Last Updated on March 4, 2024 by Jon Algie
Our Tasman Travel Guide will give you a good overview of the region. If you’re looking for posts about a particular area click on one of these links: Nelson | Golden Bay | Kaiteriteri | Abel Tasman National Park | Nelson Lakes National Park
Nestled at the top of the South Island and home to the island’s best beaches, Tasman is a compact region full of sights, interesting small towns and a whole heap of walks. We’ll help you plan your trip to Tasman, whether it’s a quick visit or an extensive journey through the region.
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Tasman Travel Guide: Towns | Cities | Regions
The Tasman region centres on Nelson, the third largest city in the South Island. The places mentioned in this post are less than two hours’ drive from Nelson and include some of the most spectacular coastal sights in the country (and some mountains).
Nelson
Long known as having some of the best weather in New Zealand, Nelson is a pleasant city to hang out in while exploring the region. You could stay there your whole trip and pick and choose a few day trips to do or spend your first night there and then move on to Tasman’s smaller towns.
If staying in Nelson you’ve got two main options: the city centre or Tahunanui Beach. The city centre is compact and walkable and there are heaps of good places to eat and drink. Another option is to stay in Richmond, just outside of Nelson. It’s a bit closer to the other towns in Tasman and it’s home to the largest shopping mall in the region.
Tahunanui is the best beach in Nelson city and it’s surrounded by bars and restaurants — a cool little suburb with everything a traveller needs.
Highlights in Nelson include the Centre of New Zealand Walk, Founders Heritage Park and Tahunanui Beach. There’s a lot more to see outside of the city, so if you’re keen to see the best nature the region has to offer you’ll have to quickly escape Nelson.
READ MORE: 17 of the Best Things to Do in Nelson
Motueka and Kaiteriteri
Motueka, the gateway to Golden Bay and Abel Tasman National Park, is a 40-minute drive from Nelson. Stop off in Mapua for a bite to eat and some shopping — or do the short ferry across to Rabbit Island (a favourite beach spot for Nelson locals, which you can also drive to).
There isn’t a lot to do in Motueka itself but it’s another good base for exploring the region. Try some donuts at the Smoking Barrel if you get the chance (and visit the market if you’re there on a Sunday).
A 15-minute drive from Motueka brings you to Kaiteriteri, our favourite beach town in the South Island. It’s tiny with only a few places to eat but it’s a haven for beach lovers. There are several beaches connected by paths and tracks with some awesome views.
You can organise boat trips into Abel Tasman National Park or drive there yourself (via Split Apple Rock) in about 20 minutes.
READ MORE: Top 12 Beaches in the South Island
Abel Tasman National Park
There are many ways to explore Abel Tasman National Park — boat trips, kayaking tours and walks being the most common (scenic flights seem to be a thing too).
The Coastal Track takes several days to complete and you need to book in advance — anyone can do a day walk though and I reckon it’s a great way to do it. A day out in the wilds of Abel Tasman National Park and then back to civilization with some nice food and a comfortable hotel.
You can also drive into Totaranui on the national park from the Golden Bay side. There are stunning viewpoints and beaches a short walk either side of Totaranui Beach. We did it that way on our first trip there back in 2017 (I’m pretty sure I’d been as a kid though) — camping at Totaranui for a night and it was awesome (and cheaper than catching a boat into the national park).
Another option is to drive to the start of the track at the Marahau end (a 20-minute drive from Kaiteriteri). From there it’s a long walk to the best bits of the coastal track (and then back to your car) — definitely not the way I’d recommend doing it.
READ MORE: Day Walk on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track
Golden Bay
From Motueka the road winds over Tākaka Hill to Golden Bay, a sparsely populated region right at the top of the South Island. You can see the northern-most point (Cape Farewell) as well as lots of other natural wonders. These include caves (Rawhiti / Ngarua), Te Waikoropupū Springs (some of the clearest water in New Zealand), rock formations, rugged beaches and more.
