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The sunniest place in New Zealand and the heart of New Zealand’s Wine country, I’ve always had a soft spot for Marlborough.

On family road trips in the 70’s we’d stop at the roadside stalls of the Orchards that lined Rapaura Road selling apricots and cherries. As a teenager, competing at Marlborough Rowing Regattas was a highlight of the summer calendar. As a young adult my employer sponsored me to attend the Outward Bound School at Anakiwa, I think they knew before I did that a career in banking wasn’t for me. The list goes on – and now I get to share my love of Marlborough with my clients and readers.

Fast forward 40 years and Rapaura Road is now lined with Vineyards. I don’t row anymore but the lessons learned at Outward Bound are lessons for life. The need to be strong is the chance to be strong; I’m staying strong and looking forward to a day when I can organise holidays and itineraries for travellers to The Land of the Long White Cloud, Aotearoa. This is the first of several posts about the Marlborough Region.

Located at the north eastern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, Marlborough may be best known for producing world class wines but it’s also an outdoor enthusiasts dream with some 1500kms of coastline to explore on foot, by boat or kayak, by bike and by car. Any time of year is a good time to visit Marlborough, but remember New Zealand is a group of islands, go prepared! The weather can be unpredictable as you’ll see from the photo taken at Lochmara Lodge on the Queen Charlotte Track. Even when it’s cold and wet, ending the day with a Marlborough Pinot and New Zealand lamb dinner is a good day!

Being in the ‘middle’ of New Zealand makes Marlborough easily accessible by Ferry across the Cook Strait from Wellington, aboard the Coastal Express Train along the South Island’s East Coast from Christchurch or you can fly into Blenheim, the main town in the Marlborough region.

How to get to Marlborough

If you’re on a road trip, there are three roads leading to Marlborough; State Highway 63 from the West Coast, State Highway 6 from Nelson or State Highway 1 up the East Coast from Christchurch.

What to do once you get there? There’s wine, food, hiking, kayaking and so much more – see my Marlborough’s Brilliant blog – part 2.

I’m a Kiwi Melbournian, born in NZ, currently living in Melbourne. As a New Zealand Tourism accredited Gold Specialist Travel Consultant, I know New Zealand well. I invite you to get in touch to ensure your New Zealand holiday is the best it can be.