Take a dip en route

There are ample opportunities to cool off at some great swimming spots along most sections of the trail. Rabbit Island has a safe swimming beach with changing rooms, cold showers and bike parking. There is signage and a shelter alongside Motueka River at Peninsula Bridge near Ngātimoti and Kaiteriteri Beach – gateway to Abel Tasman National Park – is not to be missed. 

 Just off the trail on the Motueka waterfront is an unexpected and free public swimming pool – the Motueka saltwater baths. It’s the only pool of its type in the region. It’s even listed on Heritage New Zealand as an historic place. 

Bird watchers' delight

There are numerous bird watching opportunities on the trail, including the Waimea Inlet, an internationally important coastal wetland for migratory birds. The inlet is home to more than 50 species of birds, some of which are declining or endangered. Over the summer months check out the bar tailed godwit – they travel 11,000km non-stop from Alaska to the inlet each year to feed. 

Check out trail art

There’s plenty of art to discover along the trail, including art panels that portray the region’s bird life. There’s also the sculpture garden in Tapawera and a vareity or artisans in Mapua and Tasman village.

Soak up the scenery in the Abel Tasman

No trip to the Nelson/Tasman region is complete without a trip to the Abel Tasman, renowned for its golden beaches, sculptured granite cliffs and world-famous coast track. It just so happens that the trail ends at Kaiteriteri which is the gateway to the national park. 

Step back in time

The trail passes through the Baton Valley, which is steeped in history. Named after a young runaway sailor, Batteyn Norton, it remains a place where life is isolated, physical, self-sufficient, and largely dictated by the weather. What was once a destination during the anticlimactic gold rush in the late 1800s, interest is high now the trail passses through the area, particularly in the Ludlows Leap museum and an old railway station room in Tapawera.   

Tantalise your tastebuds with local produce

Buy fresh produce from roadside stalls. , You’ll ride past orchards stretching out over rolling hills and plains between Appleby, Māpua, Motueka, and Kaiteriteri Beach. Apples have been part of this landscape for generations, including many well-known varieties like Granny Smith, Cox Orange and Royal Gala. 

Download the Great Rides App

This awesome (and free) app will help you locate this Great Ride's hidden secrets, and track your adventure using GPS (no mobile signal required). It also has maps, trail descriptions and info on trail services. 

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Find out more about Tasman's Great Taste Trail