Abel Tasman - Kayak tour / NZ

Coming from the West I would suggest to e.g. have lunch in Havelock. The region is famous for its Green-lipped-mussels. 
Be aware, there is no ATM in Havelock working for European Cashcards. 

I went on to Marahau in Abel Tasman and stayed at the camp Marahau - The Barns. It's a mixture of a campsite and a hostel. The Stray buses stop here either. The common rooms are nice, two kitchens if I get it right, washing machines etc. Just the guy at the reception was extraordinary unfriendly (no Kiwi though ;-) )

You can go for a walk at the beach or just go into one of the few restauarants or have a chat with one of the hostel guests :-). If you would like more action you need to stay in Motueka, it's a bigger city you pass on your way to Marahau. 
Depending when you arrive or leave, you definitely need to stop at Toad hall. It has fantastic food!

Sunrise from the campsite

Abel Tasman Coast

For the next day, again I had booked via bookme.nz.co a combination of a kayak and a walking tour. You also can do just a kayak tour and you can choose between different areas.
The trip starts in Marahau, that's why I stayed here ;-), you get picked up and then we headed to Onetahuti with a speed boat. 

Our kayaks and kiwi guide were already waiting at the beach. All in all we were eight and me as the only single person was sitting with the guide in a boat. Always good :-)
After some adjusting and explaining we started a relaxed paddle across to Tonga island. It's a protected little island you need to keep a specific distance to, but you still can hear and see some baby seals. 

Tonga Island

Once paddled around the island we went on to Bark Bay. I can't really remember, but I guess it took us about two hours which were just flying by. 

Lunch time

At Bark Bay we had sandwiches for lunch and a fantastic carrott cake! Something you can book in advance or bring your own.

Two went on with the kayak, two left back to Marahau with a boat and a couple and me left for the walk. We weren't walking slow, but we had to go the longer way as the flood came in though we couldn't take the shortcut to Anchorage. We more or less got there in time, with just a few photo stops and a short jump into the water, before the water taxi arrived we had to take (it's the last one of the day).

In this area is also one of the great walks of NZ, completely different to the Fjordlands you have beaches instead of mountains.
The couple told me they were on the North Island before and you have many spots like this, for me the Abel Tasman was completely new  to the rest I had seen on the South Island. Very gorgeous. 

In the evening I had a great Mussle Burger at Fat Tui. If you ask for the place everybody can tell you where it is (everything in walking distance in Marahau) otherwise you can find it on every social media like tripadvisor, lonely planet etc.. It tastes fantastic. 

View from the top (nearby split apple) onto Marahau

Start of the walk to the beach and split apple

Next morning I drove up to the Split Apple (shortly before Marahau is a left turn, take that one). There is a small parking space and a kind of jungle walk down to the beach. Try to be early and you will be the first, no kajaks, no tourist ships, no sailing boats. The beach and the apple is yours :-)
 

Split Apple

Split Apple

The beach was mine, at least in the morning :-)

Leaving, I went back to the West Coast and took the Motueka Valley Highway, but not before having lunch at the toad hall :-).