Stunning views all around and some pretty nice information up there too. Benches here and there but always occupied by freshly tired hikers haha. Tad bit steep but not hard walk. Doable for most people.

The walk to the monument is quick and easy. The views of Nelson city and the surrounding hills and valleys are very cool.

Great activity for a couple of hours. Walk up to the geographically marked centre of New Zealand. Entry is from Nelson Botanical Reserve. Very steep hill climb. You will be rewarded with spectacular views around Nelson out to the port and all across the city. Monument and maps at the top. Pink flowers on the trail look to be banana passion flower, which according to research, are considered invasive species in NZ. If you have dodgy knees, take your time and be sure to take your walking stick and put your knee braces on .!

Set amongst mature trees in the center of Nelson. This is a little gem if you like a walk and great view. The easiest and warmest track is from the western (city) side with a gradual zig zag to the top. Unfortunately google directs many to the eastern side which is steep, damp and cool. Dogs are allowed on the tracks and adjacent parks which is an added bonus.

A very significant place in Nelson and a good place to walk around and see the sunset. It's very easy to walk around and enjoy nature seeing a landmark. Ideally combined with the Japanese garden visit it is a good walk. On the way you could see some farms and a very good view of Nelson bay.

Access from Hardy St Botanical reserve where parking is available. Bit of a climb but very well laid out path to reach the top of the hill where Centre of New Zealand mark is. About 30-40 slow to moderate time in minutes walking slightly steep at places flat climb without steps. Panoramic views of Nelson 360 degrees. Very rewarding views. There are more walking trails at the domain too.

Climb to monument is good exercise with a rewarding bird's view of the surrounding area. I started from Branford Park so my walk was about 20 minutes. Good path with some rocky places as well as brief steep sections.

Small but perfectly maintained little garden near the centre of Nelson. Ideal for a leisurely stroll. The garden also includes a Chinese themed section ; the Huangshi Garden.

Lovely garden only few minutes walk from town center, has many entrances. Cool and serene.

Beautiful. A little swampy. No guard rails or fence around the water. But really lovely, with a good variety of flora and fauna. I love it here. There's also a cat that I see nearly every time I'm there. Ducklings.

Very nice garden, well maintained, ducks and nature beauty is a perfect place for a short walk or a meditation escape.

lovely well laid out grounds, a variety of local as well as exotic plants. A great place to stop for a mindful wander or reflective walk. Other than a few side areas with steps or inclines, most areas was easily accessible. There are a couple of bridges that have some nice views.

Nice walk round admiring all the flowers plants etc

The queens Botanical Gardens are wonderful. As soon as you walk in off the street, the temperature drops 10c, which was perfect on the January summer's day I visited. With a great variety of beautiful old trees and flowers, this place is special. There's a number of large ponds, these Gardens are so peaceful, you could easily forget where you are. The tiles or pebbles in the Chinese garden are very interesting. This place is free and a must visit if you're in Nelson.

Victoria has greeted us with a warm welcome, explaining about the history of the Super Art Gallery, she showed us the user friendly website and happily she answered all our questions. The Gallery was bright, vibrant with creativity.

Really enjoyed the visit to this gallery. Nice big space promoting local artists and exhibitions. Beautiful outdoor cafe area also.

There was a wide variety of exhibits in a modern environment. The staff were very friendly and the cafe served good food and coffee. An added bonus is that the gallery is next door to the Queen's Gardens which has plenty of shelter when the sun is out.

Small and cozy gallery with small exhibitions, that you can visit on rainy days or if you like arts and don’t want to spend hours. Going through takes about 40-60 minutes and entering the gallery is free! You can also buy some of the art or any souvenirs in the shop. Thank you! 😊

Great place to visit , sit back and relax looking at the art or even the Suter shop that has many gifts. The Suter cafe has awesome food to boot and lovely coffee. Helena Fox and Mike Peckham's recent art display in the Mckee Gallery.

I went to the cafe inside the gallery and ordered a coffee. Older lady staff asked me to move the tabl because my table was reserved. But she had just put the reserved sign on my table. Then she allowed other guests to sit there without a reservation. Then I had only been there less than an hour, she asked me to move again to the outside cafe, just a bench in the gallery, even though there were still seats available inside. It was an annoying experience.

I loved my walk around in here it was beautiful and so peaceful and there was a lovely friendly staff member who greeted me with Kia ora when I walked in and made me feel so very welcome 😊 It is worth a look and it is free admission as well 👍

This is a really good place to spend a few hours in. The central point to the whole parlk is to recreate a page of Nelson's past as the early settlers would have known it. However there are lots of vintage vehicles to see, a cafe, a maritime museum, and windmill and more. This place is definitely worth a visit.

Absolutely loved it lots still under construction but great experience

Founder is a peaceful place in the winter. Going in for a wander and a contemplate is lovely, especially if you time it with the open hours of the cafe. They make a good coffee! I was there when they were setting up for the Illumination show. Went back at night , sorry no photos... it was so pretty and cute. Would definitely go back next year!

Wonderful place to explore. Can spend a few hours there. Unless there's an event on its usual free entry for locals or people going to the cafe. Lots of things to check out - heritage buildings and vehicles. If you've got kids its nice to sit outdoor at the cafe and enjoy lunch next to the playground to keep an eye on them. Buy tickets for the short train ride. It goes back and forth each way on two tracks and they have to change the end the locomotive is on each direction so it take a bit of time, maybe was an hour.

Very quiet and not much of anything to do - besides of course looking at the displays and the buildings. Cool things to see if you like history but wasn’t very interactive and a lot was closed. Definitely not worth the price. It has potential to be fun if there were real people in the shops all dressed up, things to buy (like in the general store having old candy, drinks, toys, whatever). The cafe was pumping and the playground is good for older kids. The rail cart/train costs extra which was disappointing as it’s the only interactive thing and you already pay to get into the park. The grounds (gardens and even the displays) were also not very tidy.

This is a great cheap day out. About $11 per adult. I particularly enjoyed the beer & hop museum, some fascinating history in this area! Well worth a visit if you have time to spare. The on-site cafe is fantastic too.

