Top Things to See
Marlborough covers a reasonably large area, within which are a number of small towns that offer visitors some great opportunities for exploring. Blenheim is the largest urban development in the region and consequently offers the best selection of manmade sights. The ultimate sightseeing experience is, however, provided by the awesome Marlborough sounds, an area where land and water meet and provide awe-inspiring natural views.
 Blenheim
Located on the Taylor and Opawa rivers, Blenheim is the largest city in Marlborough and the most populous with permanent resident figures reaching around 35,000. The city has plenty to keep visitors occupied with wineries such as the Whitehaven Winery and Huia Vineyards as well as the Marlborough Provincial Museum, Millennium Public Art Gallery, Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, the formal gardens at Seymour square and some beautiful rose and camellia displays at Pollard park.
 Havelock
Situated at the confluence of the Pelorus and Kaiuma rivers, Havelock is a scenic coastal town which boasts the self-appointed title of ‘green-lipped mussel capital of the world’. A walk around the town gives visitors sights of picturesque old colonial buildings, many of which now house restaurants, boutiques and small galleries. There is a small museum also in the town, plus a marina at which you can fish or take boat trips.
 Kaikoura
The seaside location of Kaikoura lies midway between Blenheim and Christchurch and is famed for its excellent seafood. Visitors flock here for the chance to see the wide selection of wildlife species which frequent the waters. Among the creatures evident are dolphins, fur seals and sperm, humpback and blue whales. There is also an abundance of birds to see, including various types of shearwater, petrels and albatrosses.
 Marlborough Sounds
There is no doubt that the Marlborough sounds are the highlight of the region’s sightseeing attractions. For many visitors, they make the top spot of their touring itineraries. Split into two main waterways, Queen Charlotte Sound is popularly considered the most scenic sound. Pelorous Sound, at the base of which Havelock sits, is considered the more remote of the two with its untouched, undeveloped nature being appealing to many. The native forest areas of the Perolous are reachable by boat only and there are some good chances to view wildlife that isn’t present in the more developed Queen Charlotte Sound.
 Picton
Picton is the main town providing access to the sounds and is a scenic little seaside destination constructed around a sheltered harbour. This charming hub features a pretty seafront, along which are some charming cafés, restaurants and galleries as well as an aquarium and a floating museum.
Seddon
For some real small-town ambience, visit Seddon, located close to the mouth of the Awatere river. The town, which is named after Richard John Seddon, New Zealand’s prime minister from 1883 to 1906, is surrounded by pretty vineyards and offers easy access to the Marlborough sounds.
Top Things to Do
 Do the Queen Charlotte drive. If you rent a car, you can discover the famous Queen Charlotte drive, a popular route to Havelock and Nelson that takes in some of the best sights of the Marlborough sounds. Follow the road through bush and forestland and stop periodically to enjoy some of the views from the best vantage points of the inner Queen Charlotte and Pelorus sounds.
Swim with the seals and dolphins in Marlborough Sounds Marine Park. For many visitors this is a once in a lifetime experience. Tour operators provide boat trips to key destinations where common, bottlenose, dusky, and orca dolphins are known to congregate on their migration through the French pass and to Stephen’s Island, where a colony of fur seals are permanently resident.
 Take a Marlborough wine tour. Since Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine growing region, few visitors spend any amount of time here without checking out at least one or two wineries. If want to be sure you get to see the best wineries set among the 9,000 hectares of land dedicated to grape growing, then it’s a good idea to take an organised tour. There are a number of companies offering this service including the aptly named Marlborough Wine Tours.
 Take the greenshell mussel cruise. Havelock is famous for its greenshell mussels and visitors can get first-hand experience of the local industry on tours which depart from the marina during the summer season. Tours take in the awesome sights of the inner Pelorus and Kenepuru sounds with information about the area provided by guides. The highlight of the tour is a trip to a genuine mussel farm where after learning about farming techniques, visitors can enjoy steamed mussels and a glass of fine local wine.
 Walk the Queen Charlotte track. The alternative to driving, if you are the energetic outdoor type, is to walk the Queen Charlotte track, a trip of up to four days if you intend on covering its length. You can do this alone or through a local tour operator, with the latter option meaning your luggage will be taken by boat every morning to your next accommodation.
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