The top of the South Island New Zealand | Abel Tasman, Golden Bay & Cape Farewell

A road trip in New Zealand always takes longer than expected and the 178 km (111 miles) trip from Cable Bay to the top of the South Island of New Zealand was no exception.

The roads from Cable Bay to Golden Bay, Abel Tasman National Park, and Cape Farewell at the northernmost tip twists and turns up and down the mountains. It will keep you on your toes squealing with delight at the incredible views and screaming in fear at the terrifying drops off the side of the road.

We parked the car for a couple of days in Kaiteriteri and took the Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle into the National Park for a stay at the Awaroa Lodge. Departing the sea shuttle onto the white sands of Awaroa Beach felt like arriving on fantasy island.

At low tide you can walk across the bare sand of the estuary. It is incredible how the water recedes for a couple of hours either side of low tide leaving boats docked on dry land and giving hikers a shorter hike along the track – if they get the timing right.

It’s also the perfect opportunity for the Oystercatcher’s and other birds to find their dinner.

It takes 3-5 days to hike the 60 km (37 mile) Abel Tasman Coast Track through lush coastal bush and across golden beaches. Or…if you prefer shorter day walks you can hike the track in sections picking up a water taxi to return to your destination for the night. It’s pretty cool how well this works in an area that feels like the middle of nowhere.

Getting dropped off for a hike along the track you need to be aware of the tide tables for some crossings along the way.

Just follow the signs to make your way to a water taxi pickup point.

Waiting on the beach at the water taxi stop.

We only had a couple of days at Abel Tasman and would love to return sometime to hike more of the track as well as kayaking. Like everything on the South Island of New Zealand – it’s unique, diverse, and incredibly beautiful.

The views from the track are breath taking. This one is from the Sky Track Walk near Awaroa Lodge.

A little further north (through more mountainous switchbacks) is Golden Bay. Even with the constant rain and crummy weather we experienced we loved it there! It’s remote, quiet, pristine beauty.

Driving through the countryside you can see why parts of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were filmed in this area.

One unique stop took us on a 45 minute walk around the Te Waikoropupu Springs. The springs are known for the clarity of the water, and the volume of water discharged. According to Wikipedia the visibility has been measured at an average of 63 km (over 206 feet) deep. It is estimated that 14,000 litres of water are produced per second, approximately enough to fill 40 bathtubs.

The springs are spiritually significant to the Māori (indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand). A sign at the entrance of the walkway reads:

“Te Waikoropupu Springs are a taonga (treasure) and waahi tapu (a sacred place) for Māori, both locally and nationally. The legends of Te Waikoropupu are told in the stories of Huriawa, its taniwha (guardian spirit). In Māori tradition the Springs are waiora, the purest form of water which is the wairua (spiritual) and the physical source of life. The Springs provide water for healing, and in the past were a place of ceremonial blessings at times of birth and death and the leaving and returning of travellers.”

We had hoped to make it up to the northernmost part of the South Island at Cape Farewell Spit. However all the rain caused flooding on the road and we would have had to wait for low tide to access the hike along the beach. At least we weren’t one of the campers stranded on the other side

Instead we drove back to the Cape Farewell Carpark at Puponga Farm Park Recreation Reserve and hiked across the fields with the sheep taking in the panoramic and rugged coastline from above.

That’s as far north as we can go before heading to the North Island. We are sad to leave this idyllic and diverse countryside. The South Island of New Zealand – wow! If it’s not on your bucket list and it should be – just go!