The Founders Heritage Park is a gem in Nelson's crown. My expectations were low considering entry was only eleven or so dollars. However it soon became clear how historically significant and visually pleasing the buildings were. Hundreds of items in the stores made me feel like I was in Back To The Future III. The amount of ships in bottles was astounding. I wish I only knew to bring some gold coins to operate the model trains in the train carriage.

Nelson Cathedral Church is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places to visit in Nelson. Located at the top of the hill in the city centre, it offers a lovely view and a calm atmosphere. The architecture is stunning, with its classic stone design and tall spire, making it a true landmark of the city. Inside, the church feels very serene, filled with natural light and a sense of history. The garden area and surroundings are well maintained and perfect for a quiet walk or to sit and reflect. Whether you are religious or just appreciate beautiful buildings, the Nelson Cathedral Church is definitely worth a visit.

Stunning cathedral with beautiful gardens and surrounds. Great video history on screen in the cathedral. Loved the organ pipes, be awesome to hear them!!! Lovely stained glass windows 🪟

Lovely cathedral and place. Please bear in mind it was near destroyed in infamous 2012 earthquake and is slowly being rebuilt

We dropped by on the way to Christchurch. One of the female staff kindly explained how the cathedral was built using concrete partially and changing the height of side walls based on experiences of earthquake. Great! (Apr. 2025)

Well worth a visit the gardens were lovely the church itself beautiful. Some great views and photo opportunities as you climb the stairs. Free to visit can choose to make a donation to support building repairs.

Signature sightseeing building in Nelson, a must-visit place. I enjoyed reading the short introductions inside the church. Although the weather wasn't good for photos during our visit, we still spent time here.

A lovely place to visit. Very Welcoming! The organist was stunning accompanied by a talented Choir! There was an amazing morning tea served with Great tea and percolated coffee.

A lovely Japanese garden to wander around and enjoy. Very well kept and exudes a feeling of peace, especially around the water features. Look out for the eels in the water. Came here in early 90s when it was first established. Nice to return and see it matured.

This place made me so happy! It’s free, it’s open 24/7, it’s well maintained and it really feels tranquil. So many different elements all fitted into a small garden, it’s small but it feels like it got a bit of everything. I was lucky to see the wisteria bloom when I was there, and even some Sakura were still in bloom. The pond had a lot of eels, the first time I’ve seen eels too! The mini bamboo forest, the small pavilion, the bridges, the plants and benches! If I lived here, I would come here so often <3

Beautiful, quiet, calm little park to walk through.

Just like Japan, but without the long flight! (Assuming you didn’t take a long flight to get to NZ in the first place).

Amazing hideout in the city and one of the best kept secret ! Absolutely stunning, small Japanese garden, built to celebrate Nelson sister city - Miyazu. Featuring beautiful trees, plants and even fishes including eel pond. It’s a perfect place to sit, unwind and relax under a tree on one of several benches and enjoy beautiful scenery including mini bridge and small temple. It takes 15 minutes to walk around and see everything but take your time to look for all small features and details. It’s absolutely worth a walk or drive from city centre!

A great Japanese style garden. Free entry, and quite relaxing. It's been designed really well. With a ying and yang garden, lots of ponds with eels. Beautifully maintained gardens with fun stepping stones and paths for the young and old. Lots of seats and toilets.

Lovely garden with many options to stroll & contemplate. Unfortunately on our visit there a lot of children were running about, shouting & squealing from a wedding party - they were not interested in quiet contemplation! Never mind, on a quiet day it would have perfect! Highly recommend (without a wedding!)

We spent well over $3,000 with them in March on a coop and accessories, and then after just over three months our chicken swing broke (less than $50). We thought replacing a small item worth so little would be quick and painless - until it was suggested the swing had been misused - albeit from one email and a single photo!. I'm not sure how a chicken swing was misused by chickens... swinging on it... I know I certainly never gave it a try - but this is just such poor customer service and such a ridiculous assumption to make from the outset. They could have done SO SO much better than this shoddy treatment. I would've absolutely backed anyone to buy from them, the coop was fantastic - but now I'm worried that anything goes wrong I'll be in for a battle with them. Since querying how they worked out it was misused from one email and a photo they've completely ignored me and are unresponsive. Awful - solid avoid. Update: Given the laughable response from this shoddy operator - they can't even calculate dates correctly. Purchase was in early March, pallet not received until mid March. Emailed them end of July. You do the maths, because they clearly can't. The outside "force" they are discussing - is a chicken swinging on it clearly. The swing is poorly designed and clearly when they swing in directions other than perfectly forward and back this strains the plastic arm. It very obviously is poorly constructed and not fit for purpose and of acceptable quality; also a requirement of the Consumer Guarantees Act :) The swing remained in the coop for its entire short life; and was only ever used by a chicken OF COURSE. It's a chicken swing for goodness sakes! Again - horrible to know we have risked our money with an operator that makes a fuss over a $30 item after spending thousands? Uploaded photo of order from March to show they are trying to present a very different picture to the reality.

Appletons are very good to deal with. I bought the Eglu Go Up for my three Orpington pullets and it will be very good once they learn to use the ladder. I have locked them in the coop to train them but have made tape hinges so the back can be left ajar and kept cooler. Assembly is finicky; I had a professional builder at 5 hours' labour and he was bamboozled at times. It looks attractive and is easy to clean.

I have now made two big-ticket purchases from the Appletons website and have been extremely satisfied on each occasion. These days, making big purchases online sight-unseen is a huge gamble. I've previously dropped thousands of dollars on products expecting premium quality, only for absolute junk to show up at my door. The products from Appletons are always of an extremely high quality and very much worth their price! Because I'm ordering from another city, I usually have questions prior to purchase, and the owner is always very helpful and so patient! She knows her products well and always offers good advice. I highly recommend this store and can vouch for the quality of the products, the speed of delivery, and the top-notch customer service. I'll be back for sure!