Takāka is the first town you’ll come to in Golden Bay and also the largest — a good place to spend the night. It’s close to lots of interesting nature spots and the main street is good for some shopping or a bite to eat.
Collingwood is towards the west of Golden Bay, a short drive from Cape Farewell. Wharariki Beach is close too, and the long winding drive to Anatori is another one to consider.
Nelson Lakes National Park
From Nelson it’ll take around an hour to drive to St Arnaud, a tiny village at the head of Lake Rotoiti. Many visit for a quick look at the lake (and the famous pier) but there are walks for all fitness levels nearby, both lakeside tracks and ones leading high into the mountains.
We were there in winter with snow all around — perfect conditions for a place like this. I never thought the mountains and lakes this far north would be as good as the ones nearer Queenstown and Mount Cook but they are (especially if you strike perfect conditions).
Lake Rotoroa is less popular but just as spectacular — I walked up the 4WD track above the lake and took one of my favourite shots of Nelson Lakes National Park. There are less walks starting at Lake Rotoroa but there’s another cool pier — a great spot for a picnic!
Top Experiences
Explore Abel Tasman National Park: Bark Bay to Marahau | Goat Bay | Anapai Bay
Hike in Nelson Lakes National Park: Whiskey Falls | Mount Robert Circuit | St Arnaud Range Track
Natural Wonders in Golden Bay: Rawhiti Cave | Wharariki Beach | Cape Farewell |Te Waikoropupū Springs
Tasman Beaches: Tahunanui Beach | Rabbit Island | Kaiteriteri Beach | Split Apple Rock | Totaranui Beach
Getting Around
From Nelson you can take buses, shuttles or tours to Kaiteriteri / Abel Tasman National Park and Nelson Lakes National Park. You can also bus to Motueka and Golden Bay, but those two areas are hard to explore without a vehicle. So, if you’re relying on tours and public transport focus more on Nelson / Kaiteriteri / Abel Tasman National Park / Nelson Lakes National Park.
If you have access to a vehicle it’s a much easier place to explore. Nothing is more than a couple of hours drive and there are cool places to stop along most routes. You’re also close to the Marlborough Sounds — the drive from Nelson to Picton is very scenic with lots of detours and walks to drag you away from the main road.
Where to Stay
Some people will choose to stay in Nelson and do day trips from there while others will want to escape the city and head for the small towns. There are heaps of options so pick a town / area that looks interesting and spend a night or two there.
READ MORE: Check out these hotels in Nelson
Kaiteriteri is the one I’d recommend the most, especially if easy seaside strolls and a wide array of beaches a short walk away sounds appealing! We love towns where you can leave the car parked and explore on foot and Kaiteriteri is definitely that!
READ MORE: Check out these hotels in Kaiteriteri
Motueka is another great option as it’s close to everything and has a good selection of hotels and restaurants. Takaka and Collingwood, the tiny main towns of Golden Bay, are also worth spending a night or two in — you won’t run out of places to see nearby!
READ MORE: Check out these hotels in Golden Bay
Tasman Itinerary
Here’s a sample Tasman Itinerary, linking up the main sights in a logical order.
- Nelson (one – night). Get a taste of the big city before striking out into the hinterland.
- Motueka / Kaiteriteri (one – two nights): beaches, trips into Abel Tasman National Park
- Golden Bay (one – two nights): Natural wonders and cute small towns — also trips into the western end of Abel Tasman National Park.
- Nelson Lakes National Park (0-1 night) Piers, strolls by the lake, hikes in the mountains.
As you can see in this itinerary you can get a lot done in three nights, but it’d be a lot more relaxing if you can dedicate a week to it. If you only have three nights (or less) consider dropping a place to two off your itinerary and return to it on another trip.
We hope our Tasman travel guide will make your trip planning a little easier, or that you at least learned of some places you’re keen to visit. If you have any questions or need anything clarified send us an email or leave a comment!
Are you planning a trip to New Zealand? Check out our South Island travel guide!
Jon Algie
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