Picton, New Zealand Travel Blogs

Crossing the Cook Strait
Apr 28, 2007

... of Shoreline. That should give you an idea of how much fun it is driving along one of them. As we were back in Picton on Friday, we decided to change our ferry to Saturday afternoon, as the bad weather was affecting anything that could be done. We had ...

5 Star Luxury!
Nov 15, 2005 (11 photos)

... be even tougher on the old legs! The water taxi took us across the water to Mahana Lodge - one of my favourite backpackers in New Zealand. It was busier than on my previous visit when I had the place to myself, but the view was just as impressive. We ...

Queen Charlotte Track, South Island
Apr 7, 2007 (29 photos)

I wake up early to catch the 8am ferry ride from the lovely New Zealand capitol of Wellington, to the picturesque town of Picton. A 3 hour journey across beautiful Cook Strait and I am in magnificent Marlborough Sound. This is a splendid area at the tip ...

Picton
Apr 1, 2007 (8 photos)

... by lush green hills and islands. We spent the hour on the deck enjoying the view and the warm sun. We arrived into Picton, checked into our hostel, ate chip-shop chips looking out over the Sounds (and surrounded by seagulls after we misguidedly fed the ...

the chu chu train is coming
Jan 3, 2007 (49 photos)

... her stitches; poor baby, chuck bags in Big Fella and we are off to the train station where we will catch the train to Picton, then jump on a ferry to Wellington where we will spend tonight.   None of us are in to long drawn our goodbyes and I'm ...

The trip over
Feb 22, 2005 (2 photos)

... they are two completely different Islands, sounds stupid I know but I really didn't appreciate how far apart they really are. We landed in Picton, a very sweet little town and found our bus; I was back on the road again. But not for long. I was going to ...

Everything you know is wrong...
Feb 13, 2005

... roads, with the occassional passing lane - motorways are limited to the big cities! Buller Gorge has the longest swingbridge in New Zealand, and I was persuaded to take the "Superman" option to return. The walk across was nice enough - looking down on ...

Going North
Feb 24, 2005

24th February 2005 Drive to Picton, on the scenic coastal road, and return the car (yet again!) to catch the ferry to Wellington - again a smooth ferry, and pick up yet another rental car, this time an estate Subaru Pulsar - a bit battered, but had some ...

Gateway to North Island
Apr 26, 2007

Picton is the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds and to the North Island. When we arrived late afternoon we decided to go and book our ferry for the North Island. There are 2 many Ferry's that sail the Cook Strait to Wellington. We ended up booking the ...

Abel Tasman to Picton
Aug 1, 2005 (5 photos)

... of the Abel Tasman national park. We could have taken the 5 day trek but decided against it. We came across the classic silver New Zealand fern, apparently used by Maori's to find their way home, and also found some lovely beaches on the way. We then ...

RUBBER AND BLUBBER.......
Jan 18, 2003 (40 photos)

... with for donning wet rubber. As well as all these PHOTOS we have added a lot more to the LAST UPDATE so check them out. On New Years Day we got up at 6am (ouch) to go and walk the "Grand Traverse" (a combination of the Greenstone and Routeburn tracks). ...

Picton the journey back north
May 2, 2005 (3 photos)

... up to Picton, so that we could get the ferry back to the North island. We stopped a few times on the way and arrived at Picton with enough time to check in our luggage and grab some lunch. Luckily there was a Subway near by. Back on the ferry again and ...

Driving to the Marlborough Sounds
Jan 21, 2008 (4 photos)

We took the scenic route to Picton, driving along Queen Charlotte Drive.   The part from Havelock had scenic views of the Marlborough Sounds from time to time.  There were also lots of views of logged mountains, which wasn't so nice.  We ...

Entering the Marlborough Sounds
Jun 22, 2005 (4 photos)

... than the North Island. Picton itself is a very picturesque little town, surrounded by the kind of scenery that drew me to New Zealand in the first place. Amazingly for winter time, it was actually quite warm - a perfect day. Therefore I immediately ...

