Getting her
Golden Bay is relatively secluded and it, therefore, takes a little more time and effort to travel here. But you'll discover a destination that is unsurpassed in its pristine beauty and you'll soon come to appreciate why it's such a special place.
There is only one road in and out of Golden Bay - State Highway 60. We highly recommend having a rental car during your stay to fully experience all Golden Bay has to offer. Public transport is very limited and Adrift in Golden Bay is 18km from our main town and shopping centre, Takaka.
From Nelson and the Nelson Airport (linking Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Queenstown)
Drive: Adrift in Golden Bay is a very picturesque 1 hour, 45 min drive northwest of Nelson City.
Nelson Airport is possibly the best connected provincial airport in New Zealand. It has a total of 6 airlines operating from it. If you are flying into Nelson, there are several car rental companies available at the Nelson Airport.
Fly: Golden Bay Air provides scheduled and charter flights Nelson - Takaka twice a day, although this option may require careful consideration as there are a very limited number of rental cars available in Golden Bay.
From Heaphy Track and Abel Tasman Coastal Track
Adrift in Golden Bay is mid-way between these two popular Great Walks and is an ideal place for some rest and relaxation before, after or in between your walks. Golden Bay Coachlines has a daily bus service to the Heaphy Track and the northern end of the Abel Tasman Walk (Totaranui) and will drop you off at Tukurua. Charter service is also available and there is car rental available in Golden Bay. Our local rural delivery driver will drop off groceries at Adrift these can be ordered online from our local Takaka Fresh Choice supermarket (choose the "Pick Up" option, then choose "Delivery Takaka to Collingwood").
From Wellington
By Air: Golden Bay Air operates scheduled flights Wellington – Takaka – Karamea – Nelson – up to 3 times a day in Summer and 5 times a week in winter. They also have shuttles on-demand to Adrift In Golden Bay and also have rental cars available.
By Ferry & Road: From the North Island, two car & passenger ferry companies ply the Cook Straight between Wellington and Picton - The Interislander and the Bluebridge, both with a 3-hour sailing time. On arriving in Picton, you have a choice of two different routes to travel to Nelson, and then onto Golden Bay. The direct route takes just under 4 hours to drive to Adrift in Golden Bay; the scenic route through the Queen Charlotte Sounds takes an extra hour. Car rental is available at the Picton ferry terminal.
From Christchurch
By Road: The most direct route is north to Amberly and through the Lewis Pass to Murchison. Head towards Nelson and watch for the turnoff to Motueka where you can join Highway 60 to Golden Bay. You should allow 7 hours of driving time. An alternative route from Christchurch is to travel up the east coast on SH1 to Kaikoura and on to Blenheim.
Our GPS coordinates:
For those of you with a GPS, our coordinates are S 40° 44.167' E 172° 42.150' or S 40º 44"10’ E172º 42"09' or -40.736183,17
To view Adrift in Golden Bay on Google Maps, please go to our Location page.