Local Tips
Insider knowledge & tips on the best parts of the Abel Tasman National Park.
Insider knowledge, tips, and stories from our favourite parts of the Abel Tasman region.
Enjoy reading our stories from the around the region. AbelTasman.com produces the annual Abel Tasman Magazine, if you miss out on the print version you’ll find many of the articles, stories and images here. We like to think that this collection of informative blogs will help you appreciate the park and it’s region just that little bit more!

Winter in the Abel Tasman
A quintessent winter day in the Nelson Tasman region starts out with clear blue skies, temperatures hovering around zero and the grass covered in a layer of frost. By mid-morning however, the temperatures will

Spotlight on St Arnaud
ST ARNAUD: GATEWAY TO NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK It is sometimes easy to forget the Nelson Tasman region is home to three national parks. While the Abel Tasman is undoubtedly the most famous of

Abel Tasman Location Guide
The best parts of the Abel Tasman A common question we get asked by visitors is: “Which is the best part of the Abel Tasman?” This is the Abel Tasman’s FAQ equivalent of “How

Off the Beaten Cycle Trail
Discover the best adventure cycle trails in the Nelson Tasman region. With the ever expanding cycle trails and even brand-new cycling locations having come online in the past several years, even mad-keen cyclists in

What to bring? – The Abel Tasman packing list
Wondering what to bring on your adventure? You don’t need a lot of gear to enjoy the Park, and what you don’t have can be rented from the Abel Tasman Centre in Marahau. If

A guide to walking in the Abel Tasman
The Abel Tasman Coast Track is roughly 60km long, winding its way from Mārahau in the south up to Wainui in the north. The track can be loosely divided up into sections between the

A guide to off leash dog walking trails in the Tasman
When I told my mate, who is a vet, I was about to get a Border Collie, he asked me if the dog came with a 3,000 acre sheep station. He went on to

Nelson Arts
Nelson has long been a haven for artists. This comes as no great surprise when considering its charmed vistas where the water meets the land, stretching over the checker board plains to rolling hills

Shout Out to the Spits
We all know Nelson Tasman provides us with plenty of places for a beach fix and that we each have our own personal favourite beach. This is a brief ode to the spits –

Nelson Eats – A Locals Guide to Eateries in Nelson City
Nelson’s hospitality scene has come a long way in recent years and thankfully so! Te Tauihu is home to some of the country’s best fresh produce and it’s only fitting that we showcase the

Top 10 free things to do in Nelson Tasman
The Nelson Tasman region itself is highly connected with over 650 flights in and out of the brand new and busy as ever Nelson Airport. The Abel Tasman National Park is the most recognised

Spotlight on Māpua – The place of abundance
Māpua means a place of abundance and the offering is absolutely true to its namesake. Speaking of namesake, the name of this stunning seaside village has been misspelled by leaving out the macron on

Spotlight on Murchison
Rich in gold rush history, Murchison offers the best white water kayaking and rafting in New Zealand. I will start off by fessing up to my personal connection to Murchison. I was the fifth

Abel Tasman Coastal Track Quick Information
ABEL TASMAN COASTAL TRACK INFORMATION We’ve put together a quick reference page for walking and kayaking times along the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. Below you’ll find a map and some other essential information for

Te Whāwhārua – Ngāti Rārua
Tupuna o ngā tāngata o ngā hekengaTe Whāwhārua was called a myriad of names by the early European settlers in the early 1840’s. They were in awe of his size and stature so called