Bay Tours Nelson
Bay Tours Nelson
5
City ToursHistorical & Heritage ToursPrivate ToursWine Tours & Tastings
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Kia Ora / Hi. Friendly staff and value for money tours of Nelson and it's surrounds. We have two full day options - 1.Full Day Cruise and Wine Tour 7.30am to 4pm visiting Abel Tasman National Park by boat in the morning, and a selection of other attractions including a award winning winery and NZ's Oldest Pub the Moutere Inn built in 1850 on the way home to Nelson. 2. Our Wheels and Wine cycling tour 9am - 4pm allows you to cycle at your own pace enjoying coastal scenery on your way to the Rabbit Island beaches and pretty Port Mapua for a lunch stop and then visiting a winery and NZ's Oldest Pub on the way back to Nelson. Two wonderful tour options to see so much of Nelson in a day! IF you are limited for time then there is a wonderful tour for you - Our 1PM Half Day Explore the Plains Tour. Allows you to look around Nelson city in the morning and then join this tour at 1PM to take in some of the attractions in the countryside surrounding Nelson.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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5.0
340 reviews
Excellent
317
Very good
17
Average
4
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Tim R
4 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We did the “Wine, Brews and Views” tour with the affable, knowledgeable and soft-spoken Owen.
My wife and I were worried we’d miss the tour because we were flying in that morning, but Owen communicated beautifully and even picked us up at our Airbnb, no worries! From there we were off on an exploration of 3 local Nelson vineyards and New Zealand’s oldest pub! Owen has a passion for New Zealand, Maori culture and the Nelson area that shines through the entire afternoon.
We visited 3 very distinctive and beautiful vineyards on our tour; everywhere we went, we were immediately greeted and enjoyed an informative and spirited welcome. It is clear that the local business owners cherish Owen and that he is very intentional about his selections.
At the third vineyard we had the option to take in a snack (the only part of tour not already included, very reasonable at that) with a selection from delicious cheese and charcuterie boards. After the 3rd vineyard we took in a beer flight at a pub that was established in the 19th century, and capped the day off with a delicious glass of Rosé on a secluded beach on Rabbit Island.
The van/bus that the tour was conducted on is modern, comfortable and beautifully air-conditioned. The real selling point of this tour though is Owen. He puts so much effort and care into what he does, and it makes for an unforgettable afternoon. We will be heartily recommending this tour to any friends planning travel to NZ.
My wife and I were worried we’d miss the tour because we were flying in that morning, but Owen communicated beautifully and even picked us up at our Airbnb, no worries! From there we were off on an exploration of 3 local Nelson vineyards and New Zealand’s oldest pub! Owen has a passion for New Zealand, Maori culture and the Nelson area that shines through the entire afternoon.
We visited 3 very distinctive and beautiful vineyards on our tour; everywhere we went, we were immediately greeted and enjoyed an informative and spirited welcome. It is clear that the local business owners cherish Owen and that he is very intentional about his selections.
At the third vineyard we had the option to take in a snack (the only part of tour not already included, very reasonable at that) with a selection from delicious cheese and charcuterie boards. After the 3rd vineyard we took in a beer flight at a pub that was established in the 19th century, and capped the day off with a delicious glass of Rosé on a secluded beach on Rabbit Island.
The van/bus that the tour was conducted on is modern, comfortable and beautifully air-conditioned. The real selling point of this tour though is Owen. He puts so much effort and care into what he does, and it makes for an unforgettable afternoon. We will be heartily recommending this tour to any friends planning travel to NZ.
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora Tim & Emily.
Guys thank you for that flattering and descriptive review. We appreciate that very much.
It is nice to know that you left Nelson with some nice memories and a little information about the local Maori history.
We try very hard to develop good working relationships with local wineries and breweries including the front of house staff and accord them all the same respect. Many are like whanau (family) to us now after all these years. I hope your visit to Aotearoa has been a good one and wish you both every success with your future together.
Safe travels home to Madison USA. Emily the next day I had x10 Canadians from BC. Great fun they were too :-)
Arohanui
Owen & Sue
Written 29 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Terry Manuatu
1 contribution
Sept 2020
Weather-wise we some sun, some over-cast and some rain. So with the much anticipated sunny Nelson not presenting its best day, this was a prime opportunity for a tour guide to step up and prove their mettle. Owen and Steve (guessing at the drivers name tbh) were approachable, well versed in both the historic and current landscape of this beautiful place and its key industries and incredibly accommodating and generous with their time. Value for money, no question. Long story short, 2 Wineries and a Pub and it was simply a fabulous fabulous day.
