Nelson Bays Voyage Tips and guide

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.

Map of Nelson Bays

• 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

• -40.677222172.6827781 Collingwood – at the northern end of Golden Bay, gateway to Farewell Spit and Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park
• -41.033056173.0166672 Kaiteriteri – beach town and popular holiday spot between Motueka and Abel Tasman National Park
• -41.247173.093 Mapua – small seaside town between Nelson and Motueka
• -41.123333173.0147224 Motueka – the largest town outside Nelson and its satellites
• -41.8172.3333335 Murchison – some of the finest white water rafting and kayaking in the Southern Hemisphere
• -41.293056173.2380566 Nelson – the region's only city, with many galleries, cafes and restaurants fringing its cathedral, and a big safe sandfly-free beach at Tahunanui
• -40.75172.77 Onekaka – small town in the middle of Golden Bay
• -41.803333172.8458 St Arnaud – village that is the gateway to Nelson Lakes National Park
• -40.85172.89 Takaka – the largest town in Golden Bay
• -41.404444173.04833310 Wakefield – village south-west of Nelson
• -41.375173.10211 Brightwater

• -40.900028172.97151 Abel Tasman National Park – road-inaccessible park, home to NZ's most popular coastal walk.
• -41.13172.612 Kahurangi National Park – famed for Wharariki Beach, the location of one of Windows 10's default lock screens and the country's second-largest national park.
• -42.042172.6083 Nelson Lakes National Park – secluded highland lakes.

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.

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.

• Nelson Airport (NSN ^IATA), one of the busiest airports in the country with Air New Zealand and other airlines providing scheduled services.
• Takaka airstrip (KTF ^IATA) has scheduled flights from Wellington on Golden Bay Air as well as charter operations.

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

• eBus provides frequent bus services in the Nelson-Richmond (New Zealand) area, with less frequent services to Wakefield and Motueka.
• From Nelson to St Arnaud – Nelson Lakes Shuttles. Also to Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks.
• From Nelson to Motueka, Takaka, Collingwood and the eastern end of the Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park – Golden Bay Coachlines.

• Trek Express, ☏ +64 3 540-2042, toll-free: 0800 128 735, fax: +64 3 540-2042, [email protected]. Specialising in transport to hiking tracks. 
• Nelson Lakes Shuttles, ☏ +64 3 547-6896, [email protected]. 
• Helicopters Nelson. tours and charters. 
• Neson Tasman Air. Scenic flights and charters. Helicopter and fixed-wing. 

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

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.