Anyone that makes the effort to get to the northwest corner of the South Island will instantly feel spoiled by the warmth of the locals, the relaxed vibe and the diverse scenery within a short drive from wherever you decide to stay. Detouring off the main tourist routes purposefully pays off in this region. To give you a taste of what to expect from your visit to Golden Bay / Mohua, here's an overview of great itinerary ideas we've collated for you.
Before you lay eyes on absolutely gorgeous Golden Bay / Mohua at the top of New Zealand's South Island you'll enjoy an amazingly scenic road journey as you climb Takaka Hill. Travel to this huge sandy bay famous for its scallops and the lengthy Farewell Spit.
Highlights can include:
catch your own lunch, smoke your fish to perfection, and then feast on Anatoki Salmon freshly caught from the chinook salmon farm 🎣👪
coastal hills form a dramatic backdrop to the beautiful Kaihoka Lakes which are easily combined with time spent at Westhaven / Whanganui Inlet an estuary offering breathtaking scenery whether the tide is in or out 👟🐚
Golden Bay Kayaks are at the quiet end of the Abel Tasman National Park and provide awesome guided tours, freedom kayaking and SUP hire from Tata Beach 🛶
see some of the clearest water ever measured when you walk to Te Waikoropupū Springs are the largest freshwater springs in the Southern Hemisphere 👟💧
In places the Kahurangi National Park is an untracked wilderness, elsewhere the wonderful Heaphy Track lets you explore by foot or mountainbike wild rivers, high plateaux, alpine herbfields and coastal forests 🏞️👟🚵
a short walk through lush native bush leads to the cascading Wainui Falls where the highlight for children will be the long swing bridge 👟📸👪
vital to our migratory birds Farewell Spit is a bird sanctuary and wetland of international importance, being more strictly protected than a national park - visitors can view this special place on a guided tour that explores this intriguing reserve 🐦🐚
a maze of pathways through limestone rock formations at Labyrinth Rocks Park can be fun, especially for geologists and children with big imaginations - you never know whats lurking around the corner 👟👪
a beach doesn't get more idyllic than the clear waters and golden sands of Tata Beach and Totaranui Beach, so take your time and linger for longer 🐚 🏖️
the challenging drive over the crest of Takaka Hill will have many celebrating that they made it to the summit - the lookout offers a breathtaking vista that's well worth a moment to settle the potential nausea 🚗📸
experienced horse riders will enjoy the physically challenging fabulous trek to Wharariki Beach where you work as a team with your horse provided by Cape Farewell Horse Treks 🐴
becoming more and more insta-famous, much photographed Wharariki Beach is a wonderfully remote natural wonder flanked by the Archway Islands rising from the sea 📸👟🐚
GOLDEN BAY AT A GLANCE 🛏️ minimum 2 night stay recommended 📅 visit any time of year
📍 4 out of 10 international visitors include Golden Bay in their New Zealand itinerary
🌦️ there is a chance of rain 3.5 days each week on average each year
👨👩👦👦 Family fun can easily be found here but aren't always obvious - bush walks, beach time etc 🍽️ Food + Wine experiences in this region were often mentioned as a highlight 🏳️🌈 LGBTQI+ friendly 👍
This part of New Zealand is home to:
Largest cities: Takaka
Other popular places: Collingwood, Farewell Spit, Onekaka, Kahurangi National Park, Pohara, Tata Beach, Te Waikoropupu Springs, Whanganui Inlet, Wharariki Beach, Patons Rock and more...
Accessible by:
🚗 self-drive on a road trip
✈️ board a plane to land at Takaka Aerodrome (KTF)
🚌 take a bus from Coastal Tasman or Nelson City