Clearance
Feb 19, 2007 (8 photos)

... Picton was. That said I only passed through it briefly the last time. Like the other backpacker bus networks that operate around New Zealand, the Stray bus whisks you away to your next destination the minute you step off the ferry. So to arrive here ...

Finally leaving Wellington!
Oct 12, 2005 (10 photos)

... the Marlborough sounds, but I was a little too tired to fully appreciate it. After about 3hours, the ferry arrived in Picton - such a small place! It felt absolutely tiny after Wellington. On our walk to the hostel, there was even shrubs blowing around ...

Shame about the weather
May 21, 2006 (3 photos)

... behind us - lovely spot and were joined by a couple of surfers and dog walkers. Rain gets heavier so decide to drive to Picton to see if the weather is better there and Marlborough Sounds - is even worse so have fish and chips in the harbour and then ...

Picton - Gateway to the Marlborough Sounds
Dec 3, 2006 (3 photos)

... was exactly like carnivals at home in the olden days, unfortunatley we dont seem to have them anymore but oh yes they do here in New Zealand. It was fun to watch, but a bit bizzare watching a Christmas Parade in the heat!! They even have all the same songs ...

Picton
Jun 14, 2005 (1 photos)

... weather had other ideas. It rained all day so we drove around Picton town centre, then drove to Blenheim before coming back to Picton again to have a late lunch. It was the most pointless day we have had in our travels but at least we saved some money. ...

Villa Life
Jul 1, 2009

... the Rings tours, all I could think of was that it looked like the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor. By the time we got to Picton, the Intercity buses weren't running, so I had to stay a night there. I'm very glad I did. I stayed at The Villa Backpackers Lodge ...

Goodbye South island
Sep 24, 2006 (5 photos)

Up early and on the ferry. Four men, and a hell of a lot of gear. . See pictures. .

Goodbye north island, hello south island
Mar 23, 2006 (6 photos)

I've crossed over - literally. Yesterday morning, I crossed the Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton, leaving New Zealand's north island behind to continue my travels in the south island. The ferry crossing took about three hours and it was choppy, ...

Forgot to tell you about our day at the ...
Oct 29, 2002

... they restored after it had been in the mud for forty years! Next we headed for Palmerston North for the national rugby museum for New Zealand - we couldn't not go could we?! It was a strange old place, not close to anything much and very small. An old ...

What a view
Jun 7, 2006

Blurb & Video to follow, when we return to Blighty and proper broadband!

I can't stop moving
Mar 5, 2005

... -kayaking is great fun in the ocean waves. We had double-kayaks which were extremely buoyant. From Nelson I headed to Picton to visit Marlborough Sounds which reminded me of a Musoka lake with many mountainous islands, however these waters were salty. I ...

Picton
Sep 14, 2003 (2 photos)

Day 221 - 222 - Fox - Picton Another long drive and we made it to the gateway to New Zealand's North Island, Picton. The drive took in South Island's notoriously wet and rugged west coast and it did{t disappoint on either front. The rain was never far ...

Picton Ferry Crossing
Apr 21, 2007

This is where we crossed on the ferry. I included this entry for Map Pin purposes only. Love Jose and Andrea

We are Travellers
Mar 12, 2003 (9 photos)

I was feeling a little normal the other day...when it occured to me that I was surrounded by amazing people on amazing journeys. I forgot how extraordinary this whole experience is. Shame on me. SO I wrote this for everyone who has ever had the courage to ...

The ferry and Picton
Dec 3, 2007 (10 photos)

... was very nice. The course of the ferry go through the sounds and give you sites on amazing little bays and coves. We arrived to Picton and went to the Atlantis backpackers. A mistake, don't do that, it's not a nice place. Thanks to Anna for the pictures ...

Meeting up with Dave in Picton
Mar 19, 2007

!