Stewart Island is a magical place.
But often travelers place it in the “Too Hard Basket”. Foveaux Straits has a turbulent reputation to say the least. And while it can be rough, most crossings are excellent. You have the option of ferry (1 hour from Bluff, which is 30 minutes beyond Invercargill) or flying … a very scenic 20 minute flight.
Islander over the Island
Our guests at Sails Ashore and Kowhai Lane enjoy a 10% discount off the standard airfare, giving a difference, if having to take the shuttle to Bluff for the ferry, by the time you return to Invercargill the last time we checked the plane is just $7 more than the ferry !!
Don’t scrimp on your time on the Island !!
It really is worth two nights minimum, and we would really suggest that if planning to leave on the last plane or boat… 1700 & 1800 respectively, that you actually do another night, and leave first thing in the morning. Why ????… Well, if you leave late afternoon, you may have to look after your luggage all day , as your host will want to service your room, and by the time you get to Invercargill, it will be too late to travel anywhere. So you will be looking for a bed in a city. Much nicer to enjoy that last evening on the
Sunset from Observation Rock
Island, depart on the morning service, and be traveling onward at 0900. And for a last memorable last evening, get a yummy Gourmet Dinner Hamper from Just Cafe or some of the Kai Carts wonderful blue cod and chips, a bottle of wine, a couple of plastic cups (important !!), go up to Observation Rock and watch the sun set over Paterson Inlet and Mt Rakeahua….. magical.
