Starting with the most obvious and possibly most famous of New Zealand’s national parks, the Abel Tasman is paradise right on our doorstep. With its golden sands, crystal clear water, secluded beaches and lush bush right down to the waterfront the Abel Tasman has graced more than its fair share of magazine and holiday brochure covers over the years.

What is less well known is the abundant and diverse wildlife and geography that makes the park teem with life and interest. Thanks to the tireless work of the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust and Project Janszoon predators are kept in check and the dawn chorus is a thing of wonder. Waterfalls leading to plunge pools, caves and canyons are all there to be discovered.

Kahurangi is New Zealand’s largest national park and a landscape so diverse that there is a new vista and fresh location to explore every visit. Rugged alpine with towering peaks and clear tarns to cool off in, a cavers paradise with its sprawling karst geography, rolling tablelands and deep unexplored bush - Kahurangi is a real jewel.

Spanning a large swath of the top of the South Island, Kahurangi stretches from just outside Motueka to the edges of Farewell Spit in Golden Bay. Take your pick of day walks using Kaiteriteri as the ideal base, weekend adventures to an isolated hut, or a two-week long traverse - Kahurangi is perfect for the more adventurous souls.

The third of our National Parks is Nelson Lakes to the south. Jet boating and rafting are just a few of the activities that you can do here - along with day walks to waterfalls, Alpine Fault disrupted landscapes and, as the name suggests, a wide range of lakeside walks and freshwater swimming.

Scattered between the more recognised National Parks is an almost limitless selection of tracks, trails and locations to explore within an easy drive from Kaiteriteri. Canaan Downs, Te Waikoropupu Springs, Labyrinth Rocks, Farewell Spit, Rawhiti and Ngarua caves to name just a few.

So - next time you visit Kaiteriteri why not take a break from the beach and mountain bike park and go for an explore? You’ll be amazed by what you can find, and by the diversity of the Nelson Tasman region.