doubtful sound, fiordland
Oceania
new zealand
LOCAL WEATHER
SUNSET & SUNRISE
LOCAL TIME
10:24 PM
The Doubtful Sound is a place of peace and quiet. The air is pure, the water is pristine, and the animals are plentiful.
The Doubtful Sound is three times longer and about 10 times larger than the Milford Sound. Although, not as popular as Milford, this sound is famous for its remote wilderness and spectacular natural beauty. This secluded fjord is not accessible by road, one must take a plane and boat to get there!
It is where people go to escape the trials of modern day life in order to reconnect with their surroundings.

Doubtful sound
We love this majestic New Zealand fjord for its ability to humble as well as uplift those who visit it. Solitude is difficult to find these days, especially the kind that is powerful enough to inspire. Doubtful Sound’s superb land and waterscape is grandiose and perfect.
Due to its serenity the fjord is appropriately called 'the Sound of Silence'. But, don’t let this nickname fool you, this fjord offers more than just tranquillity it also offers stunning contrasts with an incredible array of outdoor activities. The area is rich in flora and fauna and is home to the loveable New Zealand Fur Seal as well as the amusing Fiordland Crested Penguins.
Doubtful Sound is both calming and entertaining. Where else can you kayak with bottlenose dolphins, cruise in search of native birdlife, wave to both seals and penguins, and enjoy the dozens (sometimes even hundreds) of waterfalls along the way? You can even see a bunch of small islets as you enter the fjord, a sight unlike anything else on this planet!
Doubtful Sound has a special ecosystem. The fjord’s waters have two distinct layers that don't mix. Saltwater is found a few meters below of fresh water, that is fed by runoff from the surrounding mountains. This creates a unique environment that allows for deep-sea species, like black coral, to thrive in comparatively shallow depths. This also gives the water a distinct ink like colour…cool, right?
DID YOU KNOW?
- Like the Milford Sound, the Doubtful Sound is not a sound at all but was carved out by a glacier millions of years ago and is technically a fjord.
- The Doubtful Sound is known as ‘the Sound of Silence’.
- This fjord is the deepest and largest in Fiordland.
- Doubtful Sound is home to one of the southernmost populations of bottlenose dolphins. These chubby dolphins are bigger than normal, their extra blubber keeps them warm in the cold water.
- The fjord was first named Doubtful Harbour by Captain James Cook. The name stems from Cook’s doubt as to whether or not he should enter the fjord because it appeared to be too narrow for his boat to get through.