Governors Bay beach, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

Governors Bay, Marlborough Sounds

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Last Updated on May 13, 2020 by Jon Algie

Last year we had a calendar on our wall featuring scenic New Zealand spots. The month of December was dedicated to Governors Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. After looking at a photo of it every day for a month we knew we had to go there. Luckily it’s very easy to find — it’s a short drive from Picton on the road towards Nelson. You see the best view right from the car park but it’s worth heading down to sea level to see the beach.

The Viewpoint above Governors Bay

The viewpoint above Governors Bay would be so much more impressive if they cut a few trees down. It’s still a great view though and the small car park is right by the main road. There aren’t that many places to pull over on this road so I’d recommend taking every chance to do so. Be careful though as sometimes the roadside car parks are close to almost blind corners.

Governors Bay, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

The Beach

It takes around five minutes to walk down to the beach at Governors Bay. It’s a very thin wedge of sand fronted by clear blue water and backed by trees. It seems to be a popular place to park up your yacht and do some beach-side relaxing. There’s a public toilet down there and a few patches of grass where you can sit. We tried to walk further around the beach but were stopped by the narrow beach and thick trees. You might be able to get further round when the tide is lower.

READ MORE: 12 of the Best Things to Do in Picton

Governors Bay Beach, Marlborough Sounds, New ZealandBeach at Governors Bay, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

Getting to Governors Bay

Governors Bay is around 15 minutes from Picton. This stretch of road, known as Queen Charlotte Drive, features some great views of the sound and the green hills surrounding it. It has a reputation as one of New Zealand’s nicest roads, but there are a couple of drives (to Titirangi Bay and French Pass) which are even better. It’s worth spending at least a couple of days in the area but a lot of people tend to be in a hurry to reach Nelson. Check out my other Marlborough Sounds posts if you need more convincing to spend longer in the region!

READ MORE: 17 of the Best Things to Do in Nelson

Viewpoint on the Queen Charlotte Drive, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

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Jon Algie

I'm a South Island local -- born in Timaru and raised in Dunedin. I left the island in 2006 and returned 10 years later. Having seen a good chunk of the world I realised how special this place is -- the most beautiful island in the world! Seven years (and almost 400 posts) later I'm still helping locals and tourists alike plan their trips around the South Island.