South Pacific Tasman Sea New Zealand
Named for Dutch Explorer

When a 1642 Dutch explorer became the first recorded person to discover New Zealand, he couldn’t have dreamed that a state in Austrailia (Tasmania), an important Kiwi national park, a bay, and even an entire sea would be named after him. Abel Tasman won that honor. Be sure to visit the Tasman Sea on your New Zealand vacation.

The southwestern arm of the South Pacific Ocean that extends between Australia and New Zealand’s west coast goes down in history as Tasman Sea, New Zealand to immortalize the Dutchman, as well as Abel Tasman National Park at the northern end of the South Island butting up to Tasman Bay. That puts Abel Tasman in the same league as America’s Christopher Columbus, only southern hemisphere style.

Tasman Sea New Zealand includes waters to the east of the Australian states of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. The boundary between New South Wales and the northern Australian state of Queensland divides the Tasman Sea from neighboring Coral Sea.

Norfolk Island, located to the extreme north of the Tasman Sea near the Coral Sea border, is one of several mid-sea island groups distinct from Australian and New Zealand coastal mainland islands. Lord Howe Island and Ball’s Pyramid are two other such island groupings, and all are Australian possessions.

Tasman Sea, New Zealand hugs the coast of New Zealand’s most popular “Great Walk,” world famous Abel Tasman Naptional Park Coast Track. Picturesque calm turquoise waters and golden beaches characterize this track, which climbs up the coastline for fantastic views. Seals’-eye views are the vantage point from unsurpassed sea kayaking experiences in secluded bays.

History around Tasman Sea, New Zealand goes back at least 500 years when Maori lived along the coast gathering food from the sea, estuaries, and forests and growing kumera wherever suitable. When Abel Tasman came upon the area, he lost four crew members in a skirmish with Maori natives and moved along soon afterward, leaving the area in which he would later become immortalized.

This Tasman Sea coastline has one of the largest tidal ranges in New Zealand, ranging up to 4.9 meters between high and low tides. This feature uniquely characterizes the area with tidal estuaries that change from wide lagoons of calm blue waters to large stretches of golden sand interspersed with trickling streams. The geography makes for stunning New Zealand outdoor activities such as tidal crossings and sea kayaking, an exclusive Tasman Sea, New Zealand feature.