Abel Tasman & the Top of the South: A Slow 6-Day Summer Itinerary

Abel Tasman & the Top of the South: A Slow 6-Day Summer Itinerary

Sarah-Jane Lee

Oct 6

6 min read

Updated: Oct 11

The top of the South Island is where New Zealanders go when they want summer to feel like summer. It's one of the sunniest corners of the country, with golden beaches, clear green water, bush-covered headlands and some of the best food and wine in New Zealand.

At its heart is Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand's smallest national park and one of its most loved. You can walk it, kayak it, or simply ride a water taxi to a beach and stay there all day.

This itinerary spends six slow days here, from Nelson and Abel Tasman to Golden Bay and the Marlborough Sounds. Do it on its own, or add it to the start of our 2-week South Island road trip.

Why Abel Tasman, when everyone talks about Milford?

Milford Sound is New Zealand's postcard: sheer cliffs, waterfalls, a cruise into the fiord. Go if you can. But Milford is something you mostly look at, often after a long day in a car or bus, alongside everyone else who arrived at midday.

Abel Tasman is something you do. You ride a water taxi to a golden beach, walk back through the bush, swim in clear green water, and paddle past seals in the afternoon. It's an hour from Nelson airport, in one of the sunniest corners of the country, and the further you walk from the drop-off points, the quieter it gets.

If Milford is the photo you'll show people, Abel Tasman is the holiday you'll remember. On our 2-week South Island road trip, you get both.

Jay's answer to the question about either Milford Sound or Abel Tasman Nationa Park is better, visit New Zealand and find out for yourself

At a glance

Route: Nelson → Kaiteriteri or Marahau (Abel Tasman) → Golden Bay → Marlborough → Picton
Length: 6 days, 5 nights
Fly into: Nelson. Or arrive in Picton on the Cook Strait ferry and do the route in reverse.
Best for: beaches, kayaking, easy coastal walks, food and wine

The itinerary day by day

Day 1 · Nelson: the waterfront, cafés, galleries and (on Saturdays) the market
Day 2 · Nelson → Abel Tasman (70 km): via Māpua and Motueka; water taxi up the coast and walk back
Day 3 · Abel Tasman: a day on the water by kayak, or a beach day
Day 4 · Abel Tasman → Golden Bay (about 1.5 hours): over Tākaka Hill to Te Waikoropupū Springs and Pōhara
Day 5 · Golden Bay → Marlborough (about 4 hours): back through Nelson to Pelorus Bridge and Havelock
Day 6 · Marlborough → Picton: a cellar door or two and the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, then the Queen Charlotte Drive to Picton

Distances and times are approximate and don't include stops.

Nelson (1 night)

Nelson is an easy, sunny city to land in. Walk the waterfront, browse the galleries and craft studios, and if it's Saturday, graze your way around the Nelson Market.

On the drive to Abel Tasman, stop at Māpua Wharf for lunch by the estuary, and at Motueka for fruit stalls and coffee.

Abel Tasman National Park (2 nights)

Stay at Kaiteriteri or Marahau, the two gateways to the park. Kaiteriteri has the famous golden beach and more places to eat; Marahau is quieter and sits right at the start of the Coast Track.

By water taxi and on foot

You don't need to walk the whole 60 km Abel Tasman Coast Track to experience it. Take a water taxi up the coast, get dropped at a beach such as Anchorage, Torrent Bay or Bark Bay, and walk back through bush and over headlands at your own pace. Swim at every beach you pass.

Which beach should you choose? My bay-by-bay Abel Tasman beaches guide covers every stop from Mārahau to Tōtaranui, including Cleopatra's Pool, Te Pukatea Bay and the Awaroa tidal crossing.

By kayak

Paddle to sheltered coves, sandy islands and seal colonies. Guided trips are best if you're new to sea kayaking, as afternoon winds can pick up. Experienced paddlers can hire kayaks.

Don't miss

Split Apple Rock, a giant granite boulder split clean in two, near Kaiteriteri. Best seen from the water.
A lazy beach day. Some of the best moments here involve doing nothing at all.

Know before you go

Tides matter. Some sections of the Coast Track, including the Awaroa inlet, can only be crossed around low tide. Check tide times before walking.
Book ahead in summer. Water taxis, kayaks, and DOC huts and campsites on the Great Walk book out for peak dates.
Bring cash or a card for water taxis, sunscreen, water and lunch. There are no shops inside the park.

Golden Bay (1 night)

Cross Tākaka Hill, a winding road with big views back over Tasman Bay, and drop into Golden Bay. It feels a world away: relaxed, arty and far quieter than Abel Tasman's busy southern beaches.

Te Waikoropupū Springs: some of the clearest freshwater springs in the world, sacred to Māori. Walk the boardwalk and admire them from the viewing platforms; swimming and touching the water aren't allowed.
Tākaka: a small town of cafés, galleries and craft shops.
Pōhara and Wainui Falls: a swimming beach, and an easy bush walk to a waterfall.
Further north (if you have extra time): Wharariki Beach for wild sand dunes and rock arches, and guided tours onto Farewell Spit.

Marlborough (1 night)

Head back over the hill, through Nelson, and east towards Marlborough.

Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve: a clear river swimming hole and short forest walks. A perfect leg-stretch.
Havelock: the self-proclaimed green-lipped mussel capital of the world. Have them for lunch.
Marlborough wine country: the home of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with cellar doors around Renwick and Blenheim. Take a wine tour or nominate a driver.
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre: on the edge of Blenheim, Sir Peter Jackson's World War I and II aircraft collection comes to life in dioramas by Weta Workshop, from the Red Baron's final moments to the bombing of Stalingrad. You don't look at it through glass; you stand in the scene. It's indoors, so it's the perfect rainy-day pick. Allow a couple of hours.
Queen Charlotte Drive: a winding, beautiful road between Havelock and Picton, with views over the Marlborough Sounds.

Finish in Picton for the Cook Strait ferry to Wellington, or continue south on our 2-week South Island road trip by heading back to Nelson.

Summer tips for the Top of the South

Book early. Kaiteriteri, Marahau and Golden Bay are favourite Kiwi holiday spots from Christmas to late January.
Start early. Morning water taxis and kayak trips beat the afternoon winds and the crowds.
Slip, slop, slap. The sun is strong on the water and the sand.
Swim safely. Most Abel Tasman beaches are sheltered, but check conditions and keep an eye on children.
Allow time for winding roads. Tākaka Hill and the Queen Charlotte Drive take longer than the map suggests.