3 Best Sights in Palliser Bay and Cape Palliser, Wellington and the Wairarapa

Named by Captain James Cook, Cape Palliser marks the eastern end of Palliser Bay. You cannot miss its classic candy-stripe lighthouse, erected in 1897. Climb the 250 (the sign says 258) wooden steps for terrific views up and down the wild coastline. Below the lighthouse, splashing in the surf are members of the North Island's only fur seal colony. Don't get too close for photos, though; these animals are fiercely protective of their young. Department of Conservation rules require you to keep 20 meters (22 yards) from seals, so don't get between seals and pups, or seals and the ocean. To reach it from Martinborough, start at Memorial Square and turn left into Jellicoe Street, which becomes Lake Ferry Road. After 30 km (18½ miles), turn left at the Cape Palliser road sign; from here it is another 35 km (21½ miles) to the cape itself. You will pass the Putangirua Pinnacles on your left; after this, the road deteriorates and is unpaved in places. This is a stark and dramatic drive, though not particularly hard if you take care. The travel time from Martinborough is approximately 80 minutes one-way.

The tiny settlement of Lake Ferry sits beside Palliser Bay, 40 km (25 miles) northwest of Cape Palliser. The lake in question, called Onoke, is actually a salt lagoon formed by the long sandbank here. Vacation homes, fishing spots, and remarkable sunsets bring in the weekend Wellingtonian crowd. If you’re coming from Martinborough, expect a 25-km (16-mile) drive through rolling sheep country. Stop by The Land Girl Pirinoa Coffee House on Lake Ferry Road for a cozy coffee and cake.

The spectacular rocks at this reserve have been formed over the last 120,000 years as rains have washed away an ancient gravel deposit, and pinnacles and towers now soar hundreds of feet into the air on both sides of a stony riverbank. An hour-long loop walk from the parking area takes you along the riverbank to the base of the pinnacles. If you're feeling adventurous, a three- to four-hour bushwalk involves some steep climbs and magnificent vistas of the coast—as far off as the South Island on a clear day. Sturdy footwear and warm clothing are essential. The Pinnacles are an hour's drive from Martinborough. Just before Lake Ferry, turn left (coming from Martinborough) at the sign for Cape Palliser and drive another 15 km (9 miles) around Palliser Bay to Te Kopi, where the reserve is protected from the hordes by its relative isolation.