Golden Bay is a little patch of South Island paradise. The scenery is spectacular, the pace of life is slow and it’s also one of the sunniest spots in the country. You’re spoilt for choice with so many things to do here, including one of New Zealand’s best beaches, incredible waterfalls you can swim under, crazy rock formations to get lost in, and one of the most amazing caves I have ever seen in my life.
There are a few little towns you can base yourself in and all have the feeling of stepping back in time, which only adds to the charm. If you’re looking for a laid back holiday to remember then you’ll find it here.
Here are some of the best things to do when visiting Golden Bay.
-
1: Catch a sunset at Whirinaki Beach
2: Enter the twilight zone at New Zealand’s most unusual cave
3: Go Indiana Jones at the Grove
4: Marvel at some of the clearest water in the world
5: Take a dip at Salisbury Falls
6: Check out the most northerly point on the South Island
7: Admire the incredible Wainui Falls
8: Step back in time at the Langford Store
9: Enter the maze that is Labyrinth Rocks
10: Visit the secret glow worm colony
11: Relax by the crystal pool
12: Stroll the hippy streets of Takaka
13: Hike one of New Zealand’s Great Walks
The best things to do in Golden Bay
1. Catch a sunset at Wharariki Beach
Wharariki Beach is incredible, one of the most spectacular in the country. It’s a huge sweep of golden sand with some awe-inspiring rock formations just offshore, which make for some pretty dramatic photo opportunities (Windows 10 users will recognise the photo below).
There are also a number of sea caves which can be explored at low tide.
You’ll find rainbow coloured rocks and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. The larger caves also provide some great framing for photos looking out to the sea stacks.
The walk to get to the beach is 1km each way and it’s a pretty easy stroll. You’ll head gently uphill through rolling green farmland before descending to the beach.
If you’re really lucky you might even see seals playing in the pools at the northern end of the beach, though sadly they weren’t there on our visit.
If you can time your visit for sunset, I guarantee it will be one to remember. It makes the reflections in the sand look particularly pretty. It can be an insanely windy spot though, so bring an extra layer if visiting at sunrise or sunset.
2. Enter the twilight zone at New Zealand’s most unusual cave
Rawhiti Cave has to be one of the South Island’s best hidden gems. If Disney were to create a fairy-tale cave full of mythical creatures, it would look something like Rawhiti.
The extraordinary cave is home to thousands of stalactites which grow outwards towards the sunlight due to a phenomenon known as phytokarst.
Not only are the stalactites unusual in shape, but they’re also unusual in colour, with many being a salmon pink.
It’s the sort of place that leaves you slack jawed and staring in wonder. I’ve visited so many caves around the world and never seen anything like this one.
The walk to the cave is only 3.4km return, but the last 750m are on a rough track. It’s not overly difficult but you wouldn’t want to do it in the rain.
All the nitty gritty details about the trail and cave itself can be found in this post.
3. Go Indiana Jones at The Grove
The scenery at The Grove Scenic Reserve has definite Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider vibes.
If you want the feeling of exploring deep in the jungle without ever having to leave the formed path, then this is the track for you. It might be just 650m long, but the landscape feels wild.
You’ll be walking in-between giant boulders covered in twisting vines, past nikau palms, and gnarled tree roots on what must be one of the South Island’s most atmospheric short walks. In fact it reminded me of some of the scenery along the Heaphy Track, but requires far less effort to reach!
The track is in excellent condition with only a few very short sections of mud. You will also visit a viewpoint but even though the view is nice, as its of farmland, it’s a little disappointing following the untamed nature of the forest.
4. Marvel at some of the clearest water in the world
The Te Waikoropupu Springs are the largest freshwater springs in the Southern Hemisphere and contain some of the clearest water ever measured anywhere in the world.
They are also the most exquisite blue, a colour that will leave you transfixed. That is until you realise that it’s also a favourite haunt of the ferocious sandfly, which was pretty much the only thing that could have broken me out of my reverie.
The walk to the springs is all on a well maintained path and you can either head to the springs and back along the same trail, or complete the loop, which is only 950m. I’d recommend the loop as the rest of the waterway is also beautiful. Whichever option you choose it’s easy and almost entirely flat.
