One of the many great things about living on the top of the New Zealand's South Island is being able to drive to nearby towns that could fortunately make you feel like you're a world away from everything.
I ventured for the second time into the Kenepuru Sound, which is situated just parallel to the largest Marlborough sound, the Queen Charlotte Sound. It took me around two hours to drive from Nelson, where I am currently based, to this lovely Kiwi holiday destination.
I did not have anything in mind, just had a rough idea on what to do on my four days off. So I drove to Kenepuru with the main intent of camping there for the night and deciding which activities I could do for the next days. So here is a list of 5 things that you could do if in case you find yourself in this part of the Marlborough Sounds.
- Go Camping
Although there are a few types of accommodations in the area as it is connected to some parts of the Queen Charlotte Track, I believe camping is the best way to truly experience an authentic Kiwi holiday.
From opting to stay at a backpackers or holiday homes, which are mostly targeted to trampers doing the Queen Charlotte Track, to glamping it up at private resorts, such as that found on Mistletoe Bay, there's also a cheaper option of staying the night at Department of Conversation (DOC) campsites. Examples of these are Cowshed Bay and Kenepuru Head Campsites, both of which impressively have flushed toilets and bigger camping spaces.
However, I opted to stay at Nikau Cove, which is located right next to Picnic Bay Campsite. Although there are only a long-drop toilet and six nonpowered sites here, the three sweet, waterfront sites will make you feel like you've made the right decision to choose this bay for the night.
2. Water Activities
If you own a kayak or even a simple paddleboard, then the Sounds is a perfect place to explore one secret beach to another. The coves are protected from the wind most of the time, hence paddling about without worrying too much about the waves is one of the recommended activities here.
Moreover, you could opt to grab a fresh dinner by going fishing or finding shells. Havelock, which is the nearest town to Kenepuru, is known as the Mussel Capital of New Zealand, so catching mussels here is definitely recommended.
3. Go Hiking
Since it is so close to the Queen Charlotte Track, you could opt to do day hikes by starting at places like Mistletoe Bay or Cowshed Campsite. In addition to this, you could opt to drive further down Titirangi Road and do Mt. Stoke, which is the highest peak in this area. This 5-hour climb will lead you to gorgeous views of the sounds.
4. Roadtrip
The Kenepuru Sounds is composed of 25-kilometre long, winding road, so finding gorgeous spots, such as that nicely offered by Sandy Bay, will require you to go for a further drive down the road. If you go left from the main road to Kenepuru Road, the Ohauparuparu Bay is a nice spot for freedom camping, though only self-contained vehicles are allowed to park here overnight.
5. Biking
Weather you choose to go biking along the Queen Charlotte Track or opt for the easier cycling opportunity on the main road, you'll never go wrong with the delightful views you'll find along the way.
Overall, I have enjoyed staying at the Kenepuru Sounds. I wish I could stay here longer as it is one of the quietest and least touristy places in this part of the South Island. It might get a bit busy over the holidays or even in summer due to its proximity to the Queen Charlotte Track, but I haven't seen it get to crazy busy levels like that of Queenstown and the like.
