Clear water
Like glass.
Pseudopanax at English Wikipedia — Public domain · Krzysztof Belczyński — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Graeme Churchard — CC BY 2.0 · Graeme Churchard — CC BY 2.0 · Kieron Norfield — CC BY 2.0
Te Waikoropupū Springs, or Pupu Springs, are cold springs of astonishingly clear water near Tākaka in the north of the South Island. From above you see the blue and green bed and its water plants as if through glass, while water wells quietly up from the ground. They are known for the exceptional clarity of the water and the volume it discharges, and are the largest cold-water springs in the Southern Hemisphere. They feed a short river that flows into the Tākaka River. The springs are sacred to Māori and registered as wāhi tapu; tradition holds that they are home to Huriawa, a guardian taniwha. In October 2023 a water conservation order gave them the highest legal protection for a body of water in the country. You follow a forest path and then a boardwalk and platforms over the water, reading panels on the place and its stories. They are about 20 km in a straight line south of Collingwood. Do not touch the water; it is forbidden, out of respect and to protect the springs.
Like glass.
Over the springs.
To the water.
Near Tākaka, Golden Bay, Tasman
No, touching the water is forbidden.
About half an hour return.