The Only Pāua Pearl Farm Tour in New Zealand

 

Nestled deep within the Marlborough Sounds, surrounded by calm turquoise waters and lush native bush, lies a place where ocean and artistry meet,  Arapawa Blue Pearls, home to the only New Zealand pearl farm open for guided visitors.

This remarkable destination isn't just a stop on your itinerary; it's a story you step into. Every visit reveals how pāua pearls are grown with patience, care, and deep respect for the sea, while connecting guests with authentic island hospitality and the heart of sustainable jewellery in Aotearoa.

A Warm Island Welcome

We love opening our island gates and welcoming you into our world. On every tour, you become part of the Arapawa Blue Pearl family. You're not just a visitor, you're part of our story.

Your Marlborough Sounds tour begins the moment you step ashore at our historic homestead perched above Tory Channel. The air carries the scent of freshly baked food, a small but heartfelt gesture that sets the tone for the day ahead, peaceful, genuine, and rooted in New Zealand warmth.

Over morning tea, guests discover how this remote island transformed from a whaling station into a thriving New Zealand pearl farm. The story unfolds through generations, with the Radon family leading a quiet revolution in ocean-friendly farming and sustainable jewellery craftsmanship.

The Family Behind Arapawa Blue Pearls

Our Arapawa Blue Pearls family, the people who keep everything moving. Missing from the photo but never from the work is Sarah our Daughter and farm manager. These are the ones who truly matter!

At the heart of this island sanctuary are Mike and Antonia Radon, divers, dreamers, and stewards of the sea. Mike's journey began as a commercial abalone diver in California, while Antonia was one of the few women diving professionally in the 1980s. Their shared love of the ocean eventually led them to Arapaoa Island, where they built the only New Zealand pearl farm cultivating pāua pearls on land.

Three decades later, the Radons and their children continue to manage every stage of the process, from feeding the shellfish to hand-crafting exquisite sustainable jewellery pieces sold around the world. Their story, featured in numerous Marlborough Sounds tours publications, proves that family values and environmental care can create something truly extraordinary.

The Art and Science of Growing Pāua Pearls

The science behind growing pāua pearls is equal parts precision and patience. From tiny larvae to fully formed pearls, every step is guided by careful research, marine biology and a whole lot of heart.

Unlike traditional oyster pearls, pāua pearls form within the New Zealand abalone, the iridescent shellfish celebrated for its brilliant blues and greens. Each pearl takes eight years to grow, nurtured in the pristine waters of the New Zealand pearl farm tanks.

The family's innovative system mimics natural ocean currents using seawater from Cook Strait. Pāua are fed freshly harvested kelp three times a week, ensuring perfect conditions to produce luminous, museum-quality pāua pearls. The result? Radiant treasures that shift from deep indigo to sea-green with every movement.

Visitors on Marlborough Sounds tours can witness this process firsthand, seeing how science, patience, and artistry combine to create world-class sustainable jewellery. Many describe it as "a journey beneath the surface" rather than just a tour.

Why This New Zealand Pearl Farm Is Different

Our pāua farm is unlike anywhere else, remote, ocean-fed, family run and home to one of the only pāua hatcheries in the country. Everything we do happens right here. from spawning to reseeding.

Arapawa Blue Pearls stands apart because it operates completely on land. The tanks protect wild habitats, prevent over-harvesting, and allow full traceability for every pāua pearl. Each piece of sustainable jewellery sold at the island boutique can be traced back to the exact pāua it came from, something few New Zealand pearl farms can offer.

This commitment to conservation makes each Marlborough Sounds tour a lesson in eco-innovation. Guests leave inspired, realising that buying pāua pearls isn't just about owning something beautiful; it's about supporting a model of ethical ocean stewardship that defines true sustainable jewellery.

The Arapawa Blue Pearls Tour Experience

Our tours aren't just tours, they're a step into island life. Fresh baking at the homestead, sharied stories over a cuppa, and a behind the scenes look at our pāua hatchery. 

The 90-minute guided experience blends marine education with island charm. Guests begin with a short film introducing the life cycle of pāua pearls before walking through the working New Zealand pearl farm. Along the way, they learn about the four-year growth cycle, the delicate insertion of the pearl seed, and how each pāua's shell colours influence the final gem.

The tour concludes at the boutique gallery,  a treasure trove of sustainable jewellery handcrafted onsite. Signature pieces include teardrop necklaces, koru-inspired rings, and drop earrings, each one made with the rarest **pāua pearls** found only in this corner of the world.

For travellers seeking authentic Marlborough Sounds tours, this experience combines marine education, artistry, and genuine Kiwi hospitality in one unforgettable visit.

Stay Longer – Experience Island Life

Island life hits different out here, peaceful, raw and beautifully remote. Stay with us and immerse yourself in the heart of the marlborough sounds.

Many visitors choose to extend their Marlborough Sounds tour by staying in one of the island's eco-styled homes. The Radon family's accommodation, Gunyah Homestead, Little Colonsay Beach House, and the School Cottage, offers tranquil retreats overlooking the water.

Wake to birdsong, kayak through mirror-smooth bays, and in the evening, share stories with your hosts over locally caught seafood. It's eco-tourism at its finest, combining the luxury of space with the simplicity of nature, a perfect complement to your visit to the New Zealand pearl farm.

Each stay reinforces the same philosophy that defines the pāua pearls: time, care, and respect for place. Guests often leave saying it felt like "living inside the story" of the sustainable jewellery they now treasure.

A Legacy of Sustainable Beauty

True beauty lasts when it's created with intention. Our legacy is one of sustainble beauty, pearls grown through patience, science and deep respect for the ocean that gives them life.

Every pāua pearl sold from this New Zealand pearl farm carries more than its iridescent colour, it holds a promise. Through re-seeding programmes and zero-waste operations, the Radon family continues to restore wild pāua populations and preserve the Marlborough Sounds ecosystem.

For travellers who value authenticity and purpose, choosing pāua pearls from Arapawa Blue Pearls means supporting the future of sustainable jewellery in New Zealand. And for those joining one of the island's Marlborough Sounds tours, it's a rare opportunity to witness how dedication to nature can shine as brightly as the pearls themselves.

Plan Your Visit

Ready to experience island life? Plan your visit to Arapaoa, explore our pāua farm, share stories over fresh baking and take in the beauty of the Sounds. Your adventure starts the moment you step off the boat. 

Arapawa Island is accessible only by water or air, adding to its exclusivity. Guests can reach the New Zealand pearl farm via Beachcomber Cruises from Picton, through scheduled Marlborough Sounds tours, or by private helicopter transfer. Tours operate year-round and cater to visitors of all ages.

To book your Marlborough Sounds tour or learn more about*pāua pearls and sustainable jewellery, visit arapawabluepearls.co.nz. Whether you come for a day or stay for a weekend, this remote haven offers a once-in-a-lifetime connection between ocean, artistry, and family.

A True New Zealand Treasure

Unique to New Zealand and cherished worldwide, our pāua and their pearls are a true New Zealand treasure.

In a fast-moving world, Arapawa Blue Pearls reminds us that beauty takes time. Here, at New Zealand's only land-based pearl farm, each pāua pearl grows for years beneath gentle tides before becoming a cherished piece of sustainable jewellery.