Try and visit on a sunny day, or at least when it’s not fully overcast, or the colour of the water is greatly diminished. The other thing to note is that you can’t swim in, or even touch the water, tempting as it does look!
5. Take a dip at Salisbury Falls
Salisbury Falls is a wonderfully secluded swimming hole, just off the picturesque Aorere River. It’s not a huge pool, but it’s deep and offers the perfect place to cool off on a hot day.
The water is slightly tea coloured which I assume is from tannins, and is similar to much of the water you’ll find along the nearby Heaphy Track, but don’t let that put you off, it’s clean, clear and refreshing.
You access the waterfall via a short 150m walking track from Quartz Range Road. Hop over the sty, leave a gold coin donation in the box and follow the path across the grass and down towards the rocky shore. It takes less than five minutes.
If you’re a Hobbit fan, it’s also where a scene from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was filmed (where Tauriel and Legolas meet before heading into Laketown).
Note that Google Maps will direct you to a private road, you need to continue on past the road and take the next left.
6. Check out the most northerly point on the South Island
Cape Farewell is the most northerly point on the South Island and is well worth braving the notorious wind for. The dramatic sea arch is mesmerising as you watch the ginormous waves crash against it.
The ocean views are panoramic and it’s the kind of spot that’s hard to leave when the wind is in your favour.
The walk to get there is less than five minutes each way and takes you through a field of sheep and up to the lookout. The track is in good condition, just keep an eye out for droppings, of which there are many!
Cape Farewell is just down the road from Wharariki Beach so it makes sense to do both together. The road is narrow in parts and unsealed, but suitable for any vehicle.
7. Admire the incredible Wainui Falls
Wainui Falls is one of Abel Tasman’s most beautiful. It thunders out of a narrow chasm, creating a huge plume of water which can be felt from metres away.
It’s a wonderful spot to sit and relax, or if you happen to visit during low flow, you can even swim in the pool at the base. If the water is too wild, there are plenty of other calm and very scenic spots along the boulder strewn river that you can pick instead.
The walk to get to the falls is 3.5km return and easy. The path is very well maintained and though there are some slight inclines, it never feels steep. The forest is absolutely stunning and you’ll also pass over a fun swing bridge.
You can read all the details in our Wainui Falls guide.
8. Step back in time at the Langford Store
The Langford Store in Bainham has been run by the same family since it opened in 1928, and it’s a wonderful place to stop for tea and a piece of homemade cake.
As soon as you step through the front door you’re transported back in time, with row upon row of fine china cups, old fashioned sweet jars and nostalgic memorabilia. There’s also an inviting collection of homemade goodies.
After browsing, you can kick back and relax with a cuppa in the little art gallery. It’s a peaceful spot, with a welcoming vibe and well worth making the 15 minute detour from Collingwood for.
9. Enter the maze that is Labyrinth Rocks
The scenery at Labyrinth Rocks is reminiscent of The Grove, with similar giant boulders, but this one is a bit more of a maze.
There’s a map at the beginning of the trail, but you can also just wander the path and head up all the little side trails, which are something of a rabbit warren.
Some appear to lead to nothing at all, but that’s all part of the charm and kids will love the whimsical nature of the higgledy piggledy track.
You’ll also find lots of tiny little figurines hiding in the nooks and crannies of the rocks along the way, I have no idea what the story behind them is, but it’s a fun addition.
We also saw on the map that there’s glow worms at night, which we would have loved to check out, but we were sadly staying a little too far away. I have no doubt it would be an amazing place to explore at night if you get the chance.
10. Visit the secret glow worm colony
Speaking of glow worms…… you can have a bit of fun with this glow worm dell, because it’s directly opposite a pub! Go for a glass of wine or a pint and then head over the road and on the short easy stroll to the Onekaka glow worm dell.
Getting from the Mussel Inn to the walkway takes just a minute. You will then head along the narrow dirt path through the bush, which is almost entirely flat and very easy.
Your reward for this short foray into the bush is a fabulous little glow worm colony, which you’ll likely get all to yourself.
