Mapua (officially written Māpua) is a small town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is to the west of Nelson on State Highway 60 and on the coastline of Tasman Bay. According to the 2013 New Zealand census, Mapua has a population of 2,013, an increase of 135 people since the 2006 census.With a thriving wharf and commercial area, Mapua has grown in popularity for visitors, with numbers swelling the region over the summer months.