South of the South Island of New Zealand, and an hour away by ferry from the town of Bluff south of Invercargill, lies the country’s third largest island: Stewart Island.
Part of the scenic New Zealand Southland region, Stewart Island is a land of forests, sheltered coves close to open seas, white sand beaches, unique wildlife, and the serenity and splendor of Nature. It is, too, an island which evokes among its visitors a heightened spirit of adventure.
From kayaking in the seas to walking the kilometres of forest tracks, Stewart Island offers an intimate communion with Nature, its cliffs and crags and heavy bushland, and the flora and fauna found in countless varieties on this southern island.
If you visit Stewart Island on a day trip, you’re bound to miss much of what the island offers. It’s best to plan a longer stay.
Water activities
Kayakers, for instance, will revel in the kilometres of sheltered waterways waiting to be explored.
There are scenic, fishing and diving trips from the town of Oban with Halfmoon Bay and Golden Bay on either side of town.
Clear waters make diving and snorkeling pleasurable activities.
There are glass-bottomed boats, too, for viewing what lies beneath the waves; and there are cruises of various kinds as well as water taxis to take you to mussel or salmon farms or wherever else you may prefer to go.
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- Photo courtesy of Tourism Southland, New Zealand
