Tokangawhā/Split Apple Rock is a giant granite boulder at the top of the South Island and one of the most iconic and photographed sights in Abel Tasman National Park. As the name suggests, the rock looks like a halved apple, though some people have said it looks like a Pacman. I’ll leave it to you to decide!

According to Māori legend, two gods fought over the rock and used their strength to split it in half, which is why the Māori name Tokangawhā means "burst open rock". On the other hand, geologists say it was likely cracked due to a natural phenomenon known as “ice wedging” during an ice age over 120 million years ago. Either way, it’s a sight worth seeing while you’re in the national park.

How to get there

To visit Tokangawhā, head to the end of Tokongawa Drive which is around 5 minutes from Kaiteriteri. There’s a small carpark and a well-formed track that leads you through native bush and down to the beach. Alternatively, you can rent kayaks in Kaiteriteri or see the boulder from one of the many water taxi transfers that will shuttle you to larger walking tracks around the park.