Marlborough

This region is in the northeast of the South Island and its largest city is called Blenheim. Marlborough is famous for its Sauvignon Blanc wine and picturesque Sounds.  The climate is described as dry and this region has one of the country’s highest sunshine hours per year. 

In the south are the northern ends of the Southern Alps where skiing can be enjoyed during winter, there are also beautiful lakes, to be enjoyed over summer doing many water sports.  The area has fertile soils and temperate weather which is ideal for growing grapes.  The Marlborough sounds are a mecca for divers with much seafood and many wrecks to dive on, not least of which is the Russian cruise ship Mikhail Lermontov. The Sounds are very picturesque and there are a multitude of campsites, huts and tramping tracks to enjoy them. Down the east coast further is the small seaside settlement of Kaikoura where you can get up close with Whales, Seals, Dolphins and Albatross