Long golden beaches and easy surf
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find long golden beaches and easy surf. Ask your guide about beach days — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Nelson Tasman → Bay of Plenty
Wakefield to WhakataneDay tours & experiences
Travelling from Wakefield to Whakatane is one of those New Zealand journeys where the route matters as much as the destination.
Whakatane sits in Bay of Plenty — a sunny arc of surf beaches, kiwifruit orchards and an island volcano offshore. Travel privately with a local driver-guide and the day becomes yours: stop for the view, take the short walk, and let someone else handle the wheel.
Bay of Plenty
South Island experiences
A taste of what a day around Whakatane can hold.
Orchards, avocados and roadside produce
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find orchards, avocados and roadside produce. Ask your guide about orchard visits — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Harbour walks and a summit view over the bay
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find harbour walks and a summit view over the bay. Ask your guide about harbour cruising — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Coastal Māori communities and marae
Around Bay of Plenty you'll find coastal Māori communities and marae. Ask your guide about summit walks — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Tour & experience options
Ways to travel between Wakefield and Whakatane.
Full-day adventure tour
A big day out with your own guide — viewpoints, short walks and the landmarks that pull people to the South Island in the first place.
Scenic lake & mountain transfer
Move between towns the slow way, stopping at lake edges, passes and lookouts that most travellers drive straight past.
Hiking & walking tour
Guided time on foot, from gentle lakeside strolls to a genuine day walk, matched to your fitness and the conditions.
Multi-stop scenic journey
String several highlights together in one private vehicle, with the flexibility to linger where it's worth lingering.
Luxury experience
Premium vehicle, a hand-picked guide and a day shaped around cellar doors, private walks and quiet corners.
Why travel between Wakefield and Whakatane
The road between Wakefield and Whakatane threads through the kind of country people fly across the world to see — a sunny arc of surf beaches, kiwifruit orchards and an island volcano offshore.
Going private means the day belongs to you: no fixed departure times, no coach-load of strangers, and no rushing past something you wanted to photograph.
Whakatane sits in Bay of Plenty, which means long golden beaches and easy surf and orchards, avocados and roadside produce are both within reach on the same outing.
Gateway experiences
Make the most of both ends of your journey.
Wakefield
Before you set out, Wakefield is a good place to slow down — Nelson Tasman is known for granite headlands and clear tidal estuaries and the golden bays of Abel Tasman National Park.
Whakatane
Once you arrive, Whakatane opens up summit walks, harbour cruising and orchard visits in and around the wider Bay of Plenty area.
Frequently asked questions
More day trips from Wakefield
Explore more of Nelson Tasman
Ready to see Whakatane?
Tell us what you'd like to do and we'll come back with a private itinerary and a clear quote.