6124-6124 Travel Guide

Abel Tasman National Park sits at the top of the South Island — New Zealand's smallest national park, yet famed for golden beaches, turquoise sea and the Coastal Track. Kayaking, seal beaches and tidal inlets let you enjoy a gentle wilderness where land and sea intertwine in slow adventure. Its beaches at Anchorage and Totaranui are calm and clean, good for family camping and snorkelling.

Cascade Falls near Kaiteriteri drops in a series of steps through native forest in the Nelson hills, with water falling over rock ledges into small pools. The walk in is short, making it an easy add-on to a Kaiteriteri or Abel Tasman itinerary. The surrounding bush of beech and ferns is damp and green; flow is steadier in summer and more dramatic after rain. As it is not a headline attraction, it is usually quiet — good if you want a brief, uncrowded stop in the forest.

The Falls River Bridge is a landmark section of the Abel Tasman Coast Track, a swing bridge spanning the mouth of the Falls River and linking inland forest tracks with golden beaches. The deck sways slightly and looks down onto the estuary and native vegetation on both banks, making it one of the track's most recognisable viewpoints. Tides matter here: at low tide sandbars emerge at the river mouth, while the flow is strong at high tide. Whether you walk the full multi-day track or join a day section, you will usually cross this bridge, and a side track to a waterfall leaves from nearby.