Beaches on the South Island’s West Coast tend to be a little rough around the edges, with the upside being you often have them all to yourself! Monro Beach is a great one to visit if you find yourself driving between Haast and Glacier Country. It’s located down a quiet bush track and you might … Read more
Our West Coast Travel Guide will give you a good overview of the region. If you’re looking for posts about a particular area click on one of these links: Haast | Glacier Country | Hokitika | Punakaiki | Karamea The main road along the South Island’s West Coast takes in a huge variety of landscapes … Read more
Hokitika’s position on the West Coast makes it a natural place to stop and spend a night or two, with an interesting mix of tourist town and regional centre playing out in the compact downtown area. You can find some of the South Island’s coolest souvenirs in the many galleries and gift stores, while the … Read more
One of three main routes through the Southern Alps to the West Coast, the drive from Christchurch to Greymouth, Hokitika and Westport via Arthur’s Pass is everything that’s great about South Island road trips. World-class pies, massive rocks, mountain views, waterfalls and roadside viewpoints galore — find out the best places to stop on the … Read more
After the main track closed in 2019 due to flooding, the South Side Walkway became the best option for getting close to this giant of the West Coast. It’s a two-hour walk (or a quick bike ride) through the forest and down to the banks of the river where you’ll get a decent view of … Read more
More of a region than a town, Haast is the first port of call on the West Coast if arriving from Wanaka / Queenstown. Pass through the Gates of Haast, see pristine rivers, windswept beaches and feel the solitude of one of New Zealand’s most remote areas. Here is our list of the best things … Read more
The glaciers (Fox / Franz Josef) get most of the attention in Glacier Country, a small area of the West Coast famous for…glaciers. As you’d expect I guess! There are a couple of beach areas to explore though, with Ōkārito being the one with the most to do. You can walk around the tiny village, … Read more
Learning about New Zealand’s gold mining history is the main reason to visit Reefton, a small town tucked away off the main tourist route on the West Coast. It’s known as the “Town of Light” as it was the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to have public electricity — these days Reefton is a … Read more
You’re going to see thousands of trees while wandering around New Zealand, and occasionally you’ll be able to leave the ground and walk high among the treetops. A great place to do this is the West Coast Tree Top Walk in Hokitika. Keep reading to find out what this interesting New Zealand travel experience is … Read more
If you’re looking for a slightly different angle on the spectacular scenery surrounding Franz Josef, the Canavans Knob Walk could be a good option. It starts at a very scenic car park and then winds up a hill for views towards Franz Josef Glacier. Getting to the Canavans Knob Walk This walk starts around a … Read more