Written 13 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nga mihi nui Terry. Thank you for taking the time to send in your review.
I've passed your comments on to Steve our driver that day as well.
Great to have our Kiwi whanau taking time to visit our region.
Thanks for your support.
Arohanui
Owen & Sue
Written 14 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nikkit
Christchurch, New Zealand169 contributions
Jan 2021
A full day tour to Abel Tasman and the Nelson region . Pick up Nelson with a boat trip to anchorage,picnic with the weka and oyster catchers,swim and then back via Adele island to view the baby fur seals . Owen then picked us up again from kaiteriteri for some wine tasting, a stop at the oldest pub in Nz with the finial stop to sample some local cheese .
We would 100 % recommend Owen and his personal tour. Is relaxed kiwi style but with all the little special touches .
The picnic lunch was delicious complete with a wee smiley 😊 on the bag .
With the overseas tourist numbers hurting these local businesses it’s now time for us Kiwis to experience our country with a superstar like Owen .
We would 100 % recommend Owen and his personal tour. Is relaxed kiwi style but with all the little special touches .
The picnic lunch was delicious complete with a wee smiley 😊 on the bag .
With the overseas tourist numbers hurting these local businesses it’s now time for us Kiwis to experience our country with a superstar like Owen .
Written 14 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora Nikki & Ron. You guys were superb and THANK YOU for taking the time to send in such a wonderful review. I really like the Cruise & Wine Tour because you get to see so much in a single day and it's not rushed but relaxed and personal. Glad you enjoyed the wines and the cheese lived up to it's billing :-).
You guys stay safe and keep up the great work you do on our wonderful Kiwi airline. Nga mihi nui korua. Owen
Written 15 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
stephs14
2 contributions
Jan 2021
We had an awesome day out with Owen on the Wines, Brews and Views Tour. The wineries we visited were beautiful and the wines outstanding - Middle Earth was a highlight for us. We visited the oldest Pub in NZ to sample some beers and Owen also made some arts and crafts stops for us - my partner really enjoyed the opportunity to see behind the scenes at the pottery place. We had lunch at Mapua (recommend the Jellyfish Cafe). Owen is a wonderful tour guide, he knows a lot about the area, in general, as well as the wineries and breweries and is very friendly and welcoming. We have done a lot of wine tours and this was definitely the best. A special touch was stopping on the way back to Nelson so we could get some artisan cheese to have with the wine we had brought. Thanks for a great day.
Written 28 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ka mau te wehi team :-)
Thank you for the lovely comprehensive review.
I do enjoy the banter we have with many of the places we visit and Cam at Middle Earth is always a great fun stop but please excuse his jokes :-)
Thanks for visiting Nelson and hopefully we will see you back here again.
Nga mihi nui korua.
Owen & Sue
Written 2 March 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Julie
2 contributions
May 2021
I had a very enjoyable Explore the Plains half-day tour. Sue told me
many interesting facts about the places we visited and the wine tastings and visit to the pottery were great fun. As a cheese addict I just had to buy several cheeses at the cheese barn. We finished the day with a glass of wine at the beach. Highly recommended!
many interesting facts about the places we visited and the wine tastings and visit to the pottery were great fun. As a cheese addict I just had to buy several cheeses at the cheese barn. We finished the day with a glass of wine at the beach. Highly recommended!
Written 6 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kapai thanks SO MUCH :-) I've passed your comments on to Sue. She was very chuffed you enjoyed your time with us at Bay Tours Nelson. Arohanui from Owen & Sue
Written 11 May 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shelley
1 contribution
Feb 2020
Owen was a super host, we did a half a day tour and visited three wineries, the oldest pub in NZ and finished off at Rabbit Island. As a guide Owen was friendly and knowledgeable he brought the group together by providing the perfect balance of interesting local facts and engaging humour. Thank you for an amzing day.
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much Molly, Riley and Jack for the lovely review.
Hope you got to see the pics from the tour. A good one of you guys at the beach :-)
Look after yourselves and best wishes for the future.
Arohanui
Owen
Written 16 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TheMoraydolphin
Corfu, Greece5 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We booked our wineries tour for our second day in New Zealand. Owen set the tone for our visit with a warm welcome and an engaging and informative tour of the local wineries. We and our fellow guests threw lots of questions at him and he answered them all as well as sharing lots of insight and stories with us. I love that we visited small, local wineries and not any big corporate operations - I really feel we saw the real South Island approach to this craft. Lunch and the beach trip were just the icing on the cake.
