Marainanga Station is a working-farm accommodation on Coast Road at Pongaroa, in Tararua hill country towards the Akitio coast, rated 4.8 from 21 Google reviews. Guests speak warmly of the big shearers' quarters set up for self-catering, river views, a fireplace, the beach nearby, and space for the whole family.
Farm stays like this run on a simple bargain: you take the remoteness with the beauty. Stock up before you come — out here the nearest shop is a deliberate trip, and a good host will say exactly what the kitchen holds. Expect a gravel road for the last stretch, patchy phone signal, and farm tracks where gates are left as you find them. In return: dark night skies, deep quiet, and a wild beach a short drive away.
At the quiet end of Pongaroa's Coast Road, Marainanga is the sort of place one guest hesitated to review too warmly, in case paradise got crowded.