Nelson Bays

The Nelson and Tasman regions, sometimes collectively referred to as top of the South or Nelson Bays are situated at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand. The region is famed for sunshine, art and craft and alternative lifestyles, and has a rugged farming backbone. The region includes the large triangular-shaped Tasman Bay, and the more remote Golden Bay to the north-west. The main population centre and regional hub is the Nelson-Richmond metropolitan area, at the southern end of Tasman Bay. The region is bounded by the Richmond Ranges to the south, Kahurangi National Park to the west, and Nelson Lakes National Park to the south-west. The Abel Tasman National Park is on the northern coast between Tasman Bay and Golden Bay.

Regions

  • Golden Bay, over the Takaka Hill from Nelson and a world away, with beautiful golden sand beaches, native bush and solitude
  • Nelson Lakes has the largest native eels in New Zealand inside its national park and good alpine skiing centred on St Arnaud

Settlements

  • 🌍 Collingwood – at the northern end of Golden Bay, gateway to Farewell Spit and Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park
  • 🌍 Kaiteriteri – beach town and popular holiday spot between Motueka and Abel Tasman National Park
  • 🌍 Mapua – small seaside town between Nelson and Motueka
  • 🌍 Motueka – the largest town outside Nelson and its satellites
  • 🌍 Murchison – some of the finest white water rafting and kayaking in the Southern Hemisphere
  • 🌍 Nelson – the region's only city, with many galleries, cafes and restaurants fringing its cathedral, and a big safe sandfly-free beach at Tahunanui
  • 🌍 Onekaka – small town in the middle of Golden Bay
  • 🌍 St Arnaud – village that is the gateway to Nelson Lakes National Park
  • 🌍 Takaka – the largest town in Golden Bay
  • 🌍 Wakefield – village south-west of Nelson
  • 🌍 Brightwater

Other destinations

Understand

Get in

By car

From the east, State Highway 6 is the main route leading from Blenheim (and Picton) through Renwick, Havelock and the Rai Valley before reaching Nelson. State Highway 6 continues south through Richmond, Wakefield, Murchison and on to Westport and the West Coast. State Highway 63 starts at Renwick and leads to St Arnaud before rejoining State Highway 6 at Kawatiri Junction.

By bus

In the main, both buses and shuttle services in and out of the region follow State Highway 6. Nelson Lakes Shuttles specialise in providing transport for trampers, hikers, climbers, mountain bikers and skiers. They run on-demand together with scheduled services to St Arnaud and between Picton, Blenheim, Murchison as well as other tramping destinations further afield.

By plane

Get around

For those without transport, there is reasonable bus transport around the region.

Scheduled services

On-demand services

See

Do

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

Sunburn and sun stroke might be the greatest dangers in this region!

Go next

For those heading south to Christchurch, there are two options which take roughly the same length of time. State Highway 6 branches just after Murchison lending to Springs Junction. Turning east leads soon to the hot springs complex of Maruia Springs before steadily climbing up the Lewis Pass on the Main Divide of the Southern Alps. Beyond too long the turn-off to the spa town of Hanmer Springs is reached, 1.5 hours from Christchurch. The alternative it to travel to Blenheim and then south on State Highway 1 through the whale watching town of Kaikoura. Both routes take approximately 6 hours.

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