📍 Nelson Tasman, South Island 🕐 1–5 days 🚣 NZ's kayaking paradise
Abel Tasman is New Zealand's smallest national park — and arguably its most beautiful. Golden sandy beaches, crystal-clear turquoise water, subtropical coastal bush, and a network of water taxis that let you design your own adventure. You can kayak past fur seals on rocky islands, hike sections of the famous Coast Track Great Walk, or simply get dropped on a deserted beach for the afternoon and picked up again at sunset. It's accessible enough for a day trip from Nelson but rewarding enough to spend a week in. The combination of kayaking, walking and water taxi is what makes Abel Tasman unique — no other national park in New Zealand offers this kind of flexibility.
Te Waikoropupu Springs near Takaka — some of the clearest freshwater on earth. Photo: Tourism NZ
⚡ At a Glance
LocationNelson Tasman, South Island
From Nelson1 hour drive (67 km to Marahau)
Access PointsMarahau, Kaiteriteri, Tōtaranui
Coast Track60 km Great Walk (3–5 days)
Best ForKayaking, walking, beaches
Best TimeOct–Apr (year-round possible)
Hut BookingsRequired year-round
Traveller Rating🌟 4.9/5
Things to Do
🚣
Sea Kayaking
The best way to see Abel Tasman. Paddle past golden beaches, rocky headlands and fur seal colonies on Adele Island. Guided day trips from ~$135–$160 per person, or hire kayaks for multi-day freedom trips. Abel Tasman Kayaks (the original and largest operator), Kahu Kayaks, and Marahau Sea Kayaks all run excellent trips. Combo kayak-and-walk tours let you paddle one way and hike back.
Must Do
🚶
Coast Track Great Walk
One of New Zealand's Great Walks — 60 km of coastal track through golden beaches and subtropical bush. Walk the whole thing in 3–5 days staying in DOC huts and campsites (must book ahead), or do day sections using water taxis. The easiest Great Walk — no mountain passes or extreme terrain. The tidal crossing at Awaroa Inlet adds adventure and must be timed for low tide.
Must Do
⛵
Water Taxis
The secret weapon of Abel Tasman. Water taxis run between Marahau/Kaiteriteri and beaches all the way to Tōtaranui. Get dropped at a remote beach, hike a section, and catch a taxi home. Or just ride the boat and enjoy the coastline. Wilsons Abel Tasman and Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi are the main operators. Fares from ~$29–$58 per adult one way depending on distance.
Essential
🌊
Split Apple Rock
A perfectly split granite boulder sitting in the sea near Kaiteriteri — one of the most photographed natural features in the region. Visible from water taxis and kayak tours, or walk to the viewing beach from the car park at the end of Split Apple Rock Road (15-minute walk). Best seen from the water.
Free
🏖️
Anchorage & Bark Bay
Two of the best beaches in the park. Anchorage is the most popular overnight stop — a sweeping golden beach backed by bush, about 2 hours' walk or 40 minutes by water taxi from Marahau. Bark Bay has a stunning lagoon and estuary. Both have DOC campsites and huts. The walk between them (3–4 hours) is one of the finest sections of the track.
Beaches
🌊
Cleopatra's Pool
A natural rock pool in the bush with a moss-lined waterslide — a hidden gem about 20 minutes' walk off the main track near Torrent Bay. Bring swimwear and a towel. A magical spot on a hot day that most visitors miss.
Free
💡
Best day trip option: Take the morning water taxi from Kaiteriteri to Bark Bay or Tonga Quarry (~$58 adult). Walk back along the Coast Track to Anchorage (3–4 hours of stunning coastal walking with beach stops). Catch the afternoon water taxi from Anchorage back to Kaiteriteri (~$53 adult). This gives you the best of the park in a single day — golden beaches, bush walks, and sea views. Check tides if crossing at Torrent Bay.
🚣 Book Abel Tasman
Kayak tours and water taxis book out in summer. Reserve ahead for Dec–Feb visits.
The main entry points are Marahau (the track start, 67 km from Nelson) and Kaiteriteri (water taxi base, 61 km from Nelson). Both are about an hour's drive from Nelson on sealed roads. If you don't have a car, shuttle buses run from Nelson and Motueka to Marahau and Kaiteriteri daily in summer. The park connects naturally with the Christchurch to Nelson drive and a visit to McCashin's Brewery in Stoke.
Where to Stay
Inside the park, DOC huts ($48 adult/night peak season) and campsites ($24 adult/night) must be booked in advance year-round — they fill up months ahead in summer. Outside the park, Marahau has backpackers, lodges and holiday parks. Kaiteriteri has a large motor camp and resort right on the beach. For luxury, Awaroa Lodge is the only proper hotel inside the park — accessible only by water taxi or on foot. Nelson (1 hour) is the nearest city with full hotel options.
⚠️
Book huts early. Abel Tasman Coast Track huts and campsites for the 2026/27 season open for booking on 14 May 2026 at 9:30am. Peak season (Dec–Feb) fills within days. If you're planning to walk the full track, book the moment bookings open. Day walkers don't need hut bookings — just water taxi tickets.
