Paradise found in Sounds

The outrageously translucent turquoise water lightly massages the soft, sparkling sand as it moves languidly back and forth. You hear the gentle 'swish' as each wave dissolves into the sand. Your heart flutters when the sound of a bellbird, mimicking an angel singing, is carried on the still air. There is a disturbance on the water's surface a few feet away when a dolphin pops its head out to see you.

You now inhale the sweet scent of the dense bush which invigorates your senses. You stand, transfixed, staring at the sky. You smile as you marvel at the red streaks merging with the deep blue of the sky as the sun retires for another day in this place of wonder and magic. You are left in a silence which speaks to the deepest part of you. You love being here.

Tranquil bay

When the great English explorer and navigator, James Cook, sailed into a tranquil bay at the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island in 1770, he thought he had reached paradise.

Cook dropped anchor in the calm, clear water of the small bay and his ship was soon surrounded by curious dolphins and penguins. His crew feasted on a staggering variety of fish which abounded in the sea. Cook revisited this magical retreat five times until his last visit in 1777.

Astounding as it may seem, Ship Cove is the same today. It is part of a network of drowned valleys which contain 4,000km of islands and peninsulas. The Marlborough Sounds continue to stagger the visitor with the sheer beauty of their steep, wooded hills and small, quiet bays. It is a sparsely populated area with many of the small settlements and isolated houses only accessible by boat.

Living in the Middle East, with sun-bleached skies and yellow, sandy ground, it would seem the Sounds are on another planet.

The main port in the Sounds is Picton. It has a population of 4,000 and lies at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound. This peaceful little town, created by European sealers in the 1840s, is the terminus for the South Island main railway and road systems, and is also the port for the inter-island ferry.

The two other main waterways in the Marlborough Sounds are Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds. Fur seals are common here and it is also possible to see magnificent orca whales.

Aquatic life

Here, it is common to see pods of dusky, bottlenose and, occasionally, the rare Hector's dolphins accompanying the boats.

Pelorus Jack was a dolphin which made this area its home. In 1904, it became the first 'fish' in the world to be protected by law. This dolphin became famous as a 'guide' in French Pass, an unpredictable stretch of water at the approaches to the Marlborough Sounds. It escorted ships through these treacherous waters from 1888 until it disappeared in April 1912.

It was fond of steamers, and crew would wait for it to appear before sailing through the pass. Its loss caused an outpouring of grief throughout New Zealand.

Only 400 people live in Havelock, the other settlement in the Sounds. It is known as the Greenshell Mussel Capital of the world.

But a better claim to fame surely is that Lord Rutherford (the man who helped split the atom, opening up the nuclear age) and Dr William Pickering (the developer of the first American satellite) went to school in this tiny fishing settlement.

Walk in beauty

It is not just the waterways that make this place so special. The award-winning Queen Charlotte Track winds its way through 12km of beautiful native forest. It was created by European pioneers in the mid 1800s as a bridal track. It is named after the wife of King George the Third (of England).

As you pause to watch a sparkling drop of rain make its way to the very tip of an intricate frond of the native fern, you might wonder why this exquisite symbol of nature's craftwork is not on the New Zealand flag, as has been suggested.

You may have similar thoughts when you stop to watch a cheeky fantail flip open its tail in excitement. The friendly bush robin and weka will also be there to keep you company and remind you how special this place is.

There is accommodation in the Sounds. The Portage Hotel faces a quiet bay in Kenepuru Sound. This, like the scattering of other accommodations in the Sounds, is no swanky Dubai-style hotel. It has been there for a hundred years and is comfortable and inviting.

Picture perfect

This hotel is accessible by road. Motorists are rewarded with picture-postcard views at every corner. The view up the Sounds from the hotel is claimed to be one of the most memorable from any hotel in the world. It has to be seen to be appreciated. The isolation, stillness and natural beauty, all work to touch your heart and set it free.

D'Urville Island, at the very tip of the Sounds, is surrounded by temperamental seas, which have been a challenge to sailors for centuries. It is still a challenge — a contrast from the waters in the Sounds themselves — but it serves to keep boatmen on their guard.

Growing green

It rains a bit and the summer temperatures are similar to a Dubai winter. But this is what makes the place so verdant. This is why there are so many shades of green in the trees and so many beautiful shades of blue in the sea.

It is a mystery as to why this magical place, only a 15-minute flight from the capital of a country with a highly developed tourist industry, should be so under commercialised.

Here nature has created the perfect blend of forest, water and hills. To scar it with man-made edifices would be doomed to failure. Nature has the final say here. Of course, this is a wonderful thing. There are no fast-food outlets, billboards, traffic lights, or convoys of tour buses to taint this precious jewel in New Zealand's world-famous scenic crown.

The magic is still here as nature had designed it. Man is but a small insect who can only marvel at the pristine beauty of a place which helps the soul soar and the mind rest.

— Ceidrik Heward is a New Zealand-based freelance writer

Go there...Marlborough Sounds

From the UAE
From Dubai: The closest airports to Marlborough Sounds is Wellington (35min by air) and Christchurch (50min by air)
Emirates-Air New Zealand fly five times a week to Wellington via Christchurch. Fare: Dh6,230
Emirates flies daily to Christchurch. Fare: Dh5,160

From Abu Dhabi: Singapore Airlines flies three times a week to Christchurch via Singapore. Fare: Dh3,100
(All fares exclusive of taxes)

— Information courtesy: MMI Travel