Great website, products and quick packaging and shipping! Never had an issue with them, people are always great to deal with. It’s the only company I order my chicken feeders, waterers and heat plates from, would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to purchase chicken things! Thanks Appletons! :)

I've been purchasing from Appletons for a few years now and have never been let down or sold products I would later regret. Fiona is very very helpful and my orders always arrive on time or early. The Omlet Cubes, Omlet Go, Go-Up and fencing are amazing, so easy to clean and I know my hens are snug and safe from predators.

This is the place for your animal food especially chickens. We bought a new chicken run and 4 chickens now they are getting big enough for fresh eggs. Out of the way but worth the visit. This is the new addition to the family Thanks

Found the staff member that owns the place to be condescending, arrogant, inflexible and rude. I am giving 2 stars as the other staff members are very helpful. I am unsure why someone who clearly doesn't understand what customer rapport or service is ends up working in retail. It's not a huge surprise as I have heard that she is unhelpful and doesn't like to be wrong. Not impressed. Great customer service means everything! If you don't have customers you don't have a business! Room for improvement!

This place is great - a little gem. Only slight issue is lack of cellular network.

This is a must do activity. The property is well laid out and plenty of challenges around the area!! There is also a nice cafe and bar. Highly recommended 🤗💥

Great place to stay beautiful 9 hole golf course, licensed bar, variety of paintball options if your game enough 😁 and amazing friendly hosts. Really enjoyed my stay I’ll be back

Best place for paintball in the top of the south. Played here lots. Staff and supportive, kind and very knowledgeable. The cafe is a great place to relax after shooting all your mates and the food is phenomenal all made their by Heather. The club says are fun filled all levels of talent and a great way to learn and get into the sport. The super Sundays are also a great way to get some bang for your buck with the public and club players all playing together. I'd highly recommend Armageddon Paintball to everyone wanting something fun to do

What a great field. Town of Purgatory has to be top 3 field I have played in New Zealand. This a must for all players and club to visit yet.

Brought big family including 86 y/o grandfather-in-law and played with another family who came on the same day. Was a really fun day. The arena is really well done and gave everyone something to do. Norman was a great host and made everyone feel welcome. Would definitely come again.

Awesome paintball field and pro shop. Best facilities in NZ by far. Commercial games, walk ons and events. Great food and licensed for beers. Pro shop stocks Dye, First strike, Planet Eclipse and more!

Wine tasting at the front of house, rock up and enjoy. Really tasty selections. Outdoor seating was fantastic in the summer. Wished there were more food/snacks choices available though.

A delightful place to enjoy wine tasting even in the rain. Their olives and warm, fresh bread were spot on. Their staff was ever so helpful and friendly.

Stunning vineyard. Amazing Pinot noir. Decently priced- tastings $15/4. Bottles ~$55 (to drink on site. Takeaway ~30% cheaper). Can order charcuterie boards, which was highly recommend to us, yet we recently ate. Staff very friendly and attentive. Went on a weekday. Lots of parking and available seating.

I had a remarkable welcome (availability and knowledge) from Reuben, who introduced me to the range of wines from this estate. I was very impressed by the quality of this Estate, particularly the finesse and balance of the wines. After the tasting, I enjoyed a picnic in the beautiful and relaxing garden, with cheese, an excellent homemade tapenade and a succulent baguette, with a glass of Riesling which made my day! I highly recommend this estate.

Neudorf make seriously good wines. While Chardonnay is their specialty, they make very good riesling, pinot gris, albarino, rose and pinot noir. You can taste a range of wines in the tasting area, but I also recommend taking time to sit in their courtyard area overlooking the vines, enjoying one of their picnic hamper lunches with a glass or bottle of their wines.

Visited Neudorf on Sunday just been and was very impressed. We enjoyed a delicious wine tasting (Ps. they donate tasting proceeds towards rescue helicopter!), the grounds are beautiful with nice seating options outside in the sunshine, the woman serving us was lovely, the jazz music playing was smooth, and the picnic shop corner is such a great idea! After wine tasting, enjoyed a glass of their dry Riesling and chose some beautiful local picnic items (Brie cheese, freshly baked and warmed ficelle mini baguette, local jar of beetroot plum relish, and some olive oil infused oat crackers, plus Kumar a crisps). Everything was very fairly priced and it was a beautiful way of spending the afternoon on our way back to Nelson. We’re thankful that Owen River Lodge’s host Felix recommended Neudorf to us.

We fell in love with this winery in 2017, and nearly 7 years later it’s still delivering great Chardonnays. It’s a bit of a drive to get here - allow a good half hour if you’re staying in Nelson - but the last part of the drive in the Moutere region is lovely, and passes a lot of farm stalls. They don’t charge for tasting, and only offer 4 or 5 wines, but seem pretty flexible if you have a keen interest in specific wines (as we do with their chardonnays). The basic Chardonnay is pretty good value for $28, but it’s the better wines that will have you splashing out. And the setting here is superb, a lovely garden overlooking the vineyards, and simply wonderful hosts.

Def worth checking out, had been recommended by another gallery owner to come up and visit this place. beautiful sculptures and woodwork. Lovely location will def be back again for a coffee next time

Stunning spot that has been beautifully landscaped. Very talented artists, husband and wife both with their talent on display. Lovely collection of vintage style homewares including wooen platters, tin vessels, unusual original pieces. We had lovely coffees in the garden and I bough a natural fragrance that is lovely. Well worth a visit while touring through the area.

Amazing, high-quality creations in wood and metal. Top shelf. Good coffee too.

Wonderful setting and atmosphere. Great workmanship - converting oak barrels to household items.

Amazing artwork, delicious coffee and wonderful service - a MUST stop for anyone who loves to marvel at the masterpieces Michael has to show. Can’t wait to head back up and have another look!

Lots of lovely sculptures. Very cleverly done from wine barrels. Every single piece of the barrel get used for something. A mix of metal and wooden pieces of art. Tea and coffee available.

Beautiful hand-crafted wooden kitchen, dining wares. Beautiful photos and pencil drawings. And French wares. Beautiful setting. Some modern and some "old master" styles of sculptures. Hot drinks and biscuits available for inside/outside enjoyment. Jackie, co-owner i met, and photographer, very pleasant. Not meet Mike the sculptor and maker of wooden wares. Enjoyed French Cafe music playing while i was there. And coffee sitting on the grass with my dog. Beauty and quietness (occasional traffic) very healing. Is also B and B. Highly recommended.

