Last updated November 2026
The Māpua to Motueka leg of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail is the stretch where the coastal route climbs past apple orchards, vineyards and artist studios to Tasman village before one last climb and a run down towards Motueka.
Tasman District Council puts the coastal route from Māpua to Motueka at 33 km. Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails grades it 2 and allows 2 to 3 hours. It starts at Māpua, where riders coming from Rabbit Island step off the ferry, and it finishes on the edge of Motueka.
Practical Information
- Start
- Māpua (the ferry from Rabbit Island lands here)
- Finish
- Motueka (the trail skirts the town centre)
- Length
- 33 km (Tasman District Council)
- Riding time
- 2 to 3 hours (Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails)
- Grade
- Grade 2 (easy)
- Facilities
- Picnic table, shade sail, information boards and toilet at the top of the Tasman View Road climb
- Part of
- The Sparkling Coastline section of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail, a Great Ride of Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails
- Managed by
- Tasman District Council with the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust
- Status
- Check the Heart of Biking trail notices page for current closures before you ride
About Māpua to Motueka
This is not a flat ride. After leaving Māpua the trail has a few short climbs, and the trust’s description of the ride takes you past apple orchards, vineyards, and artist studios and galleries on the way to Tasman village.
The ride is the last part of what the trust calls the Sparkling Coastline, the coastal section that takes in the Waimea Inlet, Rabbit Island, the Māpua ferry and this leg to Motueka. Taken as a whole, that section is 64 km and graded 1 to 3, with 4 to 6 hours of riding.
The trail itself is part of a much bigger loop. Tasman District Council says the Great Taste Trail will be 175 km when complete. The council, Nelson City Council and the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust launched it in early 2010.
The Climb up Tasman View Road
The biggest effort of the day is the final climb up Tasman View Road, where the trust says a sea breeze may help.
The trust’s reward for getting to the top is a 360-degree view that takes in Tasman Bay and the Arthur Range, and there is a picnic table, a shade sail, information boards and a toilet there, so it is a natural place to stop.
The trust describes the descent on the other side as steep and rough in places. Ride it to the conditions and to your own ability.
Getting to Māpua and Into Motueka
The Māpua ferry
If you are riding from the Nelson side, you reach Māpua on the small ferry from Rabbit Island. The trust says it is the only ferry crossing on any cycle trail in New Zealand, the crossing takes about seven minutes, and there are bike racks on board. There is no other way between Rabbit Island and Māpua on the trail.
Ferry hours change with the seasons, and wind or rough seas can stop the service, so check the ferry’s own timetable and the Great Taste Trail notices before you set out.
Stopping in Motueka
The trail does not run through Motueka’s town centre. To visit, follow the main road into town, then rejoin the trail on the main road or go back the way you came.
The trust calls the town the best place to stock up on food supplies, and it has several bike shops. From Motueka the trail carries on along the coast to Kaiteriteri.
From locals
Can I keep riding to Kaiteriteri after Motueka?
Is there anywhere to fill up a water bottle between Māpua and Motueka?
No answers yet. If you know, a local would love to hear it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the ride from Māpua to Motueka?
Tasman District Council gives 33 km for the coastal route between the two. Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails allows 2 to 3 hours.
How hard is it?
It is graded 2 (easy), but there are a few short climbs and a final climb up Tasman View Road, with a descent that is steep and rough in places.
Are there toilets on the way?
Yes, at the top of the Tasman View Road climb, along with a picnic table, shade sail and information boards.
How do I get to Māpua from Rabbit Island?
By the Māpua ferry, which carries riders and walkers in about seven minutes. It is the only way across on the trail, and its hours change with the seasons.
Does the trail go through Motueka?
No. It skirts the town centre. Follow the main road into town if you want to stop for food or a bike shop.
What will I see along the way?
Apple orchards, vineyards, artist studios and galleries, Tasman village, and from the top of Tasman View Road, views over Tasman Bay to the Arthur Range.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- Heart of Biking: Sparkling Coastline: the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust’s description of the coastal section, including the Māpua ferry and the Tasman View Road climb.
- Heart of Biking: Trail notices: current closures and detours on Tasman’s Great Taste Trail.
- Tasman District Council: Tasman’s Great Taste Trail: the council’s overview, with section lengths and the trail’s history.