This island in Paterson Inlet is free of rats, making it a haven for bird life including 70 species found nowhere else on earth.
Ulva Island is a popular day trip and it can be reached either by kayak, water taxi or by a tour. Aihe Eco Charters & Water Taxi and Rakiura Charters & Water Taxi can take you to the island, although the Ulva Island ferry is usually a little cheaper. Both the water taxis and the Ulva Island ferry depart from the Golden Bay Wharf.
Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience and Ulva’s Guided Walks operate day tours to Ulva Island.
Despite over 20,000 kiwis on the island, it can be very difficult to spot one of them in the wild. Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience run very good, but expensive, kiwi spotting trips that cost $695–825 for an overnight trip or $1200 for a two-night trip.
Stewart Island Experience has regular ferry services linking Bluff with Halfmoon Bay on Stewart Island/Rakiura.
The ferry terminal is just a short walk to Oban’s village centre.
Stewart Island Flights operate flights between Invercargill and Stewart Island. The flight includes transport between Stewart Island’s Ryan’s Creek Aerodrome (SZS) and the township of Oban on Halfmoon Bay. The airport shuttle departs from the post office on Elgin Terrace in Oban.
Stewart Island Experience operate a ferry service across the Foveaux Strait between Bluff and Oban (Halfmoon Bay) on Stewart Island (Rakiura). The ferry crossing takes one hour.
The Bluff ferry terminal is on Foreshore Road close to Bluff town centre.
Buses and coaches connect Invercargill with Dunedin, Gore and Queenstown.
Coaches stop outside the i-SITE Visitor Information Centre on Gala Street.
Invercargill Airport has flights to Christchurch, Stewart Island and Wellington.
Air New Zealand fly to Christchurch and Wellington and Stewart Island Flights have flights to Stewart Island, which are a good alternative to taking the ferry from Bluff.
An airport shuttle bus operates between the airport and the city centre, but the airport is only 3km from the city centre and you can walk into town in around 30 minutes.
InterCity Coachlines connect Gore with Ashburton, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Oamaru, Te Anau and Timaru.
Coaches stop outside the visitor information centre on Hokonui Drive.
