Abel Tasman Coast Track

Mārahau is generally considered the starting point of the Abel Tasman Coast Track and is the only settlement along the track. Mārahau provides a DOC information centre, small shops, and holiday accommodation.

The first 12.4 km section to Anchorage Bay takes in the estuary of the Mārahau River before passing several small bays and offering views out to Fisherman Island and Adele Island. Along the way, the bays of Tinline Bay, Coquille Bay, Apple Tree Bay, Akersten Bay, and Watering Cove provide limited campsites and sandy beaches.[6] After Watering Cove, the track turns inland for about one kilometer before it reaches Anchorage Bay. The hut and campsite at Anchorage is the largest along the track and like the other locations with huts provides filtered drinking water. A popular short side track from Anchorage leads to the Cleopatra's Pool, a natural rock pool with a moss-lined waterslide.

Swing bridge over Falls River

At Torrent Bay, the track crosses the first of three estuaries. The Torrent Bay estuary can either be crossed within 2 hours either side of low tide, or rounded by an alternative high tide track through the bush around the bay, lengthening the distance by 3 km.[6] The 8.4 km section between Anchorage Bay and Bark Bay leads largely inland through coastal forest, but the terrain of the valleys it crosses remains gentle.

The 13.5 km section from Bark Bay to Awaroa Inlet takes in the coast backing the Tonga Island Marine Reserve, but continues largely through manuka forest with no sea views. Bark Bay contains another tidal estuary, however, the provided all-tide track around it only adds 15 minutes.

At the halfway point, the Abel Tasman Coast Track briefly returns to the coast and runs along the wide sandy beach of Onetahuti Bay, with views out to Tonga Island. A bridge and boardwalk cross Richardson Stream and the surrounding wetland, before the track gently climbs over Tonga Saddle to Awaroa Bay.

Awaroa Bay extends for over 2 km into Awaroa Inlet, which has a large tidal range and can only be crossed between about 1.5 hours before low tide and 2 hours after low tide. A lodge, hut, and campsite provide a number of accommodation options. The track first passes close to the lodge, with a side track leading to the lodge, before skirting another valley and ending on the sandy beaches of the inlet near Awaroa Hut. The shortcut to the hut and DOC campsite involves crossing a lagoon which at high tide is about wwaist deep, at low tide it can be ankle deep, or you can walk around it in about 10 min. The long way is 1 hr 30 min but avoids getting wet.

This section of the track is 16.9 kilometres (10.5 mi) long, but can be broken up into 7.1 km to the Tōtaranui camping ground, and 9.8 km from there to Whariwharangi Bay Hut. Campsites are also located along the way at Waiharakeke Bay, Anapai Bay, and Mutton Cove.

Awaroa Inlet can be crossed from anywhere between Sawpit Point and the sandy shore in front of Awaroa Hut. A large orange triangle marker indicates the point where the track continues on the other shore and is clearly visible from across the inlet, which is around 1 km wide at this point. Even at low tide, trampers can expect to get wet feet crossing the sandy expanse of the inlet and its intermittent banks covered in seashells. In the middle of the estuary, Awaroa River meanders its way out to sea. It is generally shallow and can easily be crossed, but may be impassable following very heavy rain.[7]

Overlooking Tōtaranui Beach from Skinner Point

North of Awaroa Bay the track crosses a low saddle to Waiharakeke Bay, briefly re-enters the forest, and then takes in Goat Bay. At both Waiharakeke Bay and Goat Bay the path leads along the sandy beaches. Between Goat Bay and Tōtaranui, the track climbs steeply to a lookout above Skinner Point with views north over the wide bay of Tōtaranui.

At Tōtaranui an 11 km gravel road from Wainui Bay provides the only road access point to the Abel Tasman Coast Track, other than the start and end points of the track. The flat land behind the golden sand beach accommodates a camping ground, car park, camp office with public toilets, telephone and drinking water supply, as well as campsites for walkers of the track.[7]

Due to Tōtaranui being the northernmost water taxi stop,[5] the track north of Tōtaranui is less frequented than the sections south of it, but no less scenic. After climbing over another low saddle, the track takes in the sandy beaches of Anapai Bay, with rock stack formations at its northern end, Anatakapau Bay, and Mutton Cove – the latter two separated by cliffs with a small rocky cove in between.

Anatakapau Bay and Mutton Cove

Between Anatakapau Bay and Mutton Cove, the Abel Tasman Coast Track veers west towards Whariwharangi Bay, with a side track continuing north to take in Separation Point. A lighthouse at Separation Point overlooks the cliffs and a seal colony at this northernmost point of the track. Walking via Separation Point adds one hour to the walking time.

Both the main track and the track via Separation Point continue to climb inland over the forested hills to the north-facing Whariwharangi Bay, where a restored farm homestead has been repurposed as the DOC hut, and additional campsites are provided.[7]

The last section is the shortest, consisting of a 5.7 km climb out of Whariwharangi Bay and over a saddle to Wainui Bay. Once at the estuary's edge, the track follows the shoreline to a car park. Wainui Inlet itself is not part of the Abel Tasman Coast Track anymore, but can be crossed within two hours either side of low tide.

Mountain biking is not permitted on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, however, from 1 May to 30 September, mountain bikers can ride on the Gibbs Hill track from Tōtaranui to Wainui Bay, with the last 1 km of that track sharing the coastal track.[6]