West Coast
Dynamic & Hospitable
This rugged and primeval region plunges west from the Southern Alps, through rainforest, limestone gorges and glaciers to its breath-taking coastline at the Tasman Sea. Stretching 550kms (340 miles) from North Cape to Bluff, it covers five National Parks and a World Heritage Area. The region is populated by only 33,000 people, known locally as ‘Coasters’ a term synonymous with friendliness and hospitality.
Access to the region is spectacularly scenic, via the Buller Gorge from Nelson, the Lewis Pass or Arthur’s Pass from Christchurch or the Haast Pass from Queenstown. The Airports at Westport and Hokitika operate regular scheduled services, and the daily TranzAlpine train service from Christchurch to Greymouth is rated as one of the world’s great train journeys.
Dynamic & Hospitable
This rugged and primeval region plunges west from the Southern Alps, through rainforest, limestone gorges and glaciers to its breath-taking coastline at the Tasman Sea. Stretching 550kms (340 miles) from North Cape to Bluff, it covers five National Parks and a World Heritage Area. The region is populated by only 33,000 people, known locally as ‘Coasters’ a term synonymous with friendliness and hospitality.
Access to the region is spectacularly scenic, via the Buller Gorge from Nelson, the Lewis Pass or Arthur’s Pass from Christchurch or the Haast Pass from Queenstown. The Airports at Westport and Hokitika operate regular scheduled services, and the daily TranzAlpine train service from Christchurch to Greymouth is rated as one of the world’s great train journeys.
Experience Punakaiki
Punakaiki is located on the ‘Coast Road’, considered one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world, in the heart of the Paparoa National Park. It is most famous for the remarkable limestone, Pancake Rocks and Blowholes which typify the West Coast’s wild and rugged coastline. Punakaiki can be reached in 4.5 hours by car from Nelson or it is a 40-minute drive from Greymouth, the largest town on the West Coast.
- View the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, an easy 20–45-minute loop walk
- Enjoy the flora and fauna on one of the many walking tracks in the Paparoa National Park
Here is a small selection of the accommodation available in the Punakaiki area, but we have many alternative Hotels, B&Bs, Motels and Lodges to suit all tastes and budgets.
The Ocean View Retreat
Offers comfortable, environmentally-friendly accommodation with rainforest and ocean views. Situated in Paparoa National Park, it’s just 300 metres from the magnificent Pancake Rocks and Blowholes, and just two minutes’ walk from Punakaiki beach. Rooms at The Ocean View Retreat are designed to be in harmony with the local environment and are positioned to maintain a sense of privacy and seclusion.
Grand Ocean View
Spacious room with anen-suite bathrooms.
Standard Garden View
Spacious, modern studio units with en-suite bathrooms.
Grand Ocean View Eco Suite
More spacious, these suites have been designed and built to have minimal impact on the environment. Featuring private balconies or patioswith ocean and rainforest views, kitchenette facilities, King bedsandprivate bathrooms with bathrobes. There is no capacity for additional beds.
Some of the experiences available in the Punakaiki area are outlined below, but there are many more, so please ask for details of any other activity you would like to include during your stay.
Nile River Rainforest Train
This short interpretative train ride in open carriages is a fantastic way to experience the spectacular wilderness landscapes of the Nile River Canyon in the Paparoa National Park. Depart from the ‘Festival Site’ station and enjoy the ‘untamed natural wilderness’ landscape as the train meanders its way through the rainforest beside the Nile River. Take a short walk through the rainforest to the Nile River Suspension Bridge before your return to the festival station.
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Underwater Rafting
Underworld Rafting is a very special Cave Rafting adventure. Take the Rainforest Train to explore the formation-filled upper levels in one of NZ’s largest cave systems before encountering an underground lake. Float beneath the most amazing displays of glow-worms. The journey concludes with a fun-filled bounce down the Nile River Rapids.
Duration: 4 Hours (includes wetsuits, wetsuit socks, gloves and helmet)
Experience Greymouth
Greymouth is the commercial, industrial and communal heart of the West Coast. It offers a wide range of shops, restaurants and bars and is the terminus for the TranzAlpine train to and from Christchurch.
- Walk on the floodwall and experience the views of the famous Grey River bar
- Check out the Left Bank Art Gallery housed in the former Bank of New Zealand
- Enjoy a beer at Monteith’s Brewery
- Experience a cycle journey like no other on the West Coast Wilderness Trail
- Visit Shantytown, a recreated 1900’s pioneer town in Greymouth
GREYMOUTH
Here is a small selection of the accommodation available in the Greymouth area, but we have many alternative Hotels, Apartments, B&Bs, Motels and Lodges to suit all tastes and budgets.
