Abel Tasman Park is NZ’s busiest National Park. The day walk on the Abel Tasman, north from Marahau, is one of the South Island’s busiest walks. You’ve got all the backpackers heading both to and fro, day-walkers doing an out/back, and also plenty of one-way walkers who take a water taxi shuttle to either Bark Bay or Anchorage and then walk back. The day walk is easy the entire way as it contours through the bush about 50-70 meters above the coves. The most popular turnaround points are Apple Tree Bay (5km, 60-min one-way) or 20 minutes farther to Stilwell Bay (7.2km, 80 min).
Overall, this walk isn’t too remarkable compared to the high expectation Tourism Abel sets with all its “no-people and perfect low-tide ‘n’ sunshine” pix. Most of the day-walk is through unremarkable bush with few views of either sea or beach coves. The two turnaround beaches are often crowded with both walkers as well as a flotilla of lunching kayakers. Expect zero solitude. The beaches are hardly noteworthy, especially at high tide when they all but disappear (and Stilwell only reachable via a waist-deep wade). Oh, both Apple Tree and Stilwell haves houses on them, adding to that “special” feeling the brochures somehow leave out.
But, here are some tips for having a good time on this walk. First, Bring a Swimsuit! Abel’s waters are both the calmest and warmest on the South, so if you don’t take a dip here, you may never will. Stilwell Bay has some small islands easily reached via a swim/wade (my favorite time was when I swam over and climbed onto the rocks just in time to see a meterwide ray glide by!) At Apple Tree a lagoon channel divides the beach. If you wade the channel to keep walking you’ll get a sense of solitude until you come to the two houses. Past the houses, where the sands widen, there’s a hidden path that heads up the slope with the help of a garden hose to regain the track, thus making an Apple Tree beach mini-loop. Finally, on the return route, pop down 2 minutes to Coquille Bay. Coquille is the best low-tide beach on the route, yet few people visit because they’re either too close to the start or “over it” and tired on the way back. Coquille is just 30-minutes from the track start. If you have any urge to skinny-dip the A.T., the secluded north end of Coquille may be your best bet.
A much better day walk on the A.T. is at the north end, heading north from Totaranui (entry A7).
One Marahau highlight not to miss is the “Arts Unique” sculpture emporium located at the trailhead carpark— the carvings there are epic!
