Golden Bay is such a beautiful part of the country. Al though I don't think there is a single part of this country that isn't beautiful. Golden Bay holds some special place in our hearts, each summer we would rent a beach house for a week and it is home to some of our all time favorite memories. Golden Bay is the crescent shaped bay at the very tippy top northwest corner of New Zealand's South Island. There is plenty to do and see in this area, so get comfy because I'm about to share it all!
Abel Tasman (Totaranui Bay)
Abel Tasman is one of New Zealand's smallest national parks but there is so much intense beauty packed into this coastal paradise! The majority of the park can only be accessed by water or hiking. The Abel Tasman Coastal Track is one of New Zealand's "Great Walks" and takes about 3-5 days to complete. You can also take a water taxi or sea kayak tour. There is only one beach along the coastal track that is accessible by car, Totaranui Bay. It is winding, narrow, gravel road over the mountain but it is so worth it! I had one of those mom moments here. The one where I want to memorize everything about this little space in time. The way the golden sand stuck on Kylie's sun tanned shoulders. The freckles scattered across Jayden's nose and the way his eyes disappear when he smiles. The silhouette of Maddox searching the crevices of the rocks for crabs, his whispy hair blowing in the wind. The way Ryder's swim shirt is stretched tight over his little belly. And the way Jason is right in the middle of them all while I have the luxury of sitting alone quietly on the beach just soaking it all in. I felt the need to reach out and give them an extra squeeze for my future self who wishes I could go back in time and just hold them like that for a moment. So I did just that. Tousled that hair, brushed off that sand, kissed that forehead, held them a little tighter on my lap all wrapped up tight in a towel and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for them and for that moment. The colors here are incredible, the vibrant golden orange sand, bright turquoise water and lush green trees. My kids' favorite part is the tidal inlet at the northern end, such a fun and safe place to skim board and collect crabs. There is a campground, and a few food items are sold at their camp office but not much so be sure to bring plenty of food and water for your time there because it is quite a drive to the nearest store or restaurant. So come prepared not only with food, but also come prepared to fall in love.
Split Apple Beach
If you can't make it to Totaranui Bay, there are a couple more beaches where you can experience that same golden sand and spectacular canvas of colors. Kaiteriteri is pretty, but it's generally pretty crowded and touristy due to it's easy access. I would recommend Split Apple Beach. It's a 15 minute trek through the bush so it's a little more remote, but you won't be disappointed! The huge split boulder is a site to see and there are some caves on the north end that are fun to explore as well.
Riwaka Resurgence Track
The Riwaka Resurgence Track was another hidden gem, I wasn't quite prepared to be this impressed. We've done a lot of hikes and seen a lot of beautiful spots so sometimes I'm not easily impressed, but this was like walking into a fairy tale. It was like straight up Fern Gully. It's only about a half hour from Split Apple Rock and is a short 10 minute walk. At the end of the hike you can see an underwater cave with crystal clear water bubbling up into a pool that you can swim in, if you can brave the cold. The water travels quite a ways underground so it is pretty chilly, but a cool experience nonetheless. Get it? Cool? Okay, I'll stop.
Wainui Falls
The Wainui Falls are along the same road you take to Totaranui Bay. It's a pretty 40 minute bush hike, and although the waterfall itself is pretty average (I'm the first to admit that we got spoiled living here!), they are the most accessible waterfalls in the Tasman region. The kids loved the swing bridge, you can only cross one person at a time and they thought it was very Indiana Jones-ish. There is also some rock pools along the side that are fun for the kids to splash in on a hot day, although this day it was occupied by an eel, which they thought was the coolest thing ever (and made us wonder how it got there?).The Rawhiti Caves are nearby but unfortunately we didn't have time to stop they claim to have national significance "as it has possibly the most diverse and extensive entrance and twilight-zone flora of any cave in New Zealand". Not sure what twilight-zone flora is but it had me sold! The hike takes about an hour, so you can determine if it's worth a stop for you.
Labyrinth Rocks Park
Located not too far from the Wainui Falls in Pohara is the Labyrinth Rocks Park. My kids had so much fun exploring nature's playground. It's sort of off the beaten path and not in many guide books so you'll most likely have it all to yourselves. It's a natural rock maze winding through karst limstone walls. There is a detailed map that you can pick up at the entrance (entry is free) and plan for about an hour to complete it, although there are many side trails that are fun to explore too. There are lots of little toy figurines (like from McDonald's happy meals) that have been placed throughout the maze and my kids had the best time trying to spot them. It really was a fun way to spend an afternoon!
