Upper South Island and the West Coast

Upper South Island and the West Coast Travel Guide

The top half of the South Island is a fair introduction to the contrasts of New Zealand's less populated island. The Marlborough province occupies the northeast corner, where the inlets of Marlborough Sounds flow around verdant peninsulas and sandy coves. Marlborough is now the largest wine-growing region in New Zealand, with more than 7,200 acres of vineyards. It's a relatively dry and beautifully sunny area, and in summer the inland plains look something like the American West, with mountains rising out of grassy flats. Throughout Upper South Island, you'll notice commercial foresting of the hills -- Californian Pinus radiata (Monterey pine) mature rapidly in New Zealand soil. Their 25-year harvest cycle is one of the shortest in the world, a fact duly noted by Japanese lumber concerns.

The northwest corner of the island, the Nelson region, is a sporting paradise with a mild climate that allows a year-round array of outdoor activities. Sun-drenched Nelson, a lively town with fine restaurants and a vibrant network of artists and craftspeople, is the gateway to an area surrounded by great national parks and hiking tracks (trails). Abel Tasman National Park, to the west of the city, is ringed with spectacularly blue waters studded with craggy rocks; these outcroppings guard coves and sands that are the stuff of dreams. To the southwest is Kahurangi National Park, home of the Heaphy Track, one of the world's great walks, while Nelson Lakes National Park lies to the south.

After the gentler climate of Marlborough and Nelson, the wild grandeur of the West Coast comes as a surprise. This is Mother Nature with her hair down, flaying the coastline with huge seas and drenching rains and littering its beaches with pieces of bleached driftwood. When it rains, you'll feel like you're inside a fishbowl; then the sun bursts out, and you'd swear you're in paradise. (With such changeable weather, it's essential to check local conditions before heading out for an excursion.) It's a country that has created a special breed of people, and the rough-hewn and powerfully independent locals -- known to the rest of the country as Coasters -- occupy a special place in New Zealand folklore.

Photo: Ian Trafford/Tourism New Zealand