Breakers Boutique Accommodation, Near Greymouth
Located 14 kilometres north of Greymouth, in a stunning location overlooking the Tasman Sea, Breakers is set amid two acres of native bush and landscaped gardens, and has a private track down to the beach.
Breakwater Room
Located upstairs in the main house with uninterrupted sea views this room is decorated in warm colours with furniture made from recycled New Zealand native timber. It has a King bed and sofa that converts to a King single for triple occupancy, a comfortable sitting area that opens onto the balcony, and large picture windows which make the most of the fantastic views. (Image from Boutique Accommodation Greymouth | Breakers Breakwater Suite)
Driftwood Room
This large room is located in the separate garden annex building, closer to the sea at ground level. Warmly decorated withnative timbers and beach stones, it has a Super-King bed positioned to make the most of the fabulous views out to Mussel Point and a Single bed for triple occupancy. The large en-suite bathroom has a shower, andthe comfortable sitting area leads out to the deck with outdoor furniturewhere you can enjoy the fabulous views and sounds of the sea. (Image from Boutique Accommodation Greymouth | Breakers Driftwood Room)
Sunset Room
Located next to the Driftwood room, again at ground level, the Sunset Room is in the separate garden annex building.This lovely large room has a Super-King bed with luxurious bedding and linens, en-suite with shower and a comfortable sitting areapositioned to make the most of the views. Decorated in warm and neutral colourings in keeping with the beachfront location,it has sliding-doors which open onto the deck – just perfect for relaxing and enjoying the gorgeous views. (Image from – Greymouth Boutique Accommodation | Breakers Sunset Room)
Some of the experiences available in the Greymouth area are outlined below, but there are many more, so please ask for details of any other activity you would like to include during your stay.
Shantytown Heritage Park
Take a step back in time at Shantytown Heritage Park, a faithfully recreated 1900s pioneer town, born out of the West Coast gold rushes of the 1860s. It provides a real sense of what it was like to live in New Zealand then by allowing you to be both participant and observer in this most dynamic period of its post-Māori colonisation.
Duration: 1.5 Hours
West Coast Wilderness Cycle Trail – Greymouth to Ross
This fabulous cycling adventure guarantees an outstanding landscape ride through dense rainforest, past glacial rivers and lakes, and through wetlands, all the way from the snow-capped mountains of the Southern Alps to the ocean. And it is all accessed on one of the best cycle trail surfaces in the country. Arrive as a visitor and leave as a local when you spend the best days of your life on two wheels. In the midst of the West Coast, lie a series of tracks carved by pioneering gold rush miners.
Today, these old tracks, together with extensive water races, logging tramways and later short length railway lines, form the West Coast Wilderness Trail.
The cycle trail can be ridden – either in part as a day ride, or in its entirety over four days. Rated Grade 2 with some Grade 3 on road riding, it’s considered ‘easy’ to ‘intermediate’. Over 120km of the West Coast Wilderness Cycle Trail is off-road on an excellent gravel trail with an ambient gradient, and there are only a couple of short sections where you may prefer to walk. The incline from Kumara to Milltown is a little more challenging than the rest of the ride, but the climb is easily managed by people with a reasonable level of fitness.
Duration: 1 to 4 days
Experience Hokitika
Originally the hub of the early gold rush, this bustling town is now home to craft artists, sculptors, jewellers, painters and poets, who have been inspired by the local landscapes and raw materials. located by the sea, it’s 45 minutes south of Greymouth.
- Take the one-hour loop track through lush native bush to see the turquoise water at Hokitika Gorge
- Enjoy a short walk at Lake Kaniere, one of the most beautiful lakes in New Zealand
- Explore the gold, jade and craft studios
- See the canopy of the rainforest and the Lake Mahinapua wetland from the 20 metre high West Coast Treetop Walk & Café
Here is a small selection of the accommodation available in the Hokitika area, but we have many alternative Hotels, B&Bs, Motels and Lodges to suit all tastes and budgets.
Beachfront Hotel
Located right on the beach and in the centre of Hokitika, the Beachfront Hotel offers beachcombing, shopping, artisan shops and galleries right on your doorstep.
Driftwood Room
Driftwood Rooms are comfortable with street front views (limited or no ocean views). They have a King bed and come with the usual facilities you would expect, such as a flat screen TV, work desk, tea and coffee-making facilities and an en-suite bathroom with shower.
