Abel Tasman NP: Awaroa Beach - Tonga Quarry
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 4.53 mi
- Elevation gain
- 650 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 650 ft
- Max elevation
- 331 ft
- TrailRank
- 32
- Min elevation
- 4 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Moving time
- one hour 28 minutes
- Time
- 2 hours 29 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1241
- Uploaded
- January 2, 2024
- Recorded
- January 2024
near Awa-iti, Tasman (New Zealand)
Viewed 12 times, downloaded 0 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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English text:
The Abel Tasman National Park is one of the smallest national parks in New Zealand but extremely popular. The offering of golden beaches, beautiful forests, and azure blue sea appeals to everyone. Due to the limited hours of the water taxi, a walk of more than three hours is not possible. Therefore, I opt for the relatively short route between Awaroa Beach and Tonga Quarry.
Before setting foot on Awaroa Beach, the entire group of tourists, including myself, gets a guided tour of the Abel Tasman National Park on the water taxi. This national park was established in 1942 to protect the beautiful nature found here. With great respect for nature, the guide shares the history and the current state of the park. I can start the walk only around eleven o'clock, but before doing so, I let the entire tourist crowd depart and even go back to photograph the incredibly beautiful golden beach with some lagoons in the background.
I was told to bring my own food and drinks since there is nothing available in the national park. Well, that tale is immediately refuted in the first few hundred meters because a massive lodge sells food and drinks here. I have my own supplies, so I happily continue. The walk is about seven kilometers, and I have over three hours to complete it, so I take my time. When I leave the beautiful beach via a ramp, I immediately enter the primeval forest that I have encountered before in my New Zealand hiking adventures. The trails here are particularly well-maintained, which is a necessity with the many tourists walking here.
After 2.5 kilometers, there's an initial ascent that leads me to a beautiful viewpoint over the Abel Tasman National Park. It's not as stunning as the Queen Charlotte Sound a few days ago, but the view still deserves the label "picturesque." Especially the golden beach, which contrasts vividly with the blue of the sea and the open sky, is a feast for the eyes. Following the slow travel motto, I sit for a while on the bench here, leisurely eating a part of my lunch.
The descent is very gradual, and a little later, there's another bench with a nice viewpoint where I take a short break. Because this viewpoint is a bit lower, the panorama is slightly less spectacular, but still more than worthwhile. After about five kilometers, the gained altitude meters are completely erased, and I am led to the beach of a lagoon by a beautiful boardwalk. Especially the trees and bushes growing next to the boardwalk capture the imagination. A small babbling stream under the boardwalk completes the picture of paradise on earth. At the end of the boardwalk, I am on the beach, and then I must sunbathe on the beach.
Later, my sunburned legs tell me that I did sunbathe for quite a long time, but for me, that means fully relaxing. I estimate that I spend about half an hour here before starting the last part of the walk. Two kilometers are still on the counter, and I think I can do them quickly. Well, what I didn't expect is a fairly steep slope that almost makes all walkers puff. Especially backpackers with tents and other equipment have beads of sweat rolling down in abundance. I rush through this at a fairly high pace, but I am also relieved when I see that the path is descending again.
So, the end is at Tonga Quarry, where I am later picked up again by the water taxi. Before that happens, I can look forward to an hour of swimming in the not-so-warm water. The weather feels Mediterranean, but the water is still somewhat colder than the Mediterranean Sea in the summer. After showing some bravado, I eventually immerse myself in the water and enjoy a refreshing swim. It doesn't always have to be walking.
If I had followed my heart, I would have chosen a different walk than this, but unfortunately, circumstances did not allow it. Nevertheless, I am satisfied with this beautiful but short hike. The combination of golden beaches and rainforest is a hit, although the course is not very varied. The steep slope at the end deserves respect, and it's delightful to frolic on the beach or in the sea. The epitome of a slow travel walk where you want to relax optimally.
Dutch text:
Het Abel Tasman NP is één van de kleinste nationale parken in Nieuw-Zeeland, maar wel bijzonder populair. Het aanbod van goudgele stranden, prachtige bossen en een azuurblauwe zee spreekt wel iedereen aan. Door de wat gelimiteerde uren van de watertaxi zit een wandeling van meer dan drie uur er niet in en daarom kies ik voor het relatief korte traject tussen Awaroa Beach en Tonga Quarry.
Before I set foot on shore at Awaroa Beach, I and the rest of the tourist population on the water taxi get a tour of the Abel Tasman NP. This national park was founded in 1942 and aims to protect the beautiful nature here. The history and current state of the park are told with great respect for nature. I can't start the walk until around eleven o'clock, but before I do that I let the whole tourist crowd leave and I even go back to photograph the very beautiful golden beach with some lagoons in the background.
