Takaka is a groovy little town in an amazing part of New Zealand.

Unfortunately it's also one of the least friendliest place we have visited. We spent 6 weeks in the area and got a pretty good sense of the place. There are always a few gems in the bunch, but overall we found the locals/residents to be standoffish and unwelcoming. Seems as though they want Golden Bay all to themselves, but fail to realize without tourism, the local economy would wither. Golden Bay is amazing, but the local vibe pretty much sucks.

Despite Takaka's general unfriendliness, I would definitely recommend a trip over the "hill." Golden Bay a really interesting place with incredible nature to explore and experience! It's a deeply relaxing place, away from the rest of the world.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago and experienced in November 2016