Ocean View Room
The luxury Ocean View Rooms provide space and convenience.With a King and a Single bed (or three singles), they can sleep up to three people,and feature a flat screen TV, heated towel rail and underfloor heating, work desk, tea and coffee-making facilities and an en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower or spa bath (shower over bath). Second and third floor rooms have balconies overlooking the beach, and there is a lift and stair access.
Some of the experiences available in the Hokitika area are outlined below, but there are many more, so please ask for details of any other activity you would like to include during your stay.
West Coast Treetop Walk and Café
Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the beautiful West Coast rainforest treetops. Experience life with the birds high in the ancient Rimu and Kamahi tree canopy. Easy access for all to enjoy along a steel platform 20 metres high and over 450 metres long.
Duration: 1 Hour
Experience Franz Josef Glacier
Some 140 glaciers flow from the Southern Alps, but only Franz and Fox Glaciers penetrate as far as the lower rainforests. From the car parks, you can walk to the towering face of either glacier as it flows through the temperate rainforest to 500 metres above sea level. Franz Josef township offers a range of cafés, art and craft stores, a general store and a service station.
- See the Franz Josef Glacier by helicopter, scenic fixed wing flight, or guided hiking trip
- Call in at Okarito, one of the West Coast’s hidden gems and see the lagoon
- Relax in the hot pools
Here is a small selection of the accommodation available in Franz Josef, but we have many alternative Hotels, B&Bs, Motels and Lodges to suit all tastes and budgets.
Te Waonui Forest Retreat, Franz Josef Glacier
This unique lodge-style hotel is surrounded by native rainforest, and offers an experience you simply won’t find anywhere else in the world. At the cutting-edge of sustainability, it has an abundance of natural lighting and the building itself features innovative, environmentally sustainable architecture. Building materials have been carefully chosen to create a healthy, warm and quiet haven for guests to relax and rejuvenate.Furniture and fittings incorporate natural wool carpets, organic cotton bedspreads and even possum skin cushioning, in keeping with the character of the region. Guest facilities include The Frond Bar and Restaurant, outdoor Pizza Oven and Amaia Luxury Spa.
Deluxe Hotel Room
Relax in comfort in this spaciousroom with a Super-King bed, natural wool mattress underlay and luxury linen. Each room has a private balcony with seating area and forest view, luxury bathroom with underfloor heating, anti-mist mirror, and a choice of large walk-in shower or shower over the bath. (Image from Luxury Hotel Lodge: Te Waonui Forest Retreat, New Zealand)
Some of the experiences available in Franz Josef are outlined below, but there are many more, so please ask for details of any other activity you would like to include during your stay.
Okarito Boat Eco Tours, Okarito
This tour encompasses all that is so special to this area – how it was formed, how people live here today, the geology, history, flora and fauna. With a maximum of 12 passengers, you are welcome to interact in the dialogue or just sit back and relax and take in the serenity of New Zealand’s largest, untouched wetland to rainforest environment.
As your open-air boat travels slowly from the historic Okarito Wharf, you’ll be able to see as the wading birds along the way. At mid to low-tide the Okarito Lagoon provides feeding grounds for many native and migratory species of birds including the iconic Kotuku, Great White Heron, the Royal Spoonbills, Pied Stilts, Bar-Tailed Godwits, White-Faced Herons, and many more that make their journey to New Zealand from Siberia and Alaska each year.
On a clear morning, you can be treated to some of the most amazing views and reflections of the Southern Alps including Franz Josef Glacier, Mount Tasman and Mount Cook. You can then meander into the rainforest waterways of the Okarito River and Delta to watch and listen for the melodic calls of Bellbirds and Tui’s, watch the feasting Kereru or New Zealand Pigeon, and see the delicate flowers of this temperate rainforest: orchids, Southern rātā, native jasmine and seasonal flax flowers, full of nectar for the birds.
Duration: 2 Hours
Experience Fox Glacier
The Fox Glacier township offers a more intimate ‘village’ experience than its larger neighbour, Franz Josef. Tucked in the rainforest-clad foothills of the Southern Alps, you will find a range of cafés, a general store and a service station.
- See Fox Glacier by helicopter, scenic fixed wing flight, or guided hiking trip
- Enjoy a short walk around Lake Matheson to see the amazing mirror like reflections of the Southern Alps
Here is a small selection of the accommodation available in Fox Glacier, but we have many alternative Hotels, B&Bs, Motels and Lodges to suit all tastes and budgets.
