New Zealand’s smallest national park is also its most popular thanks to incredibly special scenery, including water the color of the Caribbean Sea. The park can only be accessed by boat, helicopter or on foot – the 51 kilometer (32 mile) Coast Track is the most beautiful of New Zealand's Great Walks. Accommodations inside the park are generally simple huts that still have to be reserved well in advance by hikers eager to walk the entire trek. The best option for day trippers is to charter a boat (contact Indagare's Bookings Team for recommendations) and spend a day exploring Abel Tasman along the coast, with the option of stopping for a short hike.

Indagare recommends a charter company headed by a local captain who grew up in the Tasman area and is incredibly invested in the protection of this eco dreamscape. A day charter includes lunch on the boat and such activities as kayaking into small bays where you might spot seals. Abel Tasman is an "only in New Zealand" experience and a fantastic way to spend a day when you're staying in the Nelson-Tasman area (preferably at Edenhouse).

The whaling capital of Kaikoura, on the South Island’s east coast, has been called the “Serengeti of the South Pacific” due to the range of animals that can be seen here, from Albatross to sperm whale. A stunningly scenic, 2.5-hour drive north of Christchurch (break it up by lunching at Pegasus Winery), Kaikoura is a former whaling town that today draws sealife enthusiasts, especially between October and March. Much like Queenstown has a package tour for seemingly every adventure sports you can think of, Kaikoura has outfitters for such nature-focused activities as swimming with seals or dolphins, whale watching aboard a helicopter, sea kayaking, fishing and albatross encounters.

But the most popular excursion is Kaikoura Whale Watch (www.whalewatch.co.nz), whose headquarters are in a former train station. If you’re used to the more lackadaisical whale tours of the American Northeast, you are going to encounter the Switzerland of New Zealand in terms of organization. There’s a strict number of people on the boasts, everyone has to be seated when the boat is in motion (ie, almost always) and tours book well in advance and should be reserved. Whale watching is also a time commitment: the tours include a generous hour for check-in and a brief safety video, so if you are booked on the 10 a.m. tour, you won’t even leave the station until 11 a.m. It is suggested you check in an hour in advance, but there is little to do at the whaling station except browse the gift shop (which is probably the point), so don’t be fooled: you don’t need to be there more than 20 minutes before the tour.

When the season is right and you see an abundance of whales, dolphins and other sea life, this is absolutely worthwhile. Those prone to motion sickness should bring Dramamine – the Pacific can get rough even on sunny, nice days.

Oenophiles grumble that there is no place really nice to stay in Marlborough, one of New Zealand’s flagship wine regions (they are the largest exporter of Sauvignon Blanc in the world). And indeed the central town of Blenheim is as charmless as it gets, with barely a single cute restaurant but every imaginable fast food label. However, once you get into the Wairau valley, set against the Mount Richmond Forest Park and with glorious rolling hills, these drawbacks are fast forgotten.

There are numerous wineries, many of which have excellent restaurants. Some of the best ones to visit include: Seresin, a boutique label that also produces a beautiful olive oil; Hans Herzog, a quirky winemaker who also dabbles in Grüner Veltliner and Montepulciano; and Cloudy Bay, where a Raw Bar keeps guest well-fed during the summer months.

Getting There / Where to Stay:

• 30 minutes: Picton (from which ferries travel to the Bay of Many Coves)
• 1.5 hours: Kaikoura (home of Hapuku Lodge)
• 1.5 hours: Tasman (home of Edenhouse)

This tiny community in the Tasman region, a short drive from Edenhouse, is home to artisans and craftspeople who open their homes, studios and farms to visitors. Not to be missed is Neudorf Vineyard, which produces an acclaimed Pinot Noir, Anna Barnett Pottery and the Icon Gallery. If you're staying at Edenhouse, owner Peter Martin knows many of the artists, including an incredibly talented glassblower and woodsmith, and is happy to make introductions.