A very beautiful beach with water taxi and Tasman Sea Shuttle that provides tours to the Abel Tasman NP.

Best beach in NZ we have ever been. Water temperature was refreshing and just nice with the warm weather. Best to go in Dec and Jan but do expect big crowd and no carpark after 10am.

Very nice beach! It is a tourist spot yes but with a campervan it must be a great experience when you can park straight in front of the beach and enjoy a lovely view.

Very nice and beautiful beach, Water was very warm and the sand is golden colour, very busy around christmas holidays. hidden spot will definitely go there again

An amazing beach!! So beautiful

Beautiful beach. Calm waters where you can canoe, sail, or just a swim. Great for toddlers.

My personal favorite beach in NZ along with Tawharanui (North of Auckland) and Oakura (New Plymouth). I tend to go to Little Kaiteriteri beach to avoid the large crowds.

Highly recommended Fabulous kayak trip tosh Apple Rock with the lovely Emma. Lots of teaching points and guidance. We are inexperienced sea kayakers and having been lucky enough to have a one to one with kayak trip with Emma we feel really confident for future ventures. Bonus chocolate cake and coffee on the beach plus pictures. 🤩

Great guided trip to Split Apple Rock with exploration along the way. Plenty of wildlife to see, Jamie entertained us on the way with lots of information. Including a coffee and a cake picnic break on the beach. Absolutely recommend this experience in Autumn and Winter - find a sunny day and enjoy less crowds, more wildlife and calmer sea!

We had a great time as beginner sea kayakers, saw some cool wildlife and enjoyed nice hot drinks and cake with stunning views. Jamie our guide was awesome, very knowledgeable about the local area and gave us all we needed to know about kayaking and the equipment etc. a great experience for us, cheers.

Easy to book online. Instruction from the guys on the beach was good. This is a lovely activity to go see the split apple rock. We took a picnic and pulled up on the beach for a while. Think in advance about the waves, we found it quite tough on the kayak back into the bay.

We hired 4 kayaks and a paddle board for an afternoon and had such a great time! The guys were so helpful and flexible with the hire and gave easy to understand instructions. We would highly recommend!

We really enjoyed kayaking to Split Apple Rock and back by ourselves for 3 hours. We had time for lunch on the beach and a swim. It is such a beautiful place. The young girl who gave us our safety briefing was very helpful, thorough and kind.

We had a fantastic day with Kaiteriteri Kayak. From the easy booking to the tour, bush walk and half day paddle it was great. We really enjoyed our paddle with Hannah our guide. Hannah was very informative with local information and shared local lore. We enjoyed afternoon tea and exploring the rocks.

What we got from Wilsons Abel Tasman was worth every cent we spent but really, the memories of one day cruise-kayak-walking adventure is priceless. Our trip was super well organized logistically and had laid back vibe to it at the same time. Many thanks to our fantastic guide Jack - first time sea-kayaking and he made us feel like pro's. :-) and he had dozens of stories related to geography and history of the area. Also he knew the best times to enter lagoons so we could make the most of one day. The sun, nice conditions and not too high season yet (Dec 7) played a role, too.

We did the Beaches Bays and Seals Plus Walk trip on a rainy day, so it didn’t look like the promo pictures but it was great kayaking in the rain! Jack, the guide, was grest and we felt very safe but adventurous kayaking in a lumpy sea. Fortunately it stopped raining for the walk from Torrent Bay back to Anchorage so we could appreciate the bush.

We had a great time doing the Kajak tour. Read the description of your tour carefully, so you can bring along the things you will need or leave behind those that just use space 😉 (we blindly followed the list and brought hiking boots although we were traveling back by boat) If you get the lunch yourself, there is a shop right at the ticket office. The kayak have a dry room and u will get a dry bag as well. Bring along enough water, you will get thirsty. Depending on the tide you will have to walk, so we recommend shorts and / or swimm ware for the trip. As you will be paddling on the ocean and the ocean has waves, be aware if u get easily sea sick. Parking If you get there early, u will find enough parking slots. There is also a full day parking (10 Dollars). It can get crowded the around 9/10 am

This is a must do attraction if yours in the area! They have 3hr, half day, full day, or multi day trips! You can walk the track and glamp at one of their lodges (my inlaws did that and LOVED it) — they pack all your gear to the next stop for you so you can just enjoy the walk! We did the half day trip to Anchorage Bay, and just hung out on the beach with the kids. It was a magical place, and the water was perfect temp and gorgeous turquoise color. There isn’t a lot of shade on the beach so plan accordingly! Be sure to explore around, and we heard there are a couple short hikes around, including up to the rock pools! 😉

An absolute highlight day of our trip to NZ. You absolutely must go. The stunning beaches and hiking in between each beach we visited was absolutely breathtaking and Wilsons boats make this water accessible only trip the easiest way to visit with excellent and super efficient options to be dropped off wherever you decide so you can customize your day to suit your needs. We also bought a picnic lunch on a bag from them and it was perfect for enjoying on one of the stunning beaches ma we stopped at. I will forever remember this magical day.

Mo and Jack were absolutely brilliant! We were a small group of 4 and we did the kayak and walk and it was absolutely fun and I love the way how you can hear How they know the history of the place and respect it! Thank you!

The tour operators on board the ferry were very friendly and spoke to all the passengers. They advised the best routes and options depending on our stopping point and our capabilities.

Such a great day out. Our guides were extremely knowledgeable about the history of the park which made the trip super interesting as well as fun. They also gave a intricate safety briefing which made me feel confident about being on the water. Beautiful stop for lunch. Fantastic day out and can highly recommend Abel Tasman kayaks

We joined the Earth, Sea and Sky Tour with Abel Tasman Kayaks and it was one of the absolute highlights of our time in New Zealand. The combination of kayaking along the stunning coastline and hiking through lush forest and golden beaches is the perfect way to experience the diversity of Abel Tasman National Park. From the start, everything was incredibly well organised. The kayaking equipment was top quality, the communication clear and the vibe relaxed yet professional. Our guide Henri was fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about the area, which really added to the experience. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to explore this special part of New Zealand. If you're looking for a mix of active adventure and natural beauty, this is the tour for you. Highly recommended!

