Abel Tasman National Park, National park in Tasman District, New Zealand
Abel Tasman National Park covers 237.1 km2 between Golden Bay / Mohua and Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere at the north end of New Zealand's South Island, making it the country's smallest national park. Its forested hills, granite cliffs and sandy bays are framed by dark green fern-like foliage in the foreground, with reddish-brown trees scattered among the canopy.
The region was sighted in 1642 by a European explorer but remained largely unsettled from a European perspective. In the 20th century the area gained protected status and was officially declared a national park in 1942.
The name honors the Dutch seafarer who first charted this coastline for European maps. Visitors still find traces of Māori occupation in sheltered bays where fishing and gardening once sustained communities.
Water taxis depart from the coastal towns of Marahau and Kaiteriteri, bringing travelers to several landing points along the coast. Those planning walks should check tides and weather conditions, as some sections are passable only at low tide.
The park's islands, including Tonga Island, Motuareronui / Adele Island and Fisherman Island, have no introduced mammalian predators, so they hold species found nowhere else in the park; access there is more restricted than on the mainland coast. The adjoining Tonga Island Marine Reserve has protected 18.35 km2 of sea since 1993.
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