u/ChooseHappyNow

We are planning a month long trip to the South Island in October. We have identified some great properties for most of the trip, but struggling to find anything really nice in the (1) Marlborough Sounds and (2) Abel Tasman regions. (Split Apple Retreat does not open until November).

Any suggestions for anything chubby in those areas?

Thanks.

Planning a "slower" 35 day trip to the South Island starting the first week in October. Spending 10 days on the North Island first, so will be rested when we hit the south. Our primary objectives are to hike, enjoy nature/scenery, combined with some sun and relaxation time by the water. We do not want to feel rushed, or like we are spending most of our time in the car, and we absolutely hate packing up and moving every day or two.

We want the option of having the occasional lazy day, especially if the weather does not cooperate. So, looking to stay 3-5 days per stop, but open to and planning some shorter stays in certain areas where it makes sense. Our draft itinerary (with a lot of help from other posts on this sub):

1. Te Anau (3 days) - Arrive Queenstown and drive to Te Anau. Milford Sound one day and an overnight Doubtful Sound cruise.
2. Queenstown (6 days) - Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown and surrounding area
3. Tekapo/Twizel/Mt. Cook (5 Days) - Will likely split the five days between two locations. Tasman Glacier heli-hike, stargazing, Hooker Valley Track, lakes.
4. Wanaka (4 days) - Surrounding lakes, Rob Roy Track
5. Franz Josef (2 days) - Long driving day with Haast Pass. Fox or Franz Josef Glacier
6. Hokitika (1 day) - Hokitika Gorge
7. Christchurch (4 days) - Long driving day with possible detour to Punakaiki, Arthur's Pass. Christchurch and surrounding area.
8. Kaikoura (2 days) - Maybe stop in Hanmer Springs on the way. Kaikoura coast, wildlife, whale watch.
9. Marlborough Sounds (4 days) - Stop in Blenheim or winery lunch on the way. Relaxation/activities by the water. Need recommendations.
10. Abel Tasman (4 days) - Park and beaches.
11. Depart from Nelson

I'm not too happy about the west coast portion (#5 and #6) because it adds quite a bit of driving, but the glaciers and the scenery with Haast and Arthur's Pass really seem incredible. So, a few questions:

1. Quick sanity check: Is starting in early October in Queesntown and ending in Marlborough/Abel Tasman in mid-November the best, or should we consider reversing our plan? Thought was to let it get as warm as possible for the water portion of our trip.
2. Is the west coast worth it given the amount of driving that it adds, especially if we are already planning a heli-hike to Tasman Glacier? If so, is 3 days enough time? Or should I add an extra day or two for this portion of the trip? Are Franz Josef and Hokitika the best bases? Is Punakaiki worth a detour before heading to Christchurch?
3. Any recommendations for where to base ourselves in Marlborough Sounds? Finding this area tricky to plan because so much is only accessible by boat. Totally fine with doing only boat accessible, but definitely means we want to pick a really good spot for 4 days. We would like to hire a private boat for one day.
4. Any must see areas that we are missing, especially since our trip is fairly long? We considered doing a southern loop through Dunedin/Oamaru, but it seemed like a ton of driving.
5. Also, open to any miscellaneous feedback.

TIA.