Try to leave visiting until at least an hour after sunset so it’s properly dark and your eyes can fully adjust (it takes at least five minutes with no light at all to see the majority of glow worms).
Remember not to shine any light directly on the glow worms as it harms them, anyway the true magic of glow worm spotting only happens in the pitch black!
The Mussel Inn is just a 10 minute drive from Collingwood and 12 minutes to Takaka.
11. Relax by the Crystal Pool
Walking through the spectacular mossy forest to the Crystal Pool feels like stepping into a fairytale. It’s just a short 800m return walk that’s very easy, yet feels a world away.
The Riwaka Resurgence is a sacred Maori site, so swimming in the crystal clear water is not an option, but simply sitting beside it is enough. It’s hard to put your finger on why, but there’s a really special feeling to this spot, an aura of calm and serenity.
As you walk through the forest you’ll first come to a small waterfall just a few steps off the main track. You then head up a couple of stairs to a lookout point over the river before continuing on to the pool.
Heading down the wooden staircase will see you at the water’s edge. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric spot and somewhere I could sit for hours. The entire walk is less than 10 minutes each way.
The turn off to the Riwaka Resurgence is just before Takaka Hill, don’t miss it or you’'ll get stuck with no turn around point for quite some time.
12. Stroll the hippy streets of Takaka
Allow a little time to simply stroll the colourful streets of the laidback hippy town that is Takaka. There’s a welcoming vibe and some cute old fashioned buildings - check out the Bank of New Zealand - as well as some good restaurants and a couple of cafes. There are also plenty of independent shops and boutiques, with a strong focus on local art and jewellery.
We’ve never managed to time a visit with the Saturday market, but can only imagine it would be well worth a look (every Saturday between 9am-1.30pm from October until end of May, and the first Saturday of every month outside those dates). It’s located on Commercial Street.
13. Hike one of New Zealand’s Great Walks
This one is only really applicable if you have a bit more time in the area because the Heaphy Track is almost 80km long and from the Golden Bay end there isn’t really a suitable day walk option. However for those that can squeeze it into their trip, the journey is absolutely beautiful, they don’t call it one of New Zealand’s Great Walks for nothing!
You’ll traverse a huge range of scenery from elfin-like forest, to wild beaches, alpine tussocks and crazy jungle scenery that felt like being transported to Southeast Asia.
It’s not a hard walk and the track is maintained to a very high standard, but the days are quite long if you walk it across the standard three nights. It’s totally worth it though and the huts are truly fantastic.
Outside of Great Walks season (30th October - 1st May) you can also mountain bike the track.
All the details on track logistics can be found in this post.
Where to stay in Golden Bay
There are a few places you can base yourself in Golden Bay. We’ve personally stayed in Collingwood and also on the road to Wharariki Beach. Most recently we tried to book into Takaka, but it was sadly full at the time (school holidays!). There aren’t really any bad locations so pick the accommodation that suits you best.
Here are a couple of good options.
The Rocks Chalets, Takaka
If you want to self cater then The Rocks Chalets would be my top pick. They have kitchenettes and then access to a proper oven and pizza oven in the communal area, as well as a washing machine too. There’s also a little glow worm grotto on site which was pretty much me sold!!
You can check out the reviews and prices on:
The Innlet, Country Apartments and Cottages, outside of Collingwood
On our second visit to Golden Bay we wanted to be near to Wharariki Beach as we were planning to be there for sunset. The Innlet is not far from Collingwood but directly on route to the beach. We stayed in a one bedroom cottage, which was incredibly cute and reminded us of England! There was a full kitchen including oven and real log fire (they also have studios and bigger cottages).
It was blissfully quiet and peaceful, set amongst masses of ferns and beside a babbling brook which was a soothing sound to fall asleep to. However, it’s worth noting that there is no phone signal and the wifi is poor.
You can check out the reviews and prices on:
Getting to Golden Bay
Golden Bay is located on the northern tip of the South Island. The main towns are Takaka and Collingwood. Takaka is just under 100km and a 1 hour 40 minute drive from Nelson, whilst Collingwood is 125km and roughly a two hour drive away. From Nelson you will have to drive over Takaka Hill which is quite windy and has frequent roadworks.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support!
