| Doubtful Sound / Patea | |
|---|---|
| Patea (Māori) | |
 Doubtful Sound on a clear day | |
  Doubtful Sound / Patea Location of Doubtful Sound / Patea in New Zealand .png)  Doubtful Sound / Patea Doubtful Sound / Patea (New Zealand) | |
| Location | Fiordland |
| Coordinates | 45°19′S 166°59′E / 45.317°S 166.983°E |
| Part of | Tasman Sea |
| River sources | Elizabeth River |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Max. length | 40 kilometres (25 mi) |
| Max. width | 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) |
| Islands | Bauza Island, Elizabeth Island |
Doubtful Sound / Patea is a fiord in Fiordland, in the far south west of New Zealand. It is located in the same region as the smaller but more famous and accessible Milford Sound / Piopiotahi. It took second place after Milford Sound as New Zealand's most famous tourism destination.[1]
At 40 kilometres (25 mi) long, Doubtful Sound / Patea is the second longest, and with a depth of up to 421 metres (1,381 ft) the deepest of the South Island's fiords.[2] In comparison with Milford Sound, it is more widespread, with the cliffs not as dramatically tall and near vertical. However, the U-shaped profile of the fiord is obvious, in particular on the two innermost of the main fiord's arms and the hanging side valleys along the main fiord.
Like most of Fiordland, Doubtful Sound receives a high amount of rainfall, ranging from an annual average of 3,000–6,000 millimetres (120–240 in).[3] The vegetation on the mountainous landscape surrounding the fiord is dense native rainforest.
- ^ Real Journeys rapt with Kiwi Must-Do's – Scoop Independent News, Tuesday 13 February 2007
- ^ "Doubtful Sound, New Zealand". Tourism New Zealand. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
- ^ "Southland Climate" (PDF). National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. p. 16. Retrieved 2017-09-01.