We loved the combined kayak and walk Absolutely amazing experience! The combined kayak and walk tour with Abel Tasman Kayaks was the highlight of our trip. The guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and made the day really fun. Kayaking along the beautiful coastline and seeing seals up close was incredible, and the walk back offered stunning views of the park. Everything was well organized and stress-free. Highly recommend this tour! 🚣‍♀️🌿

Top notch kayak tour company. Friendly, capable and safe kayaking tour company. Even though our weather was a bit rainy we had an excellent all day guided tour from veteran guide Dez & trainee Ollie . Dez has a zillion stories and was a seasoned naturalist with loads of wit and verve. We saw tons of seals, a few rays, even a blue penguin bobbing around close to shore. In one of the other nlets a juvenile seal came over and swan around our boats, playing splashing around--a real treat and the highlight for us. Yummy veggie sandwiches with excellent tea/coffee on the beach, with chocolate cake for desert. Highly recommend!

I cannot say enough about this experience. Just go!! It's beautiful. Our guide Tom was incredible providing us with the history of the area and also his knowledge of the rocks, ocean and sea life. He also prepared food and helped us however he could. You will not regret this trip. The kayaking was not too strenuous and it was balanced with gorgeous hikes and stunning vistas.

We had the pleasure to be guided by Whitney on our 1day Kajak tour today. She was very friendly, professional, passionate about the region and in tune with the nature. We got to see many seals and other wildlife, stunning beaches and coves while casually receiving interesting facts about the plants, animals and indigenous culture. The instructions were always clear and I felt very safe while having zero prior kayaking experience. From being picked up by the water Taxi to being dropped off, it was an amazing experience. One of our highlights in New Zealand! 100% would recommend.

Great place to hire kayaks from or get guided tours. We did the self guided full day with water taxi back (Marahau to Anchorage) and it was great. We saw some seals and pups, amazing scenery, had a private beach lunch then chilled at Anchorage. Thoroughly recommended. Full briefing first with instruction, maps etc then launched and picked up after the return water taxi home.

Awesome skipper, great flexibility and super fun ride. I booked last minute the night before, skipper was happy to get me home on an earlier cruise as I finished the walk early. Everything smooth, will return soon as a local 👏

Absolutely brilliant trip with the added bonus of a tractor ride! Views were simply stunning. Our guide/driver gave us heaps of information on the area and wildlife. Next time I’m that side of the planet I’ll ensure I visit them again. Highlight of our trip. ❤️

A great experience. We booked a ride (online) up to the Anchorage the night before. to traffic we arrived after the boat had left the store. Not to worry, they gave us a van ride to catch up to our boat at the landing. Great hike! Great boat ride.

The water taxis were fast and efficient, took you to some great spots, and the park itself is gloriously beautiful. We did the Bark Bay to Awaroa trip, and it was magnificent - but the trip times meant it was impossible to stop for lunch, a swim or a beer at the end. We had to keep up a pretty brisk pace for the full 3hr walk, and just made the boat in time at the end. An extra toilet stop or a break for lunch and we’d have missed it. With an extra hour, it would have been a perfect day. The time pressure really ruined it.

I absolutely loved riding on the water taxis. I hadn’t looked them up in advance and was pleasantly surprised by loading up on land and being pulled by tractor into the sea. And the captains/pilots pointed out stingrays, seals, and cormorants on some of the rides. What a unique experience!

Absolute gem of a company to deal with. Nothing was a bother. Our skipper Gynn went above and beyond his duties…. Gave us a full commentary of all the bays we had walked as we travelled back along the coast with him. He then transported us by van to the cafe for a well earned beer. Such a relaxed but exceptionally well run company. Thank you.

Lots of different experiences to choose from. We opted to taxi up to one point within the park and walk to another stop and be returned to our starting point. Easy to book, pleasant personnel, on time service, flexible when our needs changed. Aqua taxi made it simple to enjoy our time in this beautiful place.

What a super experience we had! Thank you Darren for the superb day! You took good care of us. A must do if you visit Abel Tasman!

Had a fantastic day out on the water, everything was very well organised and we got to see some absolutely beautiful places. Also some quite a few seals, lots of birds and an eagle rays. We also got a lot of information about Abel Tasman NP! Been to some places that are only reachable by boat and had most of them to ourselves. Small group which is always a good thing, there were only 6 of us.

I had an unforgettable experience with Abel Tasman Eco Tours! My partner and I absolutely loved every moment. From the very start, our skipper, Darren, was attentive, approachable, and incredibly knowledgeable. Having tried nearly every activity in the Abel Tasman, I can confidently say this company stands out with its exceptional service, delicious lunch and morning tea, and the wealth of information I gained about the National Park and it's ecosystem—it was far beyond my expectations. The positive atmosphere on board was contagious; everyone left with even bigger smiles than they arrived with. Highly recommend—totally worth it!

We had an amazing day on the Eco Tours boat. Our guide Darren was very knowledgeable and fantastic with our two kids. The food and drink selection was great and Darren even had a jam donut as a birthday treat for our daughter celebrating her 7th birthday. It was the perfect way to see the highlights of the park without having to hike with a 4 year old who insists on being carried. Totally recommend this trip for families. Thanks so much Darren & team!! The Tsang family.

A safe, professional and well organized experience with Eco tours on a busy Waitangi weekend. Our guide Darren did a great job and shared plenty of interesting information about the area. The company also seemed very flexible with the tour, allowing for greater/lesser time at points of interest and discussing varying subjects, depending on the group's interests.

