Ligar Bay and Tata Beach

The first corner after the Abel Tasman Memorial reveals the golden sandy beach and curving shoreline of Ligar Bay, now a mix of old baches and newer holiday homes. The road then hugs a small sheltered estuary where a few keen boaties can usually be seen working on their craft. A couple of left turns off the main road then brings you into Tata Beach which must be one of the fastest developing settlements in Golden Bay, a lifestyle choice for many permanent residents and lots of rentable holiday homes and of course, the usual B & B.

These two favourite swimming beaches, Ligar Bay (safer for the family) and Tata for the more serious swimmers who prefer deeper water, are often thought to have put the ‘golden’ in the name of Golden Bay. A lovely thought but of course it actually comes from the early gold mining activities. Highlights of staying overnight here at Tata Beach are the beautiful views looking out over the Tata Islands and the sunsets that you’ll never forget. These islands, with their steep limestone cliffs, archway and seabird colony are a popular venue for kayakers. Equipment can be hired at the beach.

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