tramping new zealand

45 almost epic adventures on the South Island & Rakiura

Abel Tasman Coastal Track huts and campsites

The Anchorage Hut is 5 star accommodation. The others aren’t so bad either, it’s just that for much of the summer they are at capacity and that’s some crowd. You need earplugs to block out the ongoing activities, whether a whole lot of late-night laughing and hi jinks or some early morning plastic bag rustling.

The weather in Abel Tasman National Park is as benign as New Zealand offers, most of the time, and camping is a great option, particularly at the smaller, beachside, camping areas: Te Puketea Bay, Mutton Cove, etc. The bigger campsites: Anchorage, Bark Bay, Totaranui, offer more facilities: kitchen shelters, flush toilets, fireplaces with dry firewood supply, and the potential for a lot of close companionship over the summer.

Tonga Quarry has been permanently closed after substantial recent storm damage.

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Akersten Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Akersten Bay campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Akersten Bay campsite is a very cute, and small, campsite perched just above a sandy beach, nestled into the bush. First one there gets one of the best campsites in the park.

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Anapai Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Anapai campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

The area around Anapai is one of the most dramatic in Abel Tasman, those rock formations are speccy.

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Anchorage campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

kitchen at Anchorage campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Anchorage campsite is the biggest, most populated, with most facilities, campsite, well, other than at Totaranui.

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Anchorage Hut | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Anchorage Hut, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Smack on the splendid north facing beach, unveiled in October 2013, Anchorage Hut is genuine five-star accommodation, ie, flush toilets, double glazed, filtered water, four separate bedrooms, etc.

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Apple Tree Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Appletree Bay campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Apple Tree Bay campsite is a fairly exposed campsite right on the beach, ie, you camp straight on the sand and there isn’t much shade, but it does have proximity to Marahau.

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Awaroa campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Awaroa campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Awaroa campsite is sheltered and sunny, at least when the sun is shining, with a range of facilities, adjacent to the Awaroa Hut and estuary.

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Awaroa Hut | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Awaroa Hut, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Awaroa Hut is parked on the Awaroa estuary, it’s handy while waiting for that tide to recede, that’s if you’re on the hut side, if not, you can at least look at it and dream you are there.

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Bark Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Bark Bay campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

The Bark Bay campsite is a big campsite with plenty of facilities set in kanuka scrub and set back from the big beach. A place to meet plenty of people in the summer months.

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Bark Bay Hut | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Bark Bay Hut, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Bark Bay Hut is set back from the Bark Bay Beach, on the other side of the estuary from the splendid beach.

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Mutton Cove campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Mutton Cove campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Mutton Cove campsite is widely regarded as the most attractive in the national park, perched just above a golden beach with pure, clear water. Who am I to dispute that?

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Onetahuti Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Onetahuti campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Onetahuti Bay campsite is a sheltered, grassy, campsite close to a big beach. Nice one.

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Te Pukatea Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Te Puketea campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

There’s a reason Te Pukatea Bay campsite gets booked out early despite the minimal facilities: Te Puketea Bay is one of the most beautiful in the national park, and the campsite is perched in the bush just above it.

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Tinline campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Tinline campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Tinline campsite, the closest to Marahau, has little to recommend it. It’s not adjacent to the beach; it’s on a considerable slope, plenty exposed, ie, no shade, although there are a few better sites nestled adjacent to the shrubbery.

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Tonga Quarry campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Tonga Quarry campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Permanently closed.

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Torrent Bay Village campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Torrent Bay campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Adjacent to the Torrent Bay estuary which is either tide in, or tide out. This is a no-frills campsite close to the Torrent Bay Village, which other than a few baches has few actual village qualities.

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Totaranui Great Walk campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Totaranui campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Totaranui has a massive summer campsite, like 870 playful campers in peak season, but there is a section set aside for walkers. The hitch is that you are only allowed to stay one night.

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Waiharakeke Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Waiharakeke campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Waiharakeke Bay campsite is a sheltered site that though called Waiharakeke Bay is not so close to the beach.

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Watering Cove campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Watering Cove campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Watering Cove campsite is a small campsite with a beach that almost disappears at high tide. The sites are good uns.

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Whariwharangi Bay campsite | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Whariwharangi Hut campsite, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

Whariwharangi Bay campsite is adjacent to the historic hut and a short walk from the beach. The campsites are sheltered from the wind, and catch all day sun, if the sun is out.

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Whariwharangi Bay Hut | Abel Tasman Coastal Track

Whariwharangi Hut, Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park

The historic, ie, around 1896, original farmhouse, now Whariwharangi Bay Hut, has been converted into cosy and comfortable trampers’ accommodation in this less-travelled northern section of Abel Tasman.