Kaiteriteri Beach. We loved that area especially Abel Tasman National Park.
Once again I am in awe that you did a 7.5 hour hike! I don’t think I ever hiked for 7.5 hours even in my younger years. Do you do a lot of hiking at home?
I love seeing your photos of Kaiteriteri Beach. We loved that area especially Abel Tasman National Park.
Melnq8, you're welcome. Good to see you here. New Zealand is wonderful, isn't it? We keep on finding reasons to come back, so much that we're already talking about our next trip here.
KarenWoo, thank you. I definitely took some pointers from your trip report for our Top of the South visit. We don't hike much when at home (not much in terms of elevation in the DC area other than Shenandoah, which is hard to reach without a car), but do take long walks, up to 10 miles.
Coastal Bliss
On our agenda today was Abel Tasman National Park and one of the most if not the most popular great walk in New Zealand. There are a few water taxi operators in the area; we booked with Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles, although I don't recall that there was a particular reason.
Our water taxi departed Kaiteriteri Beach right outside our apartment. We left at 9:00 AM for a 2-hour cruise all the way up to Toturanui, the furthest up the coast the water taxi goes. Along the way we viewed the coastline, went up close to Split Apple Rock (which is much smaller than I had imagined), and saw a few seals bashing on the rocks in the sunshine. From Toturanui, we returned south, stopping at the same points along the way to pick up and drop off passengers.
We departed at Medlands Beach for a 12 kilometer hike to Anchorage Bay. While advertised as the easiest of the great walks, we disagreed and thought Queen Charlotte was easier. The Abel Tasman walk is by no means difficult though and could be done by most able-bodied individuals as the Queen Charlotte. As the Queen Charlotte, most of the walk is through fern forest with walks to sandy beaches along the way. The beaches of Abel Tasman are long, sandy, and golden yellow, and the waters off the beach very clear blue. The signposted 4-hour walk took us just under 5. We were back on the water taxi at 5:15 PM, and were at our hotel by 5:45 PM.
Dinner tonight consisted of salads and pizzas, again at the Beached Whale. Food was again good and service was faster than last night although some of the orders were mixed up; no big deal as they happily fixed it.
Split Apple Rock
Seal Lounging on a Rock
Awaroa Beach
Medlands Beach
View from Abel Tasman Track
Falls River
View from Abel Tasman Track
Weka
Anchorage Bay Beach
Anchorage Bay Beach
KarenWoo, thank you. I definitely took some pointers from your trip report for our Top of the South visit. We don't hike much when at home (not much in terms of elevation in the DC area other than Shenandoah, which is hard to reach without a car), but do take long walks, up to 10 miles.
Coastal Bliss
On our agenda today was Abel Tasman National Park and one of the most if not the most popular great walk in New Zealand. There are a few water taxi operators in the area; we booked with Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles, although I don't recall that there was a particular reason.
Our water taxi departed Kaiteriteri Beach right outside our apartment. We left at 9:00 AM for a 2-hour cruise all the way up to Toturanui, the furthest up the coast the water taxi goes. Along the way we viewed the coastline, went up close to Split Apple Rock (which is much smaller than I had imagined), and saw a few seals bashing on the rocks in the sunshine. From Toturanui, we returned south, stopping at the same points along the way to pick up and drop off passengers.
We departed at Medlands Beach for a 12 kilometer hike to Anchorage Bay. While advertised as the easiest of the great walks, we disagreed and thought Queen Charlotte was easier. The Abel Tasman walk is by no means difficult though and could be done by most able-bodied individuals as the Queen Charlotte. As the Queen Charlotte, most of the walk is through fern forest with walks to sandy beaches along the way. The beaches of Abel Tasman are long, sandy, and golden yellow, and the waters off the beach very clear blue. The signposted 4-hour walk took us just under 5. We were back on the water taxi at 5:15 PM, and were at our hotel by 5:45 PM.
Dinner tonight consisted of salads and pizzas, again at the Beached Whale. Food was again good and service was faster than last night although some of the orders were mixed up; no big deal as they happily fixed it.
Split Apple Rock
Seal Lounging on a Rock
Awaroa Beach
Medlands Beach
View from Abel Tasman Track
Falls River
View from Abel Tasman Track
Weka
Anchorage Bay Beach
Anchorage Bay Beach
Very much enjoying your posts. Those photos of Abel Tasman bring back so many memories. We did the same boat trip but then hiked back along the "great wall" trail to the Kaiteriteri. One of my favorite parts of New Zealand. Your report is tempting me back (but I feel I would have a lot of convincing to do to get my wife to agree a fourth trip!
Quote:
I'm enjoying catching up on your report this morning. You're covering some of the same ground we did a couple of years ago, including staying in the same place in Kaiteriteri. So glad you enjoyed Wellington even with the wind and rain. It was a favorite of ours, as well. Plenty of good restaurants - including one called Mr. Go's, which of course we were obligated to visit.Originally Posted by tripplanner001
And the wind! Boy, was it windy. Chicago has competition; we could understand why Wellington is recorded as the windiest city in the world
Speaking of the wind, did you know that the nickname "The Windy City" is actually more rooted in politics than weather? Back around the time of Chicago's bid for the 1893 Columbian Exposition, rival newspapers in Chicago and New York got into it, with editors calling Chicago politicians "full of hot air." We do have wind, but I don't think we rank among the windiest places.
catch23, thank you. Glad to help you relive some of your pleasant memories. We haven't even left yet and are already thinking about trip #4.
ms_go, happy to see you here. Will have to check out Mr. Go's when we return to Wellington. Yes on the origin of the term Windy City as it applies to Chicago; we were former South Loopers.
ms_go, happy to see you here. Will have to check out Mr. Go's when we return to Wellington. Yes on the origin of the term Windy City as it applies to Chicago; we were former South Loopers.
