Ligar Bay is the small bay between Pōhara and Tata Beach: one row of houses on the inland side of Abel Tasman Drive, sand and calm water on the other. The Abel Tasman Memorial stands on the headland above it, marking the 1642 anchorage that gave Golden Bay its first European name. It is a two-minute walk up from the roadside and the best view on this stretch of coast.
2 homes in Ligar Bay · Golden Bay, Tasman
Between Pōhara (5 min) and Tata Beach (5 min) — three beaches within a short drive
The Abel Tasman Memorial lookout sits on the headland above the bay
Calm, shallow water directly across the road from the houses
About 10 minutes to Wainui Falls and the northern Abel Tasman track head
Only a couple of dozen baches, so it stays quiet even over New Year
Stay somewhere truly memorable at The Lighthouse, a one-of-a-kind coastal retreat overlooking beautiful Ligar Bay. Designed in the style of a classic lighthouse, this unique three-bedroom holiday home combines character, spectacular views and relaxed Golden Bay living. From the elevated master suite and private balcony to the top-floor sitting room with panoramic views, there are plenty of special places to slow down and take in the surroundings. Spend summer days at nearby Ligar Bay and Tata Beach, relax on the spacious outdoor decks, soak in the private spa pool, or finish the evening high i
Just a short stroll down the drive from the sands of Ligar Bay, Penguin Cottage is a simple, no-frills spot for a laid-back Golden Bay getaway. This is a classic Kiwi bach – a bit rustic, well-loved, and all about easy living rather than modern comforts.
Ligar Bay suits people who want Pōhara's convenience without Pōhara's summer buzz. You are five minutes from the shops, café and boat ramp at Pōhara and Tarakohe, five minutes the other way from Tata Beach, and the swimming out front is shallow and sheltered. The two homes we look after here could not be more different — a plain, easy-going cottage a short stroll from the sand, and a landmark tower with a spa and views straight down the bay — so bookings here skew toward couples and small groups rather than big family reunions.
Everything is informal: pull off the road, cross the grass verge, and you are on the beach. There is no shop in the bay, so meals come from Pōhara or from the supermarket in Tākaka, fifteen minutes away. What guests write about afterwards is how still the water is first thing in the morning, and how quickly they got into the habit of walking up to the memorial before dinner.
Not comfortably. It is roughly 2 km on Abel Tasman Drive, which is narrow, winding and has no footpath for much of the way, and a headland separates the two beaches. Almost everyone drives the five minutes.
Where do we eat if we stay at Ligar Bay?
Pōhara, five minutes away, is the nearest food — including the restaurant at Ratanui Lodge. Tākaka's cafés, restaurants and supermarket are about fifteen minutes over the hill, and there is nothing to buy in Ligar Bay itself.
What is the Abel Tasman Memorial?
A memorial on the headland between Ligar Bay and Tarakohe, put up to mark Abel Tasman's ships anchoring off this coast in December 1642. The encounter that followed with local Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri left four of his crew dead, and he named the place Murderers' Bay before sailing on without ever landing. It is a short, steep walk up from the roadside car park.
Is Ligar Bay good for swimming?
Yes — it is one of the calmest bits of water in Golden Bay, shallow and sheltered, which makes it easy with young children. As everywhere here, the tide pulls back a long way, so time a proper swim for the hours around high tide.
