BEST FOR… Kayaking, hiking, camping

WHY GO? There’s a campsite (with space for just seven tents) by the curvaceous golden crescent at Te Pukatea but, warns NZ’s Department of Conservation, ‘this is a walk-in or boat-in campsite… there is no drive-on access’. Which sounds just about perfect to us.

WHAT TO DO: Reach the beach by hiking the 55km Abel Tasman Coast (one of NZ’s Great Walks); Te Pukatea is a 30-minute detour off the Track itself. Or get there by water-taxi or kayak, to more closely enjoy the azure waters.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Shop in Nelson – the laid-back town is home to more than 350 artists and craftspeople. Go dolphin-spotting and winetasting in the Marlborough Sounds.

GET THERE: Marahau, the southern gateway to Abel Tasman, is 67km from Nelson.