Water taxi & coastal walk to Anchorage

The Abel Tasman National Park, the smallest in New Zealand at just 237.1 km², runs for 60 km along a coastline of golden-sand bays and sea-carved granite cliffs beside the Tonga Island Marine Reserve. Opened on 18 December 1942 to mark 300 years since navigator Abel Tasman first sighted these waters, the park has no internal roads — it can only be reached on foot or by boat. One of the most popular single-day ways to see it combines both: a water taxi to Bark Bay, followed by a coastal walk back to Anchorage.

The boat ride from Marahau (or from Kaiteriteri outside the low season of 1 May–30 September, when boarding is restricted to Marahau) to Bark Bay takes about an hour, with summer departures at 9:00am and 10:30am, and 9:30am in winter. The fare includes the Environmental Access Fee that funds the park's upkeep; food, water and gear are down to each visitor. The wider Nelson/Tasman region the park sits in is known as one of New Zealand's sunniest, averaging over 2,400 hours of sunshine a year, which helps make a full day of boating and walking comfortable through most of the year.

The walk to Anchorage

From Bark Bay, the Abel Tasman Coast Track heads south, taking around 3.5 hours to reach Anchorage — the same central section of New Zealand's official Great Walk. Depending on the tide, the route runs roughly 11.5 km via the high-tide track or about 8.4 km via the direct crossing of the Torrent Bay estuary, which is only passable within two hours either side of low tide. The track is well marked but includes steep, rough and occasionally muddy sections, threading through native forest and crossing the Falls River swingbridge. Along the way sit Torrent Bay Village Campsite, Bark Bay Campsite and Bark Bay Hut, all managed by the Department of Conservation and requiring advance booking.

Because this is a section of an official Great Walk, demand is high through the southern-hemisphere summer (December to February), so booking a water-taxi seat ahead of time is worthwhile, especially for morning departures. Sturdy walking shoes with good grip, enough water for the 3.5-hour trek, and — above all — checking the tide table before leaving Bark Bay are all recommended: anyone reaching the estuary crossing outside the low-tide window has to wait it out or take the longer high-tide alternative.

The return to Marahau (or Kaiteriteri) is by water taxi from Anchorage in the late afternoon, a roughly 45-minute ride. In total the experience fills a full day and is rated as moderate difficulty — it demands several hours of walking on uneven ground, but no technical mountaineering skills.

Wildlife and scenery

Over 70 bird species have been recorded in the park, including petrels and penguins, and the coast is flanked by the Tonga Island Marine Reserve, where New Zealand fur seals are commonly spotted around the rocky islets. Dogs are not permitted anywhere in the park, including on this track and aboard the water taxis, a restriction that protects ground-nesting birds.

Those wanting to extend the trip can keep walking north of Anchorage, through Torrent Bay, to more remote bays such as Awaroa, where independent lodgings beside the Great Walk, such as Awaroa Lodge, serve as a base for anyone spending more than a single day in the park. The full 60 km track is typically walked in 4 to 5 days by those doing it in one go; this water-taxi-and-walk combination is a way to sample its central section without booking a night in the backcountry huts.

At a glance

Frequently asked questions