Distinction Fox Glacier Te Weheka Hotel
This homely, boutique hotel offers excellent accommodation in the centre of the village, close to restaurants and shops. Guests can enjoy access to the cosy lounge area with fireplace and library, a great place to relax with a glass of wine, and enjoy views of the township and river valley. The on-site breakfast restaurant offers sumptuous full breakfasts to energise you for a day exploring the amazing glacier landscapes.
Hotel Room
These spacious, recently refurbished roomshaveSuper-King or twin Single beds, comfortable armchairs, TV, balcony and en-suite bathrooms with a separate shower,bath andcomplimentary toiletries. (Image from Distinction Hotel Fox Glacier | Hotel Accommodation |Hotel Room (distinctionhotelsfoxglacier.co.nz) )
Some of the experiences available in the Fox Glacier area are outlined below, but there are many more, so please ask for details of any other activity you would like to include during your stay.
Flying Fox – Heli-hike, Fox Glacier
The fly-in, fly-out heli-hike is a double thrill combination: the excitement of the helicopter flight and walking on the Fox Glacier itself. By flying in you are able to access and explore a part of the glacier where its forces work hardest and often create spectacular ice caves and arches. Equipped with sturdy leather boots and other equipment, you board the helicopter for your first flight over the pinnacles of the lower ice fall. Here, the ice is in constant motion. You then circle the upper ice fall and Victoria Falls before landing. Your landing site on the ice is a remote and exceptionally beautiful part of the glacier. At this stage, your guide outfits you with crampons, specially designed for these ice conditions and you follow the ice steps cut by your guide as you explore the amazing formations and ice caves which are only seen here.
Duration: 4 Hours
Experience Lake Moeraki
Lake Moeraki is located in the southwest World Heritage Area amongst some of the West Coast’s untouched lowland and wetland rainforests, 25 minutes north of Haast and an hour’s drive from Fox Glacier. It is adjacent to some remote beaches that are home to a variety of marine fauna, including seals and penguins.
- Hand-feed the giant freshwater eels
- Kayak on the calm waters of Lake Moeraki
- See the glow-worms light up the rainforest in the dark
- Discover 1000-year-old trees, orchids and a myriad of ferns
This is the only accommodation available at Lake Moeraki.
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge
Few places on earth can match the stunning natural setting of Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki, surrounded by lakes, rivers, rainforest and seacoast in the heart of the 2.7 million hectare, Te Wahipounamu, the southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area. This is a paradise for nature lovers, active travellers and wilderness seekers.The Wilderness Lodge experience combines quality accommodation, superb food, gracious hospitality and exciting nature adventures.
Rainforest Room
These stylish rooms are spacious with rainforest views. They have either a King or Queen bed and a single. All rooms have private bathrooms with showers, tea and coffee-making facilities, fresh fruit and flowers and walking poles for use during your stay. (Imag from Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki | West Coast Accommodation – Wilderness Lodge New Zealand)
Riverview Room
The Riverview Rooms are spacious with sweeping views across the lawn to the Moeraki River Rapids. They have elegant furnishing and a stylish design with Super-King or twin beds, and feature en-suites with spa baths and separate showers.Fresh fruit and flowers are supplied daily, and there are tea and coffee-making facilities, riverbank sundecks and deck chairs, plus walking poles for use during your stay. (Image from Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki | West Coast Accommodation – Wilderness Lodge New Zealand)
Some of the experiences available at Lake Moeraki are outlined below, but there are more, so please ask for details of any other activity you would like to include during your stay.
Wilderness Seacoast – Penguins and Fur Seals
The Wilderness Lodge’s ‘signature walk’ traverses’ the dramatic coastline. You will scramble over volcanic boulders, climb through rainforest and enjoy tea beside a waterfall. See fur seals year-round and penguins August to early December.
Duration: 3-5 Hours
Wilderness Seacoast – Hector’s Dolphins and Seashore Ecology
A gentle walk along a beautiful, yet rarely visited coastline. Discover rockpools, islands, coastal caves, and see the world’s smallest marine dolphin, fossick for wave-sculpted driftwood, jade and other gemstones.
Duration: 3-5 Hours
Moeraki Rainforest Walk, Kayak and Beach Discovery
Hike majestic floodplain forests then kayak on a calm lagoon to the coast. See the world’s most epiphyte (perching plant) laden tree (101 species), and search for gemstones on a deserted West Coast beach.
Duration: 3-5 Hours
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