Remote Golden Bay has a frontier vibe and very few inhabitants.

With the Abel Tasman National Park to the east and the Kahurangi National Park to the south-west, there are many hiking options, including the 4/5-day Heaphy Track.

The long, skinny sweep of Farewell Spit is an important bird sanctuary; the sacred, dazzling-blue Waikoropupu Springs are the largest cold-water springs in the country; and dramatic Wharariki Beach is a place for windswept walks, horse treks, and seal spotting.