Golden Bay Wharariki Beach Farewell Spit
Number one on every to-do list of Golden Bay is Wharariki Beach. Not far behind is Farewell Spit, a 26 km long arm of fine golden sand which is the country's longest sandspit.
Our day trips begins either at Nelson at about 7.30am or Motueka at about 8.30am.
We will drive through picturesque Tasman, a pip fruit and hop growing area with some vineyards. We will drive over the Takaka hill (791m) On the way we pass dramatic lookouts over Tasman Bay, Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay. We try to orientate our trip on the tide in Wharakiki Beach. Our order of how we do the trip may change.
There is time for a lunch break either at Farewell Spit Cafe or in Takaka.
We have a stop at Te Waikoropupu Springs. " Pupu Springs" is a colourful little lake refreshed with around 14,000L of water per second surging from underground vents. It is a sacred Maori place.We will have a stop at Farewell Spit Cafe. You will be able to take in the stunning views over Farewell Spit.We will walk to Wharariki Beach (about 20 min through sand dunes and along green hills). You arrive at the most amazing beach, sand dunes and huge rock formations. If you are lucky you might see seals.In Takaka - halfway on our trip from Motueka to Wharariki Beach - there is time for shopping and cafes.Driving time for the whole day, starting from Motueka, is about 5 hours in total, add 1 1/2 hours if you start in Nelson. Walking time on the beach is about 1 hour, partly through sand. This part of the West Coast can be very windy. Please be prepared for a walk with a lot of wind on the beach.
