Stewart Island, known in Māori as Rakiura, lies off the southern coast of New Zealand and is the country’s third-largest island. Long inhabited by Māori communities and later settled by European whalers and fishers, the island has remained lightly populated, preserving a strong sense of place and cultural continuity. The dual name reflects its shared heritage, with Rakiura often translated as “land of the glowing skies,” a reference to the vivid sunsets and southern lights visible here.

More than 80 percent of the island is protected as Rakiura National Park, where dense podocarp forest, rugged coastline, and sheltered bays define the landscape. Walking tracks weave through ancient trees, across beaches, and along headlands frequented by seals, seabirds, and penguins. Stewart Island is also one of the best places in New Zealand to encounter kiwi in the wild, thanks to minimal predators and low light pollution.

The island’s atmosphere is quiet, remote, and deeply connected to nature. Life moves at an unhurried pace, shaped by tides, weather, and the rhythms of the forest.