What an incredible experience we had on Sunday the 25th, honestly a day on a boat couldnt get any better, I have the Abel Tasman on my door step and have never seen it this way before. Justin the skipper so full of knowledge of the area and the history. Such a fresh friendly attitude and you could tell he loves his job. The trip it's self was amazing I loved every aspect and greatful that we got a an incredible experience just for the 2 of us. We originally organized the trip for earlier in the week but pushed it out due to weather and Mel was incredible in communication and arranging this. Loved all the stops along the way and the yummy morning tea treats and lunch. Definitely recommend the team at Abel Tasman Eco Tours and the tour itself. I want to bring my kids now

Utterly amazing — the best way to see the extent of the Abel Tasman reserve by boat along the coast, stopping in an estuary (high tide permitted that) and on remote beaches for morning coffee and then lunch. Darren, our host for the day, was great: full of fascinating facts, super organised and attentive to ensure we got be best out of our day. Swimming, bird song, seals, sun, sand and sea. Perfect day.

Absolutely excellent, we chose the freedom kayaking full day option with water taxi. This was perfect as we kayaked leisurely to Anchorage from Marahau with some exploring and beach stops on the way and then water taxi for us and kayak back. Professional, helpful, all equipment needed provided. Can't recommend enough. Andy and Steve, thanks for a great day!

Brilliant morning out with our guide Squid! Squid was a smashing tour guide - super friendly and knowledgeable. We kayaked down the coast, stopping for a few very tasty hot drinks on the beach. We were even lucky enough to see a few seals whilst out on the water. We had a blast. Thank you!

AJ took us on a phenomenal tour (marine reserve tour). He was extremely knowledgeable of all the right places to hit, and timed it out with the tide so we could go into some peaceful lagoons, and still have a lunch break on a beautiful beach. The lunch they provided with the booking was surprisingly tasty and was a perfect accompaniment to the day. I would highly recommend, and if you get AJ as your guide you know you’re in for a treat!

What a wonderful group of people! We got there for the 8:30 am 1-day freedom kayak rental and Squid was our guide. She did very well with giving us instructions, helpful tips and guidance, since we were going off on our own once we were in the water. The kayaks held a lot of stuff, had a map and they even provided waterproof bags and advised us about sunscreen. All in all, fantastic experience and would gladly do it again with Kahu Kayaks!

A totally magical day! We had a lovely time in our small group (2 kayaks and the guide) on our full day classic marine tour (Onetahuti bay to Anchorage bay) - our guide EJ was wonderful: sharing his knowledge of the area, making up games for us to play, and brewing delicious coffee and hot chocolate at our beach lunch stop. The water was some of the clearest I’ve seen and we were really lucky with the weather. Sailing into Anchorage bay at the end was a highlight, and something we have not done on other kayaking experiences. Overall it was a really nice mix of paddling and exploring otherwise inaccessible beaches - we would recommend anyone coming to Abel Tasman to give this a go

I had a great morning with Kahu Kayaks ! It was really lovely, with great explanations ! Our guide (I think her name was Emma, I'm so sorry but my memory is so baaaad !) Anyway she was funny, lovely, had a lot of stories about the region ! She took really good care of us ! With a nice stop on the beach with coffee/tea/chocolat up to you ! Thanks again for this moment ☀️🙏🏼

We had the best time yesterday on our guided trip with EJ! He is such a great guide with a lot of knowledge. He could tell us many stories about the birds, seals, history of Abel Tasman and way more. On top of that, while we were having a break at a beautiful remote beach, he asked us if we would like to have a mocha, flat white or anything else and we thought he was joking but then he really had brought all tools to make us some. ☕️ The kayak equipment is in perfect state and the guy that helped us at the reception was very friendly and helpful, he even gave us lots of tips beyond Kahu Kayaks. All in all an awesome experience, thanks Kahu!

Excellent from start to finish really enjoyed our day here we will be back next year,horses were amazing ,scenery stunning and owners and girls excellent would highly recommend Baton horse trek , We were made to feel truly welcome.Thank you

Love the place, recomended highly, love the Honeywell Hut

Wonderful serene setting, it won't disappoint.

It is very tidy and clean.

Good place to stop at with plenty of parking. Nice short walk to the lookout point with great views (less than .5 mile) We ran into a lamb on the trail. It was quite friendly.

Had a bit of a shocking one here. Popped in to grab a couple of maps and a colouring book for our 4yo, but took 20 mins. Two staff on, one very friendly but was busy helping someone with something complicated when we arrived. The other staff member 'Sacha' was just finishing with someone, talking on the shop floor, so we queued nearby and looked at the displays. A moment later, she turned around without looking and nearly knocked our daughter over, after which she said to her 'you need to move out of my way' in a quite abrupt way (despite the fact she could have gone another way herself and wasn't watching where she was going). A real eye rolling way to treat a little child in a tourist information centre! After this she finished up with her existing customer, but then chased down the road after the poor person accusing them of stealing her pen. After an exhaustive search (5 mins+), which ultimately involved everyone in the room, the pen was found behind her keyboard. Once this drama was finished she finally turned to my wife and asked 'what do you want'. When presented with this stuff we wanted to buy she said, 'Oh I'm not doing purchases, you need to go to my colleague' (it was unclear why the was). After a few minutes while we waited for her colleague, she called my wife back saying she could in fact help, but then sent her off again when she asked to pay by card When the colleague was done and able to help she was by contrast to Sacha a lovely person and very quick and efficient, so overall a two star experience (and very out of character for the lovely folks we have met everywhere else in golden bay)!

Still closed 31/10. You do have informations outside but nothing compared to a proper chat with knowledgeable people

One of the finest staff I have ever met. He said please visit us again in our town and stay some days here ❤️ Very good people around with lovely cafes for a cuppa.

I usually stop here to use the toilet, which are typically in acceptable condition. Though they are used frequently, so can reflect that. EV chargers on site, and conveniently located parking for nearby shops. Sometimes full at peak times.

Help with local knowledge about wider area. Will book accommodation and trips . Lots of information.

Closed till 25 Sept 2025 but heaps of info plastered on the windows.

Fantastic host, thanks for taking the time to show us through the distillery. Loved your passion and knowledge. Delicious Gins, enjoyed them all. Would highly recommend stopping in.

