The Coast Track
A gentle cliff-and-cove trail — walk a section, swim, and catch a water taxi back. Totaraniu to Anchorage is a perfect first day.
Abel Tasman
Golden coves and the gentlest coastal trail
Best time
December – March
Gentle pace
3–4 slow days
Ideal for
Families · Beach lovers · Kayakers
Abel Tasman is New Zealand’s smallest national park and its most beloved — a string of golden-sand coves lapped by turquoise water, joined by a coastal trail that dips and rises through native bush and over headlands. There are no roads in; you walk, kayak or take a water taxi, and the pace is set by the tides.
With children, it is paradise: safe swimming, gentle walking, seals on the rocks, and a water taxi to carry you home when little legs tire. Kayak the quiet morning, walk the afternoon, and swim at every cove.
Worth lingering over
Tonga Island seals
A colony of fur seals lolls on the rocks — watch from the water in a kayak, keeping a respectful distance.
Kayaking the Astrolabe
Paddle between granite islands and hidden coves in calm morning water — a magical day with older kids.
Hidden gem
Cleopatra’s Pool
A short side track off the Coast Track, above Anchorage Bay, leads to a deep natural rock pool fed by a small waterfall — with a smooth rock slide that children (and grown-ups) cannot resist. It is unmarked on most maps, known mostly to locals, and the perfect cool-off after a morning’s walk in the sun.