I was told to bring food and drinks with me as there is nothing in the national park. Well, that story is immediately refuted in the first few hundred meters because a huge lodge sells food and drinks here. I brought my own supplies, so I continue happily. The walk is about seven kilometers and I have more than three hours to complete it, so I take it at my leisure. When I leave the beautiful beach via a ramp, I immediately find myself in the ancient forest that I have encountered before on my New Zealand hiking adventures. The paths here are particularly well maintained and that is not an unnecessary luxury with the many tourists who walk here.
After 2.5 kilometers there is a first climb that takes me to a beautiful viewpoint over the Abel Tasman NP. It is not as beautiful as the Queen Charlotte Sound a few days ago, but the view still deserves the label "picturesque". The golden yellow beach in particular, which contrasts sharply with the blue of the sea and the open sky, is a feast for the eyes. Under the motto of slow travel, I sit for a while at the bench here and quietly eat part of my lunch.
The descent is very steady and a little later there is another bench with a nice viewpoint where I stop for a moment. Because this viewpoint is located a little lower, the panorama is slightly less spectacular, but still more than worth it. After about five kilometers, the elevation gain has been completely erased and I am led to the beach of a lagoon by a beautiful boardwalk. The trees and shrubs that grow next to the boardwalk in particular appeal to the imagination. A small babbling brook under the boardwalk completes the image of paradise on earth. At the end of the boardwalk I am on the beach and then I have to sunbathe on the beach.
Later my burnt legs tell me that I have indeed been healthy for a long time, but for me that means complete relaxation. I estimate that I spend half an hour here before starting the last part of the walk. There are still two kilometers left on the clock and I think I can do it quickly. Well, what I didn't expect is a fairly steep slope that makes almost all hikers puff. Especially backpackers with tents and other equipment are sweating, it's a delight. I am speeding through this at a fairly high pace, but I am also happy when I see that the path back takes a descending form.
The end is at Tonga Quarry where I am picked up again later by the water taxi. Before that happens, I can still look forward to an hour of swimming in the not so warm water. The weather is Mediterranean, but the water is a bit colder than in the Mediterranean in the summer period. After showing some bravado, I finally submerge myself in the water and enjoy a refreshing dip. It doesn't always have to be walking.
If I had followed my heart, I would have chosen a different walk than this, but unfortunately due to circumstances this was not allowed. Still, I am satisfied with this beautiful, but short hike. The combination of golden beaches and rainforest is a hit, although the route is not very varied. The steep slope at the end deserves respect and it is wonderful to romp on the beach or in the sea. The textbook example of a slow travel walk in which you want to relax optimally.
The Abel Tasman National Park is one of the smallest national parks in New Zealand but extremely popular. The offering of golden beaches, beautiful forests, and azure blue sea appeals to everyone. Due to the limited hours of the water taxi, a walk of more than three hours is not possible. Therefore, I opt for the relatively short route between Awaroa Beach and Tonga Quarry.
Before setting foot on Awaroa Beach, the entire group of tourists, including myself, gets a guided tour of the Abel Tasman National Park on the water taxi. This national park was established in 1942 to protect the beautiful nature found here. With great respect for nature, the guide shares the history and the current state of the park. I can start the walk only around eleven o'clock, but before doing so, I let the entire tourist crowd depart and even go back to photograph the incredibly beautiful golden beach with some lagoons in the background.
I was told to bring my own food and drinks since there is nothing available in the national park. Well, that tale is immediately refuted in the first few hundred meters because a massive lodge sells food and drinks here. I have my own supplies, so I happily continue. The walk is about seven kilometers, and I have over three hours to complete it, so I take my time. When I leave the beautiful beach via a ramp, I immediately enter the primeval forest that I have encountered before in my New Zealand hiking adventures. The trails here are particularly well-maintained, which is a necessity with the many tourists walking here.
After 2.5 kilometers, there's an initial ascent that leads me to a beautiful viewpoint over the Abel Tasman National Park. It's not as stunning as the Queen Charlotte Sound a few days ago, but the view still deserves the label "picturesque." Especially the golden beach, which contrasts vividly with the blue of the sea and the open sky, is a feast for the eyes. Following the slow travel motto, I sit for a while on the bench here, leisurely eating a part of my lunch.
The descent is very gradual, and a little later, there's another bench with a nice viewpoint where I take a short break. Because this viewpoint is a bit lower, the panorama is slightly less spectacular, but still more than worthwhile. After about five kilometers, the gained altitude meters are completely erased, and I am led to the beach of a lagoon by a beautiful boardwalk. Especially the trees and bushes growing next to the boardwalk capture the imagination. A small babbling stream under the boardwalk completes the picture of paradise on earth. At the end of the boardwalk, I am on the beach, and then I must sunbathe on the beach.