What a delight! Local and yet NZ wide. Started in 2016, it now produces gin, vodka and rum. Ingredients sourced as local as possible, from katakana, to strawberries to even making the salted caramel for their special rum. So worth booking a visit.

Wish I could offer 100 stars and love to have one of these stores in Wellington with Gina as the store manager. We were looked after really really well and she is bloody awesome and we’re in love with Dancing Sands- THE BEST GIN IN THE COUNTRY. I can honestly assure you that you can’t find any better GIN place in the country, highly recommend this place and it’s worth the trip

We were able to sample most of the Gin selection before deciding to buy a bottle of Dry and Sauvignon Blanc Gin. It was a difficult decision as all were delicious...

On a recent trip to NZ, we stopped off in Takaka for a few days. One of the reasons was to visit Dancing Sands. We had heard that tours where not taking place at the moment, but we thought sampling the gin and making a purchase was always on the cards. We popped in and we were the only people there, the person we was talking to was very passionate about the role and told us all about the gin's and how they are made. So we did the tastings and made a purchase of a fantastic gin, as we were about to leave the guy offered us a private tour, I understand it was quiet and he might have had a bit of time on his hands. The whole gin process was explained and we were introduced to the stills, each have a name, sadly i can not remember them. But to I wanted to say thank you the guy for making the experience a fantastic one, and now back in the UK we have made further purchases of Dancing Sands gins. I hope we maybe able to return one day :)

This place is fantastic! Jaime was such a great dude and so passionate about the stuff that Dancing Sands make. It was a total pleasure to chat with him about the various products and the ways they are produced. And this was just the service side of things... The product was genuinely outstanding! They make a bunch of different gins, so obviously if gin isn't your thing then you might be out of luck. But some of the things they do with gin, and the flavours they produce, are incredible! And the location was great too. On the whole, 10/10, bloody good and well worth a visit. We will be coming back for sure!

Morning gin tasting - breakfast of champions! Lovely gin - recommend the dry and sauvignon blanc.

A wonderful experience. Given a rod, net and instructions and off you go. Took around 20 mins to tempt the multitude of salmon onto my hook. Was very easy. Another 20 minutes for it to be smoked and fileted. Brilliant

Such a great place to visit with kids. We got to feed the salmon, saw some huge eels and ate some delicious salmon bites at the cafe. Its a very picturesque place too. Good kids area to play aswel.

We went here about 7 years ago and it was great then, but seems to have gone downhill a bit. There were signs pointing to the river, through the animal area, to feed the eels but we found no eels. Turns out the friendly eels were right amongst all the salmon farm, so the signs should be sorted for that. The staff wasn’t very friendly, maybe a bit stressed? And it seems that some might not understand English very well? We asked to have one of our salmon turned into sashimi and the guy said we couldn’t. We saw others having sashimi so we went back to a different guy and asked for it and got it. We are kiwi, but I saw one lady being a bit rude to an Asian tourist when she couldn’t understand the ladies Asian accent. There are two dogs wandering the property, one is a really lovely dog but the other doesn’t seem to like people which is an odd choice to have when running a tourist attraction with kids running around. The dog poo everywhere was also a bit gross. The actual salmon fishing is always really fun and the way they smoked the salmon is super super delicious. We caught two giant salmon and had one sashimi and three smoked options and we ate it all, because it was just so darn good.

Fishing was really fun! Could have a special experience with my partner. It was scary to take the hook out of Salmon, but everything was perfect. Quite pricy, however fresh salmon sashimi was insane. Never tried this fresh salmon ever.. Absolutely great memory!

the atmosphere, and the surrounding landscape of the area were all very beautiful. if you are passing by this area, i recommend it, a lot. the sashimi was very tasty, and i got to take the rest of the fish in boxes home. i would go again if i had the chance. also it had eels which you could feed the salmon

A fantastic experience. My partner and I opted for the cafe food option as we weren't really in fishing mood. Also you have to be prepared to pay for whatever you catch and it could get costly!, especially a big one. We bought the salmon platter for two and the salmon came in a variety ways, it was lovely and fun sharing. We thought we might need a serving of chips too but they never got eaten!. That doesnt happen often!!!. Laid back and relaxed atmosphere, really neat friendly staff too, something different and worth experiencing.

Amazing spot to enjoy a coffee or glass of wine with an amazing salmon platter to share, so delicious and great value. Or catch a fish and have it hot smoked for you and sit down and enjoy with great scenery to boot, a unique way to spend a couple of hours.

A truly calming and spiritual place. Must visit if you are in the Takaka region. The beautiful story boards at the beginning of the track tell of the Maori Legends and gold mining era, some photos of the people being able to dive and swim in the water back in the 90s, making us super jealous! Walk itself if easy and flat, short (25 mins loop) but it will take longer just to take it all in and get some nice photos. Clean washrooms at the start of the track. Cheeky weka and lots of ducks in the spring ponds, noisy rivulets around the pond and overall a very unique experience in this part of the south island.

Absolute Serenity. Lovely flat walking track. Gorgeous views. Nice picnic tables. Would have absolutely loved just a single rubbish bin by the public toilets. Someone is obviously keeping the toilet’s maintained so they could surely empty a bin once a day. Cute little friendly duck.

Very beautiful, even if in the rain. We did this loop jn about 20 minutes given the rain. Would have liked it to be longer. Such a beautiful, one of a kind and informative sacred spot to visit.

These sacred springs and their crystal clear water is definitely worth a stop on your travels around South Island. There is a carpark with toilets and clearly signposted walkway to the springs. No swimming and no dogs allowed.

Free entry. Great visitor entrance, lots of information boards, very well done and worth reading. Pleasant track makes for an easy walk around to the springs themselves. Crystal clear water.

Absolutely stunning walk, definitely worth a visit. Nice flat track, very family friendly. - stay out of the water for cultural respect and no dogs

Gorgeous setting. Beautiful clear blue springs. Easy walk. 1km, flat. Accessible.

Really fascinating local hydro power plant with super historical value, information, climbing loop walk and amazing feats of tailrace engineering.

