Stewart Island is New Zealand’s third largest island, situated 30 kilometers south of the South Island, across the Foveaux Strait. Accessible by air or a very rough ferry ride, it’s definitely worth a visit. Stewart Island is a true outdoor lover’s paradise with more kilometers of hiking tracks than roads and a population of just over 400 people. Most of Stewart Island is preserved in a national park, and it is the best place in New Zealand to see a kiwi bird in its natural habitat. Offshore on Ulva Island, you’ll find a predator-free bird sanctuary with rare native birds.