This 40-minute beach/rocks/headlands route is like the “Abel Tasman” before the tourism invasion…more like when Abel first sighted the area in 1642, rather than the nowadays tourist-a-rama. This off-the-beaten-path route begins from the Wainui carpark—the true northern end of the Abel Tasman (AT) Track. Few AT walkers venture on the northern section of the track from Totaranui because it adds too much length and elevation and doesn’t have any convenient shuttles or other A.T. hoopla. This out ’n’ back route doesn’t follow the AT, but instead branches off and hugs the coves on over to the NorthWesternMost point of the Abel Tasman headland group—Taupo Point. Few travelers walk this route as a day-walk, mostly because the AT draws all the attention away from anything else in the immediate area, leaving this little beach ‘n’ cove route mostly for locals and kayak-campers. The destination, Taupo Point, was once a Maori pa site and now is simple a lonely curve of golden sand…with some campspots and a toilet. One side of the point or the other will be calm enough to swim and frolic in the delightfully people-free Abel Tasman environs. The views are ALL of Golden Bay!
The route takes a little bit of planning, but not much. One hour on either side of high tide is when the route becomes a wet and slippery chore, but still do-abel. This route makes a good overnight quick backpack outing—all the sunny beaches, none of the “Great Walk” hut-bookings/ plannings/crowds/homes/$$$s…more Tasman than tourism. You’ll like it.
WALK: Heading from the Wainui carpark, 15 minutes into the route, near the end of the first long beach, a signed “High Tide Route” leaves the beach to pop over the upcoming headland pinch spot—look sharp for the sign and path, cuz it’s easy to miss as you’re watching your steps over the rocks. The route then acends/decends to the next beach and then on to the isthmus at Taupo Point where you’ll find the Maorihistory plaque. The final beach is just steps away.