Great short walk, with great views and easy to do with kids. Lots of history along the way aswell

Fantastic walk up to a small old hydro electric scheme that's almost 100 years old that is still operating. Best part by far is the water race at the top - great bit of engineering and great fun to walk along for 2km or more. Walk up is moderately challenging - path to the right just beyond the car park is the best is runs through the forest and is well shaded - would come up and down this way rather than do the loop next time. LH path is a gravel track mostly out in the sun.

Parking at entrance to the walk, go right at the sign when you get to it, there is a lot of uphill at the start but worth it for walking alongside the water. Ends with a long walk down a gravel track surrounded by trees and at the bottom have a look at the machinery and poems of life in the local area before electricity

I had so fun walking there with my family and I the kids loved the holes in the ground because of the water flowing when it rains and they could jump back and forth. They also liked looking for the crayfish. They had really fun running down the mountain and looking for the birds. Good walk👍

A nice little loop trail, but nothing too special. The waterworks are definitely unique and look impressive, but the walk itself is rather unremarkable.

Absolutely stunning and beautiful! This would have to be up there as one of my favourite tracks. It's 5.7km including the 320m to the lookout on the way down. Tautoko (confirm/echo) what others say - go up the left, zigzag track first which is about 1km up. After heavy rain it will be wet, the terrain is a mix of clay and rocks. It was reasonably wet when I went, which was 4 days after rain. Then you follow a water race in a flat and well maintained track for about 1.5km. This is very cool. Some bridge parts are very narrow (see photos). Lots of picnic tables to stop and eat. Then an upward and downward gravel track. I ran most of this 5.6km trail, it took 46 mins (I don't consider myself a fast runner, usually 6-6.5min kms on the flat, however I do have a preference for hill running).

Definitely 5 stars. Our family thought the chocolates were absolutely divine and we bought some for special friends in Australia. Wonderful service and warm hospitality to boot .

Nice cottage, friendly lady.

Scrumptious

Irresistible

I have fished with Anton on several occasions over the last few years. Anton is a great bloke and a terrific fishing guide for both trout and king fish. He knows the top of the south island like the back of his hand is very patient and generous with his advice. My fishing skills have improved immeasurably from my time spent on the water with Anton. I couldn't recommend Anton more highly. I will be back soon.

I have fished with Anton twice during multiple fishing trips to NZ. He is an excellent guide: tireless in the pursuit of great angling, extremely helpful in improving my trout game, and engaging company on the river. After some 60 years of fishing in North America, Europe and NZ, I have Anton to thank for putting me onto the single largest trout of my life. I wouldn’t miss booking with him again for my next NZ visit.

Anton is the best fishing guide I have had anywhere. Period! All around incredibly great guy who is passionate about fishing, New Zealand, life, etc...Goes above and beyond to make a trip incredible (and put you on fish!!), whether it is 1 day or 4 days. I have gone with Anton for 3 years in row and multiple 4 day trips. I have gone all over with him - Nelson, Tasman, West Coast, Golden Bay....Never a dull moment and just gutted that I will not be able to make the trip this year. Really hoping to make it next year!!

Excellent service, Alan is a star driver and guide. We had a stunning tour during a winter but sunny and relatively windless day. I recommend anybody to have this experience at the tip of the spot!

This was a fantastic day. 7 hours but it did not feel like it. The things that they show you are amazing, but the knowledge and friendliness of the host was second to none. He told us about the settler and local history, the maori history, described plants and what they were used for, identified birds and gave us a bit about them. The lighthouse at the end of the spit was well with seeing, but once again the history and the context of the place brought it all to life for us. I would do this your again in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it.

Spent the most amazing 6 hrs on the Farewell Spit two days ago. Our driver Paddy was full of really interesting information and made the whole trip really enjoyable. His dad jokes had us all groaning! The tour takes you to the northern most point of the South Island, Fossil Point and the lighthouse where you get a muffin and a drink. On the way back you get to climb a beautiful sand dune, and watch the sunset. Such a tranquil and serene part of the country and lovely to see lots of native birds too. Totally recommend!

Felt the tour didn’t live up to the hype I had read or heard from other people. I wouldn’t say it’s horrible, or I wouldn’t not recommend it. I am glad I did it, but I certainly wouldn’t do it again. There were some things that I learned on the tour, but overall it was a wee bit underwhelming. Now the people that work the tour deserve a lot of credit and are very accommodating, however 6 hours on a bus, where 90% you are sitting on the bus and less interaction at scenic spot. Again, it isn’t horrible and it’s worth doing, but I was expecting a little more.

This tour is highly recommended. We were fortunate to have a driver/guide named Alan whose knowledge, perception, and commentary was exceptional! This was a six and a half hour tour that became a learning experience of a lifetime. So much history, marine biology, ecology, ornithology, geography and more, plus general knowledge — warmly and interestingly shared interspersed with fascinating stories. There were frequent stops at places of interest with time to stretch one’s legs and photograph the magic of this part of Aotearoa. Alan was on the lookout all the way for migratory birds of interest. We stopped to observe a small flock of godwits and learned about their migratory habits, navigation and the incredible biological changes they undergo in the process. Similarly, there was a stunning view of a white heron or Kōtuku and many other birds, and creatures or their remains. The moving patterns of sand made a stunning visual effect en route and the time we spent at the lighthouse and environs was again fascinating and informative. There we were treated with refreshments, a talk about the lighthouse and its keepers and had a chance to look at the books kept there on features of interest such as the whales and the godwits. A collection of shells and other found marine objects from the beach — such as the paper nautilus —were carefully displayed treasures of interest. This trip has to be one of NZ’s best. Thank you!

Lucky enough to have the pleasure of Charles as our guide. What an infectious enthusiast. So knowledgeable and humorous. One of the best trips anyone could ever do. Fascinating. Otherworldly. Human hardiness seen in the Harwood lighthouse keepers history of overcoming the elements. Highly recommend.

A must-do experience! Had the perfect day for the trip. Totally worth every penny. Had a fantastic tour guide, Alan, who was a great storyteller. Enjoyed every moment of listening to some of the history of this beautiful part of the Top of the South. Met some lovely fellow tourists. We'd very highly recommend this adventure.