Visit an island sanctuary

When Captain James Cook first dropped anchor in New Zealand, the native birds’ dawn chorus was described as “deafening”. There’s no muting the native birdsong on Motuara Island, a DOC-run bird sanctuary that has been pest-free since the 1990s. Located at the north entrance of Queen Charlotte Sound, it can be toured in less than a few hours, including a stop at the bird-viewing station and an 800-metre (one-way) jaunt via several lookouts to the highest point of the island. GETTING THERE: Several operators run cruises and tours departing from Picton, including Beachcomber Cruises, Cougar Line and E-ko Wildlife Tours (e-ko.nz) — the latter offering a cruise that includes afternoon dolphin-watching.