The Grove Scenic Reserve
In the same area you'll find the Grove Scenic Reserve which is similar to the Labyrinth Rocks Park with the large limestone rocks and pillars. It's about a 20 minute walk to the scenic lookout and is a quiet place for a stroll. My kids had fun swinging on the vines and exploring the cracks and crevices along the way. Once again, cue Indiana Jones.
Te Waikoropupu Springs (“Pupu” Springs)
With a name like "pupu", you know you're kids are going to like it- ha! Te Waikoropupū Springs is a pretty chill place to walk around. To the naked eye it might just look like a pretty body of water, but these are actually a pretty incredible natural phenomenon. Not only are they the largest cold water springs found in the Southern Hemisphere, but due to the natural filtering process before the water emerges into the spring, this water is considered to be one of the most optically pure in the entire world! The only water found that is more clear is under Antartica's frozen Weddell Sea. I mean the visibility is 63 meters, which is crazy! So I may have just revealed what a nerd I am, but I thought it was pretty fascinating and wanted to see it in person. The kids got a little bored, but it was a nice short little 20 minute stroll and at the end there is a tap where you can drink some of the water, if it is working. It's just a few miles west of Takaka and in the same general vicinity of the previous spots mentioned, so it's worth a stop if you have the time.
Wharariki Beach
Head up to the far north tip (about an hour drive from Takaka), and you'll find the wild rugged beauty of the Farewell Spit, a beautiful nature preserve. Public access is limited to the first 4 km, after that you will need to take a guided tour. However, my favorite spot up here, and possibly my favorite beach in all of New Zealand is Wharariki Beach at Cape Farewell on the west coast . You walk for about 30 minutes through the scenic Puponga farmland. a working farm so you'll most likely see lots of sheep along your way (wear comfortable walking shoes), then you will come to Wharariki Beach ("wh" is pronounced "f"). This amazing beach has rolling white sand dunes, beach caves to explore and seal pups playing in the rock pools (best time to see the pups is low tide Dec-April). It is just breathtaking. You can even take a scenic horseback ride along the beach! The best time to come is during low tide so that you can explore the caves (be careful for sea lions that may be hanging out inside, bring a flashlight!). The only downfall is that it is often windy here, and I mean WINDY. At one point my little guy climbed in under my maxi dress to hide from the sand that was piercing his skin and ended up taking a little nap there. Pack a picnic and spend a day playing and exploring!
Cape Farewell
Cape Farewell is the northernmost point of the South Island. Over time the wind has eroded these quartz sandstone cliffs lining the coast, the sand was carried by the ocean currents and deposited to form the Farewell Spit. I love that it got it's name from Captain Cook as this was the last sight of land before waving goodbye and sailing back to Australia. As you're driving to Wharariki you'll pass the lookout point where it is just a short five minute walk from the parking lot to the viewing platform. There are also some longer but rewarding coastal tracks (including Pillar Point Lighthouse) that take several hours to complete if you're up for it!
Takaka Hill
Not sure why they call it a hill, this is definitely a legit mountain! This mountain pass is the only access road to Golden Bay, and is full of bends and hairpin turns, so be warned if you are prone to carsickness! But it is a beautiful drive and there are several points of interest along the way if you need to stop and get some fresh air. This is also referred to as "Marble Mountain" due to the old marble quarry and is the filming location for Chetwood Forest on Lord of the Rings. There are quite a few caves and sinkholes on the mountain, the most popular caves open to the public are the Ngarua Caves which boast skeletal remains of New Zealand's extinct Moa bird. Harwood's Hole is an impressive sinkhole and New Zealand's deepest vertical shaft. There is a 45 minute track that takes you to the entrance of the hole, but there are no barriers and can be very dangerous, so use caution especially with children.
Where to stay
I highly recommend looking into a beach house along Pakawau Beach through Airbnb or Book-a-Bach. We stayed at the Starfish each summer that we went and it was a little slice of paradise. Nestled in the trees and only steps from the beach, is fully stocked with everything you need for a memorable family vacation. It is very reasonably priced as well which is an added bonus!
I think that covers just about everything there is to do in Golden Bay! I hope you get to spend enough time here to do it all, but if not hopefully this guide will give you enough information to help you narrow it down to the best spots for you to visit!
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