1063 Travel Guide

Collingwood is a small seaside settlement at the southern end of Golden Bay, modest in size but relaxed in mood, with fishing and surrounding farming and forestry as its traditional economy. It is the gateway into Golden Bay from Nelson and the staging point for Farewell Spit and the northern end of Abel Tasman National Park. The town has a small museum, a few cafés and a general store, and the shoreline opens into wide tidal flats at low tide. For travellers wanting the slow pace of the northern South Island, it works well as a quiet stop or overnight base.

Pupu Springs (Te Waikoropupū Springs) near Takaka in Golden Bay is New Zealand's largest freshwater spring and among the world's largest cold-water springs by flow. Water surges up from underground rock at great volume and is extraordinarily clear, appearing translucent blue-green in sunlight with sand ripples visible on the floor. The springs are a wāhi tapu, a place of cultural significance to Māori. Visitors follow boardwalks and viewing platforms around the pools and wetlands; to protect water quality and respect the site, entering the water, wading or letting objects touch the surface is not permitted.