Abel Tasman National Park

The Nelson region is known for its year-round sunshine, golden beaches, national parks, boutique wineries, micro breweries, locally grown produce and a large creative community of working artists.

From the city of Nelson it is easy to access any of three National Parks: Nelson Lakes, Kahurangi and Abel Tasman National Park, the latter of which is known for its glittering golden sand beaches, turquoise waters and spectacular ocean views. Regular water taxis provide easy access to the park for those who want to enjoy a day trip to explore part of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track which normally takes three to five days to walk. For those who wish to explore the coastline from the perspective of the sea, there are sea kayaks available for hire.

Abel Tasman National Park is located at the top of the South Island. It is the smallest of all national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 22,500 hectares (87 square miles). The land was extensively modified by fire, forest clearing and introduced plants, before being abandoned and reverting to wilderness. The creation of the national park in 1942 followed threats of further exploitation of the remaining native forests. Abel Tasman National Park is a rough and mountainous area, best known for its coastline of crescent-shaped bays, clear waters, little islands and granite headlands sculpted by erosion.