Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc country at the top of the South Island, with the Wairau vineyards around Blenheim and the inlets of the Sounds half an hour north.
- Arrival
- Marlborough (Woodbourne) · BHE
- To the town
- About 8 km west of Blenheim
- Private jets
- At Woodbourne, 06:00 to 21:00
- Best time
- October to April
The city
Vines in the valley, boats in the Sounds.
Marlborough sits at the geographic centre of New Zealand. Around Blenheim and Renwick, the Wairau valley is laid out in vineyards, the source of the Sauvignon Blanc that made the region's name, and more than thirty wineries near the town open their doors for tastings. North, beyond Picton, the land breaks into the Marlborough Sounds, where some lodges can be reached only by water.
Nelson and Marlborough are among the sunniest places in the country, and Blenheim records more than 2,500 hours of sun a year. Spring, summer and harvest, October to April, bring afternoons of 18 to 23 °C and little rain. Winter is cool, with highs of 13 or 14 °C.
- Wairau valley Vineyards from Blenheim to Renwick and beyond, with cellar doors, tastings and lunch at the wineries.
- Queen Charlotte Track A walking and cycling trail through the Sounds, above the inlets north of Picton.
- Omaka The vintage aerodrome south of Blenheim, home to the Classic Fighters airshow every other year.
Arriving
Woodbourne, where the Southern Cross took off.
Marlborough Airport, at Woodbourne west of Blenheim, shares its site with an air force base. Kingsford Smith's Southern Cross left from here in 1928 to fly back across the Tasman.
- Auckland 1 h 00
- Sydney 3 h 10
- Brisbane 3 h 30
- Singapore 11 h 15 long-range jet
- Los Angeles 14 h 15 long-range jet
When to go
October to April.
Dry and bright by New Zealand standards, with about 640 mm of rain a year. From October to April highs reach 18 to 23 °C. Winters are cool, with June and July the wettest months.
- 23° J 43
- 23° F 45
- 22° M 39
- 19° A 54
- 17° M 57
- 14° J 69
- 13° J 64
- 14° A 58
- 16° S 54
- 18° O 57
- 20° N 49
- 22° D 50
Where to stay
In Blenheim, and by boat in the Sounds.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
Where to dine
Where to book among the vines.
The MICHELIN Guide New Zealand does not yet cover Marlborough. Three of these restaurants are in the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2026; the fourth is the lodge restaurant at Bay of Many Coves.
- Arbour Cuisine Good Food Guide 2026, 2 hats Set menu $$$$ Renwick, about 11 km west of Blenheim
- Harvest Cuisine Good Food Guide 2026, 1 hat Seasonal $$$ Rapaura Road, about 9 km north-west
- Saku at Cloudy Bay Cuisine Good Food Guide 2026 Japanese Cloudy Bay, Jacksons Road, about 8 km west
- The Foredeck Signature restaurant, Bay of Many Coves New Zealand Bay of Many Coves, by boat from Picton
Elsewhere in New Zealand
More reasons to come.
- Auckland Two harbours, a skyline of volcanic cones, and yachts everywhere.
- Bay of Islands Sheltered coves, dolphins and the treaty grounds of Waitangi.
- Hawke's Bay Art Deco Napier and the wineries around it.
- Queenstown Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, and a runway between mountains.
- Milford Sound A fiord of waterfalls, reached by road, boat or small plane.
Flying to Marlborough?
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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.