Matiu/Somes Island

"We took the electric ferry to the Island, very smooth and comfortable although it was an incredibly calm day. I would recommend the 3ish hours visit. 1 hour isn't long enough and 5 hours is too much. You can get around all the sites and trails easily in 3 hours with a little time to write a review before the ferry! You can go inside the old animal quarantine building, which was a little spooky, and see the squat little lighthouse, which is still in use today. The birds are very friendly and quite tame, as are the sheep. You have to do a bag check on arrival and to brush your shoes to protect the biodiversity. Take snacks and water as none is available on the island. There is one compost loo and flush loos in the visitor's center. A great little mini adventure."

"Great for a visit on a fine day while in Wellington. 30 min ferry trip from Wellington waterfront. Excellent walking tracks affording 360 degree views across the harbour and back to the city. Highly recommend for walkers and bush lovers."

"Very noice. Quiet, well kept island. Short, easy walks all around the island. Worth a visit."

"Matiu Island is worth being explore. It's not big that took me around 2.5 hours to walk through different paths. The scenery is beautiful. You need to take ferry to go to the island. Tickets are sold at Queens Wharf that is close to Foxglove Bar & Kitchen. There are toilets on the island but no restaurant."

"Good place to explore for a day or few hours. Walking tracks are well maintained and provide good lookouts over the city. Bird life isn't quite as plentiful as in other reserve type locations available around the city. The historic sites are interesting and provide some nice history about the Wellington and NZ history. Bring sunscreen and check in advance if there is anything such as a Cruise Ship, as the ferry is relatively small and on a busy day you can end up waiting for the next one."