The Marlborough Sounds are a maze of drowned river valleys, deep inlets, peninsulas and small islands at the north end of the South Island. They take in roughly 4,000 km of coastline — about a fifth of all coastline in New Zealand — and are split into three main sounds: Queen Charlotte (the easternmost and busiest, where Picton sits), Kenepuru in the middle, and Pelorus to the west.
Most of the Sounds are inaccessible by road. The standard way to see them is by water taxi or scheduled launch from Picton, with most operators offering combinations of walking on the Queen Charlotte Track, kayaking in sheltered bays, and visits to private lodges or wineries built on isolated bays. Several DOC walking and camping huts are dotted along the coastline. The water is cold but clear, and the bird life — particularly in the predator-controlled sanctuaries like Motuara Island — can be spectacular.