Loved it all - make sure you book!
Loved it all - make sure you book!
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kapai / Thank you guys that is a lovely and welcome review. Appreciate the time you took to send it in whilst on your amazing holiday.
Love it when people throw questions at me as it means they are focused on where they are and enjoying the moment as it were.
Yes I agree the Nelson wineries are really personal affairs and we try and include interaction with the owners or the wine makers where we can for guests. We know most of them really well and treat them as whanau / family now.
I'll pass the lunch comments on too :-)
Glad you enjoyed the wee extra stop at Moturoa (Rabbit) Island beach at the end of the day.
All the very best guys
Arohanui
Owen & Sue
Written 29 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
themilkybarkid
Wellington, New Zealand69 contributions
Jan 2021
We've done about eight wine tours across New Zealand and this was the best so far!!!
Owen a lovely host to spend the day with, selected the itinerary really well. We visited such a generous, warm and friendly set of people, that included 3 vineyards (boutique Middle Earth winery was the highlight for wine and entertainment!), the oldest pub with loads of craft beers to sample, craft shops, potters and lunch in Mapua. This was the half day wine, brews and views. Owen is a lovely, gentle guy, so caring, accommodating and clearly well respected by everyone wherever we stopped. He knows the area, the people and the history well. It makes a big difference. Thank you.
PS
We liked it so much bought some Riesling, Pinot Noir and a bottle of dessert wine!
Owen a lovely host to spend the day with, selected the itinerary really well. We visited such a generous, warm and friendly set of people, that included 3 vineyards (boutique Middle Earth winery was the highlight for wine and entertainment!), the oldest pub with loads of craft beers to sample, craft shops, potters and lunch in Mapua. This was the half day wine, brews and views. Owen is a lovely, gentle guy, so caring, accommodating and clearly well respected by everyone wherever we stopped. He knows the area, the people and the history well. It makes a big difference. Thank you.
PS
We liked it so much bought some Riesling, Pinot Noir and a bottle of dessert wine!
Written 18 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a wonderful review guys. Thank you for taking the time to send it in.
So glad your visit to Nelson went well and you left with lovely memories. Kapai!
Glad you enjoyed the little bit of history in the tour as well. I have both Maori and Pakeha connections to this rohe (area) and that is nice to be able to share with our visitors. I went on a wine tour once and we were told by the guide that Aotearoa NZ was discovered by Abel Tasman :-) haha.
You guys take care and stay safe.
See you again perhaps :-)
Nga mihi nui
Owen & Sue
Written 2 March 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Des J
Hamilton, New Zealand48 contributions
Feb 2022
Booking the Wine, Brews and Views tour in a pandemic meant that we were the only couple on the tour. Sue was fantastic company with a wealth of knowledge about the area and was happy to modify our itinerary as we had already visited 3 of the places she was scheduled to take us to. Thanks.
Written 7 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mickmeredith
Australia7 contributions
Feb 2020
What a fantastlc time the 6 of us had on Bay Tours Wine Tour with Owen. He was so informative and a super host. So convenient as he picked us up at out holiday house and dropped us off after visiting wineries, oldest hotel, craft and produce shop and then to end the day off we stopped at the beach and he served us all a glass of wine. He also went out of his way to pick us up to take us to the Boat Shed for dinner and then came and delivered us home after. What great service. Thank you Owen for the wonderful day. from 5 Canadians and 1 Aussie.
Written 20 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was a lovely day with you all. (even the Aussie was nice :-) ) haha. It was a pleasure to help you out that evening with your dinner date. No problem at all.
Hope you all got home safe and sound and the rest of your stay in Aotearoa went seamlessly and you left with fond memories. Glad I played my part in that.
Look after yourselves.
Nga mihi nui
Arohanui
Owen
Written 23 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Would this be good for a hens do? Would u do a discounted price for large group???
Written 6 November 2017
Yes we can do large groups. We will do special rates for larger groups. Please email us on our webpage. Bay Tours Nelson. Kia ora.
Written 7 November 2017
Check out our website as we have a whole range of wine and scenic tour - half and full day options ranging from NZ$105 to NZ$295pp.
Thanks for your enquiry
nga mihi
Owen
Written 3 October 2017
Yes I should be in Nelson from the 16th to 18 November so if you give me details of the Bay Tours
Written 18 July 2015
Kia ora / Hi Stan.
Mate take a look at our website. Check out Bay Tours Nelson. Cheers and best. Owen & Sue
Written 18 July 2015
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