Marfell's Beach

Lovely sandy beach with convenient toilets, making it a great spot for family camping. Additionally, you can walk, drive a 4WD, or ride motorbikes around to the lighthouse at a calm, slow pace.

Fantastic location right on the beach. Accessible for quad bikes. Gentle surf. You can walk to the old wharf in one direction and to the point in the other. Clean facilities and shaded areas with trees.

On November 14, 2016, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. With a depth of just 15km, the quake was felt across the country and was the second most powerful in New Zealand's history, surpassed only by the magnitude 8.2 earthquake that hit Wairarapa in 1855. The quake generated a tsunami with waves up to 10 meters high in Cook Strait, and a newly exposed strip of shoreline between Wellington and the Hutt Valley provided a safe road and railway route, making previously impassable coastal roads accessible at high tide. A similar phenomenon occurred at Marfell's Beach scenic walk to the lighthouse, a popular 6km trail that takes about 90 minutes to complete. The Marfells Beach-Cape Campbell walk is an unmarked route that follows the beach from the Marfells Beach camping ground to Cape Campbell, the southernmost tip of Cook Strait. Before the November 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, access to Cape Campbell required careful timing with low tide. However, the earthquake caused significant uplift, making the beach walk more accessible and less dependent on the tides. It is still wise to check weather conditions before setting out. The turnoff to Marfells Beach is about 36 kilometers south of Blenheim, with the beach located a further 8km along a mostly sealed road. Cook Strait is known as one of the world's roughest stretches of water, part of the westerly wind belt called the Roaring Forties. This has led to numerous shipwrecks in the 19th century. The average ocean depth of Cook Strait is about 128 meters. Between 1845 and 1947, 19 ships met their fate along this east coast stretch. The earthquake uplift has revealed numerous rocks and reefs, explaining the perilous conditions. The lighthouse is located at the southernmost extreme of Cook Strait. Marfells Beach features a DOC camping ground, which is quite popular. This area is one of the sunniest places in New Zealand, so visitors can expect excellent weather. Nearby, as you drive into Marfell's Beach, you'll see the local salt factory. Taking advantage of Marlborough’s low rainfall, the Dominion Salt company has been producing salt here since 1942, generating over 70,000 tonnes of sea salt annually. While there are no public tours or sales at the saltworks, you can view the evaporation ponds and

A quiet and pleasant spot for camping, but the facilities were lacking. There was only one shower booth with a curtain, and it smelled terrible. The water was also too cold.

We didn't camp there, so I can't provide any insights on that aspect. However, the place was lovely. The walk to the lighthouse is perfect for unwinding and reconnecting with nature. Simply beautiful.