Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart spotted relaxing in Marlborough Sounds

A-lister Harrison Ford leaving Queenstown Airport on Sunday afternoon.

Hollywood superstar Harrison Ford, his actress wife Calista Flockhart and their son Liam Flockhart spent time hiking and testing the cool water in the Marlborough Sounds during their stay in New Zealand.

Blenheim woman Shirley Joseph spotted the family with their hiking boots off at Punga Cove last Sunday afternoon.

Joseph recognised Ford and his son paddling in the water - although she couldn't quite get his name right when she approached him calling him Richard Gere.

"I was like, 'are you Richard Gere? But I was meaning Harrison Ford and he goes to me, "no".

"I knew it was him, but he was disguised. But I recognised his wife Calista Flockhart.

He was pale, had a long beard and was wearing a hat and sunglasses, she said.

Joseph was unperturbed and tried again.

"I said, 'your name is Richard', and he said 'no'.

"I said, 'your wife her name is Calista'."

She said Ford wasn't playing along so she gave up as she didn't want to harass them while they were on holiday.

"He was just looking at me like can this woman just shut up."

Flockhart was looking on smiling.

After that Joseph lost her nerve and didn't take a photo.

Joseph said Ford and Liam were standing waist deep in the water with another man with a Maori sleeve tattoo in his late 20s or early 30s.

They had all taken their hiking shoes off.

Flockhart was sitting on the beach taking photos of the three of them.

Joseph said they were all wearing hiking gear. Punga Cove is on the Queen Charlotte Track, named one of New Zealand's leading hiking tracks.

Last night the celebrity couple and their son spent Sunday evening enjoying hospitality in Air New Zealand's Koru lounge in Queenstown before boarding a flight to Auckland.

They were the last passengers to board the plane and were escorted near the back of the plane to row 17.

After the flight landed in Auckland, Ford and his family were escorted out of the Jetstar exit and left in a SkyCare van.

It is understood they were taken to the international terminal and flew out of New Zealand on Sunday night.