One of the most awe inspiring ways to see Milford Sound, is from the water level itself. There are two ways to do this:

Cruises

There are several boat operators who offer day cruises. Most guided tours from Te Anau or Queenstown arrive in Milford around noon, so it is advisable to escape the crowds by going on an early-morning or late-afternoon cruise. If you intend to take photographs, the quality of light is usually better around those times as well. While most cruise companies have their last cruise of the day around 3 pm, Mitre Peak Cruises offers 4:30PM cruises, but only if a minimum number of 6 passengers are interested.

There is also the option of an extended cruise on Milford Sound - overnight cruises operated by Real Journeys). See "Sleep" section below.

• Milford Deep Underwater Observatory, [2]. This place can only be reached via one of the cruises. What they are trying to do is interesting, but they charge a lot to see the place and you get a whopping 15 mins total there. There is not even enough time to look through the displays.

Kayaking

Your proximity to the water in a kayak just serves to make you feel even smaller, and makes the Sound seem even more vast! The pros of doing it this way are that you get to go places that the big cruise ships cannot, you see a great deal more wildlife (penguins, seals etc.) as you move more quietly through the water, you are part of a small group (between 6 and 8) and so getting more personal attention from your guide, and you get some exercise in the process. Cons are that it is quite hard work and you should be prepared to get cold and wet. A good way of doing this kind of trip is on a 'one day package'. You can be picked up from your accommodations early in the morning (around 6:30AM) in Te Anau by minibus and driven to Milford, where you are kitted out with all the relevant kayak and safety gear and given waterproof bags to take cameras and food with you. The trip lasts till the late afternoon (lunch is taken in your kayaks in the middle of the Sound) and you will be driven back for around 6PM.

• Spectacular scenery. Dolphins, waterfalls, seals and penguins.

• Sheer rock walls coming straight out of the sea, fantastic waterfalls and Mitre Peak.

There is only one place to eat and drink in Milford Sound if you did not bring food in with you, and it is the Blue Duck Cafe & Bar. The cafe offers breakfast and lunch, while dinner is found at the bar. Snacks, drinks, and coffee are also available at the cafe. Prices are tourist prices, $8NZ+ for breakfast, $15+ for lunch, $25+ for dinner. They do sell sandwiches around $4-5, but they are not very filling. Their food is good, but if you don't mind your own cooking, the best bet is to bring supplies with you.

Blue Duck Cafe & Bar has pretty much whatever drink you would like to have available with Montieth's on tap.