Karamea accommodation from NZ$152

In Karamea, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to getting up close with nature. If you're keen on swimming, fishing or kayaking, there are four rivers to choose from: Karamea River, Oparara River, Wanganui River and Kohaihai River. While you're here, don't miss the Oparara Basin, where you can check out the limestone Oparara Arch, which arches over the river. There's another limestone arch nearby, Moria Gate Arch, which you can visit if you take a tour of the Honeycomb Hill Caves. If you haven't already guessed, Karamea is a great place to get active. Hiking, caving, and mountain biking are popular activities. Kahurangi National Park is a great place to go hiking or biking. Here, there are a few tracks, good for day walks, as well as the famous Heaphy Track, which will take about four days to complete.

If you're not much of an outdoors person, you can wander around the Karamea Centennial Museum, which displays local artefacts and old photos of the region, detailing the town's history as a timber, flax and goldmining area. You can also have a meal at the historic Karamea Village Hotel's award winning restaurant. While you're in town, there's a supermarket to pick up essential items. However, if you're in need of some retail therapy, you might like to take the four hour drive to Motueka, where you'll enjoy the cafe culture and shops. Alternatively, you could stay in one of these Wellington hotels and do some shopping before flying home.

Speaking of which, don't forget to book your flights to Wellington. Wellington airport is the closest airport to Karamea (225km away). There are some charter buses that you can take from the airport to Karamea, but if you want to be able to explore at your own pace, you might want to hire a car at the airport. If you do hire a car, you'll be able to visit some of the other towns in the surrounding regions, such as West Port, which is famous for its coal mining museum and fur seal colony, or Nelson, which is known as the ‘sunniest region in New Zealand’, and is famous for its golden beaches and Nelson Bay scallops.

So wot are you waiting for? Book your Karamea accommodation today!

Image credit Pseudopanax