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New Zealand
> Nelson - Westland > Golden Bay
 Golden Bay is a spectacular area with many diverse
natural phenomenon. You’ll find lush valleys,
golden sandy beaches, deep caves, springs, rocky
coastlines and much more during your stay.
As well as the abundance of natural
wonders, Golden Bay has an offbeat culture and is
home to one of the most vibrant arts communities in
the country. Many artists run independent
galleries or workshops which are open to the public,
with painters, silversmiths, sculptors using various
materials, quilters and furniture makers, to name
just a few. The information centre has an
excellent leaflet giving the locations of these
galleries, along with a description of each.
Two beautiful National Parks flank
Golden Bay. The Abel Tasman National Park is a
coastal park with exquisite beaches and lush native
bush. The Kahurangi National Park encompasses a range
of mountains with glaciers and glacial lakes.
There are small towns dotted throughout
the Golden Bay area. Takaka is the main town of the
area. It offers the general shopping and postal
services you’d expect, along with some
independent galleries, a few very funky cafes and an
organics shop.
 The
Takaka information
centre provides more detailed information about any
activities you may be interested in, as well as
tickets for many of the guided tours. This is also
the place to go if you want to undertake any of the
tramps in either of the National Parks. They can tell
you all you need to know about the tracks and provide
you with hut passes, which are necessary to secure
your bed in any of the overnight huts on your
tramp.
Collingwood is a
smaller town and the base for many of the
region’s activities, it is the departure point
for the famous Heaphy Track, a four or five day tramp
through the beautiful Kahurangi National Park to
Karamea. If this sounds like too much work,
there are many shorter walks through a variety of
stunning scenery throughout the area. Tours of
Farewell Spit depart from here. Any provisions
you might need are available from the general store,
and there are also cafes and a pub.
Accommodation is widely available
throughout Golden Bay in the form of camping grounds,
backpackers, homestays, bed and breakfasts, hotels
and motels, so
there is definitely something to suit everyone.
One of the most spectacular features of
the Golden Bay area is Farewell Spit – a sandbar
35km long (making it the longest in the world)
stretching from the northern most tip of the South
Island. Being out on the Spit, surrounded by
nothing but sand and sea and sky is almost an
otherworldly experience. Because it is such a
unique land formation, the wildlife which lives there
is also very unique. More than 90 species of
birds nest there, including godwits and
dotterel. There is also a spectacular gannet
colony.
In addition, fur seals often rest on the
shores of the Spit. Due to the delicate nature of
this habitat, vehicle access to Farewell Spit is only
granted only to licensed guided tour operators.
You can view the Spit from the comfort of a
four-wheel drive vehicle, or you can opt for the
exhilaration of a horseback tour.
 Pupu
Springs
If you drive just beyond Takaka, you’ll
find the turn off for Pupu Springs (it is clearly
sign-posted from the main road). After a 30 minute
walk through native bush you’ll reach the
clearest fresh water springs in the world. Water is
forced up through limestone formations, creating a
small lake which flows into a river. Amongst the
silence of the bush, the Springs are breath-taking.
Although the Springs are very cold (the temperature
is about 7° C), diving is permitted. Instructions
are provided to ensure the delicate environment is
not disturbed.
Due to its remote location, Golden Bay
remains a relatively quiet tourist spot.
Access is via the Takaka Hill, and a 2-½ hour
journey from Nelson
from which it is an excellent day trip.
Alternatively, you can catch a ferry which regularly
departs Kaiteriteri for Golden Bay and take in the
magnificent sights of the
Abel Tasman National Park
along the way and stay a while.
Bencarri Farm &
Café,
For something a little different, try the
Bencarri Farm & Café, near Takaka. Here you can
hand-feed a diverse bunch of exotic farm animals,
such as yaks, llama and mini horses. You can also
feed the tame eels in the river which runs alongside
the café. After you’ve fed the animals, you can
even take in a round of mini-golf. The café offers
casual dining on licensed premises, and in the
evenings, spit roast cooked over an open fire is
available. Bencarri Farm & Café is well
sign-posted from the main highway between Motueka and
Golden Bay – the turn off is just before you
reach Takaka.
Accommodation
Nelson -
St Arnaud & Nelson Lakes -
Blenheim
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