Golden Bay

Make your way over the Takaka Hill and you'll enter a little world of it's own called Golden Bay. The setting for NZ's first gold rush, it is a seductive place which attracts a wide range of people. Kahurangi National Park with its Heaphy Track (one of New Zealand's Great Walks) lies to the west, Farewell Spit spans out to the north and the Abel Tasman National Park is its eastern border. Artsy and different, it has many interesting things to see and do and is well worth a visit.

Abel Tasman National Park

With beautiful weather, golden sands, turquoise waters, seals and dolphins, NZ's smallest National Park(Abel Tasman) is very easy to access from Takaka, Golden Bay and a lot less people to contend with.

Arts

Some of New Zealand’s top sculptors, painters, potters, jewellers and bone carvers have made Golden Bay their home. You can visit most studios year round.

Getting there

Regular bus services to Golden Bay from Nelson,Motueka and West Coast, or fly in direct from Wellington and Karamea.