Abel Tasman
"Every bay was more beautiful than the last, and every bay we thought must surely be the last."
Abel Tasman National Park is a coastline of golden sand beaches separated by forested headlands, accessible only by foot, kayak, or water taxi. We kayaked from Marahau along the coast, paddling into bays so sheltered and clear the water looked like glass over white sand. Split Apple Rock — a granite boulder split perfectly in two — sat offshore like a geological riddle. Fur seals sunned themselves on the rocks and barely acknowledged our presence.
The Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, and we hiked a section through coastal forest of beech and kanuka, emerging at each new bay with a view that reset our expectations. Bark Bay, Torrent Bay, Anchorage — each name a place we wanted to stay forever. We wild-camped at Awaroa, accessible only at low tide across a golden estuary, and swam in water that was Caribbean in colour and New Zealand in temperature. The combination of accessibility and wilderness is what makes Abel Tasman perfect — close enough to reach, wild enough to matter.
When to go: December through March for the warmest water and best kayaking conditions. The track is walkable year-round but summer is most comfortable. Book huts and campsites on the Great Walk well in advance for peak season. Water taxis allow flexible day hikes. Autumn is golden and uncrowded.