Top Things to Do in Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman National Park is small by national park standards, but it packs an outsized amount of coastline, native bush and golden sand into its 22,530 hectares. Most visitors only see a fraction of it on a single trip, so it helps to know what's actually worth your limited time. Here's our shortlist, built from what guests tell us they loved most.

Walk a stretch of the Coast Track

You don't need to commit to the full 60-kilometre Abel Tasman Coast Track to get a feel for it. The section between Anchorage and Torrent Bay, or the boardwalk loop around Anchorage itself, gives you golden sand, estuary crossings and native forest in a couple of easy hours. Cruise in, walk one leg, and get picked up further along the coast, no backtracking required.

Cross the swing bridges at Bark Bay and Falls River

The swing bridges are a highlight for families and photographers alike. Bark Bay's bridge crosses a tidal lagoon backed by bush-covered hills, and it's one of the most photographed spots in the park for good reason. Time your visit around low tide if you want to see the lagoon at its most dramatic, with sandbanks exposed and the water channel narrowed to a blue ribbon.

Spend an afternoon at Anchorage or Medlands Beach

Some of the best things to do in Abel Tasman involve doing very little at all. Anchorage and Medlands are both wide, sheltered, golden-sand bays that are easy to reach by water taxi or cruise, with calm swimming conditions for most of the year. Bring a book, pack a picnic, and let the boat schedule do the rest of the planning.

Good for: families, first-time visitors, anyone short on time

• Shallow, sheltered water suitable for swimming most of the year
• Short walking tracks connect to nearby lookouts and lagoons
• Regular cruise and water taxi services make logistics simple

Get out on the water: by kayak or by boat

The coastline looks different from sea level. A guided kayak trip gets you close to the granite headlands, seal colonies and hidden coves that you simply can't reach on foot, while a scenic cruise covers more ground if you're tight on time. Many visitors do both across a multi-day stay: cruise one day, paddle the next.

Visit Split Apple Rock

This granite boulder, split clean in two by millennia of weathering, sits just offshore near Kaiteriteri and has become one of the most recognisable images of the wider Tasman region. It's an easy add-on to a cruise or kayak itinerary, and a genuinely good photo stop even if you've seen it online a hundred times already.

Watch for wildlife

Keep an eye out for New Zealand fur seals basking on rocky points, little blue penguins near dusk, and a healthy population of native birdlife including tūī, weka and kākā in the bush-clad valleys. The park's seal colonies are easiest to spot from the water, so a cruise or kayak trip is your best bet for a sighting.

However you choose to spend your time here, the common thread across every good Abel Tasman day is simple: get on the water, get onto a track, and leave room for the parts of the park that only reveal themselves once you slow down.