| Abel Tasman | Central Plateau to Taranaki | Milford Sound | Wellington Region | Whale Watching |
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| Abel Tasman | Central Plateau to Taranaki | Milford Sound | Wellington Region | Whale Watching | | |||||||||||||||
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Paddling the Abel TasmanThe Abel Tasman National Park is popular amongst the ramblers and the trampers. Being a coastal park there are hundreds of coves to explore, making it a great place for kayaking. There are numerous different ways of Kayaking from hiring a kayak and doing your own thing, to a fully guided camping expedition. The half day kayak is very popular and really good fun. Abel Tasman National Park is located at the top of the South Island. It is the smallest of all national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 22,500 hectares (87 square miles). The land was extensively modified by fire, forest clearing and introduced plants, before being abandoned and reverting to wilderness. The creation of the national park in 1942 followed threats of further exploitation of the remaining native forests. Abel Tasman National Park is a rough and mountainous area, best known for its coastline of crescent-shaped bays, golden sand beaches, clear waters, little islands and granite headlands sculpted by erosion. Both sea-kayaking and tramping (the Coastal Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks) are especially well suited to discovering and enjoying this coast.
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Abel Tasman National Park
Have your photo taken in front of Split Apple rock. |
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The coves are popular with kayakers.
What a place to eat lunch. |
The story of how split apple got split is an interesting one. Split apple rock marks the site where captain cook first met the local Maori community. Apple rock as it once was, was a holy site for the local Maori tribe. The story goes that Captain Cook shot at the threatening tribe, being an ace shot they missed and hit the rock. A huge cracking sound followed and Apple rock became Split Apple rock. There is still a dent visible on the rock where the canon ball hit. Ironically this settled the situation and the Maori believing Captain Cook and his men to be god like in power, welcomed him ashore. Thus the relationship was born between the British and the Maori.
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Clear warm blue water there are worst way to spend a day. |
Kaiteriteri Beach, there is a great campsite next to the beach. |
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