Later, my sunburned legs tell me that I did sunbathe for quite a long time, but for me, that means fully relaxing. I estimate that I spend about half an hour here before starting the last part of the walk. Two kilometers are still on the counter, and I think I can do them quickly. Well, what I didn't expect is a fairly steep slope that almost makes all walkers puff. Especially backpackers with tents and other equipment have beads of sweat rolling down in abundance. I rush through this at a fairly high pace, but I am also relieved when I see that the path is descending again.
So, the end is at Tonga Quarry, where I am later picked up again by the water taxi. Before that happens, I can look forward to an hour of swimming in the not-so-warm water. The weather feels Mediterranean, but the water is still somewhat colder than the Mediterranean Sea in the summer. After showing some bravado, I eventually immerse myself in the water and enjoy a refreshing swim. It doesn't always have to be walking.
If I had followed my heart, I would have chosen a different walk than this, but unfortunately, circumstances did not allow it. Nevertheless, I am satisfied with this beautiful but short hike. The combination of golden beaches and rainforest is a hit, although the course is not very varied. The steep slope at the end deserves respect, and it's delightful to frolic on the beach or in the sea. The epitome of a slow travel walk where you want to relax optimally.
Dutch text:
Het Abel Tasman NP is één van de kleinste nationale parken in Nieuw-Zeeland, maar wel bijzonder populair. Het aanbod van goudgele stranden, prachtige bossen en een azuurblauwe zee spreekt wel iedereen aan. Door de wat gelimiteerde uren van de watertaxi zit een wandeling van meer dan drie uur er niet in en daarom kies ik voor het relatief korte traject tussen Awaroa Beach en Tonga Quarry.
Before I set foot on shore at Awaroa Beach, I and the rest of the tourist population on the water taxi get a tour of the Abel Tasman NP. This national park was founded in 1942 and aims to protect the beautiful nature here. The history and current state of the park are told with great respect for nature. I can't start the walk until around eleven o'clock, but before I do that I let the whole tourist crowd leave and I even go back to photograph the very beautiful golden beach with some lagoons in the background.
I was told to bring food and drinks with me as there is nothing in the national park. Well, that story is immediately refuted in the first few hundred meters because a huge lodge sells food and drinks here. I brought my own supplies, so I continue happily. The walk is about seven kilometers and I have more than three hours to complete it, so I take it at my leisure. When I leave the beautiful beach via a ramp, I immediately find myself in the ancient forest that I have encountered before on my New Zealand hiking adventures. The paths here are particularly well maintained and that is not an unnecessary luxury with the many tourists who walk here.
After 2.5 kilometers there is a first climb that takes me to a beautiful viewpoint over the Abel Tasman NP. It is not as beautiful as the Queen Charlotte Sound a few days ago, but the view still deserves the label "picturesque". The golden yellow beach in particular, which contrasts sharply with the blue of the sea and the open sky, is a feast for the eyes. Under the motto of slow travel, I sit for a while at the bench here and quietly eat part of my lunch.
The descent is very steady and a little later there is another bench with a nice viewpoint where I stop for a moment. Because this viewpoint is located a little lower, the panorama is slightly less spectacular, but still more than worth it. After about five kilometers, the elevation gain has been completely erased and I am led to the beach of a lagoon by a beautiful boardwalk. The trees and shrubs that grow next to the boardwalk in particular appeal to the imagination. A small babbling brook under the boardwalk completes the image of paradise on earth. At the end of the boardwalk I am on the beach and then I have to sunbathe on the beach.
Later my burnt legs tell me that I have indeed been healthy for a long time, but for me that means complete relaxation. I estimate that I spend half an hour here before starting the last part of the walk. There are still two kilometers left on the clock and I think I can do it quickly. Well, what I didn't expect is a fairly steep slope that makes almost all hikers puff. Especially backpackers with tents and other equipment are sweating, it's a delight. I am speeding through this at a fairly high pace, but I am also happy when I see that the path back takes a descending form.
The end is at Tonga Quarry where I am picked up again later by the water taxi. Before that happens, I can still look forward to an hour of swimming in the not so warm water. The weather is Mediterranean, but the water is a bit colder than in the Mediterranean in the summer period. After showing some bravado, I finally submerge myself in the water and enjoy a refreshing dip. It doesn't always have to be walking.
If I had followed my heart, I would have chosen a different walk than this, but unfortunately due to circumstances this was not allowed. Still, I am satisfied with this beautiful, but short hike. The combination of golden beaches and rainforest is a hit, although the route is not very varied. The steep slope at the end deserves respect and it is wonderful to romp on the beach or in the sea. The textbook example of a slow travel walk in which you want to relax optimally.
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