Road trip through Tasman continues
By: Mark Ballantyne
Tags: Travel, Travel Blog, Summer, New Zealand, Traveling

Te Waikoropupu Springs, Takaka

Yesterday, Day 4, saw us pump the brakes a little bit and slow down. Both Celina and I were feeling the affects of all the action we had packed into the last few days. The day began with a sleep in and trip down to the Nelson Markets. I had seen from a few different sources that they were quite spectacular and a few places recommended to purposefully make your trip fall within the weekend so you could pop down to this Saturday morning festivity. So we did just that. The recommendations were right, it was definitely worth aligning your trip with a saturday to experience them. We got down to the market about an hour after it started and stayed til it closed down. It is filled to the brim with many different stalls. There was plenty of fresh fruit, a lot of artisan cheese makers, chocolate and dessert makers , a peanut butter guy and the list goes on. If you enjoy markets then this is your heaven. Anything market related that you could think of it was here. Prepare your cash beforehand however, as cash machines are not readily available and less than half the stores take eftpos. We walked away from the markets with some Ecuadorian Chocolate, empanadas, roasted & caramelised cashews, some vegetarian sausages that taste exactly like meat and a few other bits and pieces. It was a big plus for both of us.

After there was no market left to explore we topped up some of our supplies at New World and took off out west again. We were leaving Nelson behind us now so we took off towards Takaka. I heard there was a bit of a hill to go over to get to the west coast but I felt like everyone who had mentioned it very much underplayed the treacherous Takaka Hill. We snaked our way up the hill in convoy with a dozen other cars along a road that narrowed to one lane in some places and was completely falling off the hillside in others. Workers with their machinery were busy in places ensuring that no more of the road crumbles down the hillside. Upon reaching the top of the hill and prior to our winding descent down it we pulled over and took some photos from the top. You get excellent views of the surrounding farmland and in some places you have the Kahurangi National Park on one side and the Abel Tasman National Park on the other. Very well worth taking your time going up and down Takaka Hill.

Our day at the market and journey over Takaka Hill took up the majority of the day so we turned off at Takaka township and headed out towards Pohara. Initially we wanted to stay at Totaranui but due to it’s popularity they require a minimum 3 night booking and even so, that’s all booked up for the foreseeable future. Pohara was a very close second best so we pulled into the NZMCA camp there, parted with our $6 for the night and set up camp.

Today, day 5, saw us take advantage of the camps facilities to freshen up a bit before we headed on to our first choice destination of Totaranui. On the way we stopped at Tata Beach for a little look around and walk along the beachfront. Tata Beach was full of beachfront baches, all with their own unique character. On the beach itself was the sheltered waters of Golden Bay and locals and bach owners enjoying various beach activities. We walked the length of the beach paying close attention to the many paddle boarders and even some people wakeboarding from a beach start. Once we felt like we had dawdled enough we continued onwards to Totaranui. There are 18km between Tata Beach and Totaranui and at least 12km of that is all gravel road. The van did very well, as we knew it would, but there were some freaky blind corners to go around. Once we reached Totaranui it was clear to see why we couldn’t stay there — people were everywhere. The majority of them were backpackers in the middle of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track which is one of NZ’s Great Walks. We found ourselves a parking spot (which surprisingly wasn’t too hard), got into our swimming kit and made our way down to the beach. The beach was very reminiscent of Kaiteriteri. We were once again graced with crystal clear waters and golden sands. Golden Bay definitely hasn’t disappointed. The colour of the sand is incredible. It looks completely different from the fine, white sand beaches we have in The Bay. The water as well is spectacular. It is unbelievably clear. Celina said multiple times that it doesn’t look real. Totaranui is definitely a place to visit. If you can grab a camping spot, do so, because you’ll want to spend as much time here as you can. For me I put Totaranui on par with Kaiteriteri. Kaiteriteri is a bit more accessible but Totaranui isn’t anywhere near as crowded, even with the camp ground at max occupancy.

After a dip and a sunbathe we made our way back over the gravel road to Takaka. Cleaned out the things in the van that needed to be cleaned out and continued westward. Not even 10 minutes out of Takaka we pulled off the state highway toward Waikoropupu Springs. Pupu Springs is home to not just some of New Zealand's clearest and cleanest water but some of the clearest and cleanest water ever discovered. The small car park area was very well maintained and a little information alcove provided some interesting history about the area and specifically what it means to the local Iwi. We followed a short 20 minute board walk through a forested area and arrived at a viewing deck overlooking the springs themselves. It was jaw-dropping to see the waters we had just read about. Neither of us could believe how clear the water was. If you try to imagine the clearest water you can think of in your head right now — it was clearer than that. If you find yourself in the area this is a must see. The Tasman region does not disappoint and this would be right up there with top 3 things to do.

The day had run away from us again so we kept making our way west with the idea of going all the way out to Farewell Spit. However we got distracted by the funky township of Collingwood and its crazy history. We decided to pull in for the night and head for the Spit tomorrow morning. So tonight, once again thanks to NZMCA, we are on the back of Fernbrae Farms with the place all to ourselves. Its very nice. Its secluded and private but we’re surrounded by the calming sounds of cows and sheep. Plus we have a beach just a matter of steps away. Get better. I dare you.

Highlight of the day | Waikoropupu Springs

Song of the day | Sunday Morning — Mitch James

Km today & yesterday | 215km

Km total | 1061km