The 'Interislander' is the most popular New Zealand ferry connecting the capital city of Wellington, situated at the foot of the North Island, to the small town of Picton in the South Island.  The vehicle carrying service takes 3 hours and is often described as "one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world". The 92 kilometre trip presents the incredible beauty of the Marlborough Sounds, giving you regular sightings of dolphins, whales and fur seals. Both Interislander and Bluebridge operators offer ferry services.

Express Catamarans link Bluff, in the south of the South Island, to Stewart Island. The journey takes an hour, included commentary on the passing landmarks and offers great views of marine wildlife.

Both vehicle and passenger ferries connect with the Hauraki Gulf islands, principally Waiheke, Rangitoto and Great Barrier.

Most visitors spend their time on cruises to go whale watching, dolphin swimming and sightseeing.  

Water taxis are a useful way to get to a hiking track or a place of interest that can’t be reached by ferry. You’ll find that most water taxi operators can also put together tailored scenic trips to take you around the local sights.

For a different kind of experience, you can take a paddlesteamer cruise in Hamilton, Wanganui or Queenstown. In the Bay of Islands, the ‘hole in the rock’ cruise to the tip of Cape Brett is a star attraction.