Te Waikoropupū Springs (or Pupu Springs) are located at the top of the South Island in Kahurangi (Abel Tasman) National Park. They are the largest freshwater springs in Aotearoa and the largest cold water springs in the Southern Hemisphere. They contain some of the clearest water ever measured on Earth and have an underwater visibility distance of nearly 81 metres. For comparison, the theoretical maximum clarity of pure water is 83 metres!

The springs are often compared to Lake Rotomairewhenua (Blue Lake) in Nelson Lakes National Park, which has earned the title ‘the clearest lake in the world’. It is worth a visit on your road trip down to the West Coast!

Why are the springs sacred?

Te Waikoropupū is a taonga (treasure) and is considered wahi tapu (sacred). In Māori tradition, the springs are waiora, the purest form of water, and provide water for healing. Legend has it that Waikoropupū is the home of Huriawa, one of Aotearoa's three main taniwha (guardian spirits). Because of their cultural significance, you absolutely cannot touch or enter the water.

How to get here

To visit the springs, travel to the end of Pupu Springs Road near Takaka town centre. When you arrive, you’ll find a large carpark with toilets and access to a walking track that will take you to the springs. The short 1km (40-minute) loop walk winds through the mānuka and kānuka forest before reaching a viewing platform overlooking the springs. The walk is straightforward and accessible, and a must-do if you’re exploring in/around Golden Bay.