Takaka Valley
The descent from the Marble Mountain ends abruptly at the gentle valley floor. To the left is the turn off up to the Cobb Valley, one of the gateways to the Kahurangi National Park.

Takaka Hill
Once the summit of Takaka Hill is crossed, at 791 metres above sea level, Golden Bay suddenly appears with startling beauty.

Cobb Valley
The Cobb Valley is one of the few places in New Zealand where the visitor can drive into and along, much of a high mountain valley carved by glaciers.

Kotinga
The flat expansive plains around Kotinga where the Anatoki River flows down to meet the Takaka River show a contrasting landscape of open dairy farm paddocks and carefully trimmed orchards.

Tarakohe Harbour
The fishing and scalloping fleet unloads and anchors at Tarakohe Harbour, and there is a sizeable marina for commercial and pleasure boats.

Tata Beach
A couple of left turns off the main road then brings you into Tata Beach, a lifestyle choice for many permanent residents and lots of rentable holiday homes and B&B's.

Milnthorpe
This is another of those places which doesn’t look anything special from the highway, but a leisurely exploration down a side road reveals unsuspected pleasures.

Onekaka
This tiny settlement was once a major industrial area. In the 1920's and 30's local iron ore was turned into pig- iron and iron pipes at the Onekaka Ironworks.

Puponga
Coal occurs in many places throughout the Bay but nowhere were the seams as promising as at Puponga, where the mine opened up in 1899.

Pakawau
At low tide the sea retreats to a surprising distance, while at high water the tide floods into the tiny inlet in a noisy rush, turning the occasional white heron into a fisherman.

Farewell Spit
The spit is formed entirely from sand, derived from the erosion of granites, schists and other rocks on the West Coast.

Wharariki
The wind sweeping the western coast has resulted in a stunning landscape. Half-tide may reveal groups of seals, sometimes at play in the large rock-pools.

Westhaven
This is the second-largest estuary in the South Island and as well as being a beautiful landscape it is an important fishing and wildlife area.

Mangarakau
Beyond Westhaven there are manuka moorlands to the left, high bluffs to the right. Suddenly there is a scatter of houses, and you are in Mangarakau.

Collingwood
has essential services, a petrol station, fire station, post shop, food store, tavern and campground. There is a wide selection of accommodation.

Takaka
The township of Takaka, founded in 1854, is the main business, service and shopping centre for Golden Bay.