Experience the best of Motueka

Motueka lies on the flat delta of the Motueka River, between Nelson and the Abel Tasman coast. Orchards, vineyards and hop fields cover the plain around town, and the region is among the sunniest in New Zealand. The town itself is low-key, with a main street, a small museum and a long sandspit that shelters a tidal estuary and draws birds.

Kaiteriteri's golden beach is a short drive north, and Marahau beyond it marks the southern end of the Abel Tasman Coast Track, where coves of gold sand are backed by forest. Split Apple Rock, a granite boulder cleft in two, sits just offshore, and water taxis and kayaks run along the coast. The Takaka Hill road leads over to Golden Bay.

Craft beer brewed with local hops, cider and fresh fruit from roadside stalls are the area's specialities, and Tasman's Great Taste Trail cycle route passes through town. The warm, dry summers fill the beaches, while the hills behind are quiet and green. Nelson lies to the east.