Discover the West Coast icons

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK — ŌPĀRARA ARCHES

Sub-tropical Karamea, Kahurangi National Park and the top of the West Coast have the feel of a final frontier. The road north from Westport travels into a primeval world of moss-covered, dense subtropical forests concealing ancient underground cave systems that have lain undisturbed for millions of years.

Explore the largest, most iconic feature, the Ōpārara Arch on the easily accessed, short public track. Or, take a guided tour to the Honeycomb Hill Caves to see the remains of extinct moa and the giant Haast’s eagle (hokioi) — trapped inside in ancient times, then fossilised. To protect this special taonga, access is limited to approved guided tours (book at the Karamea Information Centre).

South of Westport, historic Charleston offers caving adventures of a different kind. A 'rainforest train' drops you and your tube at the entrance of a giant cave system, ready to float through glow-worm caves before tumbling down gentle rapids on the Waitakere River.

• Stay: The Last Resort, Karamea
• Indulge: In the seclusion of the Kahurangi National Park
• Must do: Honeycomb Hill Cave/Arch Guided Tour
• Check out: Scott’s Beach – a golden sand beach fringed with nikau palms

BLOW THE COBWEBS AWAY — PUNAKAIKI PANCAKE ROCKS & BLOWHOLES

Follow Lonely Planet’s advice on the Great Coast Road — between Westport and Greymouth — allowing time to stop and enjoy one of the world’s best scenic drives. It’s a 90-minute drive along the spectacular 100-kilometre Great Coast Road without accounting for unmissable photo stops and visits en route.

About halfway along, Punakaiki Pancake Rocks is a mesmerising demonstration of the power of the sea as it surges metres high through narrow blowholes in limestone formations sculpted by the forces of time and tide. From the roadside, there’s a short easy loop walk for the best views.

Staying over is recommended as it’s worth timing your visit for high tide when the blowholes perform at their best. Make the most of it with a wander in a rainforest of nīkau palms on the Pororari River Track or the Truman Track (1.4 km / 30 min), one of the best short walks on the West Coast.

• Stay and dine "On The Beach" at The Ocean View Retreat - Punakaiki
• Must-do: Kayak Punakaiki Lagoon, or paddle board on Punakaiki River
• Check out: Cape Foulwind lighthouse and NZ fur seal colony on a blustery day

RETREAT WATERSIDE — LAKE BRUNNER / MOANA

Retreat from summer heat in a natural playground beside the tranquil deep waters of Lake Brunner. On a still day the water’s inky surface reflects mirror images of the snow-capped Southern Alps.

The largest lake on the West Coast is a taonga for tangata whenua and a top fishing spot year-round for wild brown trout.

In summer, Lake Brunner is a great place to relax on sandy beaches beside pristine water, to kayak, swim or try a spot of forest bathing in magnificent kahikitea forests. Explore lakeside trails such as the short, photogenic Carew Falls Track. On a clear day, the hike up Mount French rewards with expansive lake and mountain views.

• Stay: Camp or rent a bach at Moana while you explore the ‘Coast'
• Indulge: Book in for lunch or stay over at Lake Brunner Lodge
• Must-do: Fish for trout - boats and guides for hire
• Check out: Replica gold-rush village Shantytown is a hands-on history experience

FIND YOUR COOL — HOKITIKA GORGE

Photographers love the Hokitika Gorge for its stunning turquoise blue waters flowing between rocky white limestone banks and lush green rainforest. It’s a 30-minute drive from town towards the hills, then an easy forest trail with a spectacular pedestrian swing bridge leads to the gorge.

Hokitika proudly wears the title of the Coast’s coolest little town — there’s a distinct arty vibe to the ‘pounamu capital’ from driftwood artworks on the beach to the greenstone / jade carving workshops in town. There’s even a glassblowing studio, a lively food culture (unsurprisingly in the town of the Wildfoods Festival), and a range of accommodation.

• Stay: Boutique 5-star The Fire Station
• Must-do: Explore with the birds in the rainforest canopy at Treetops Walkway
• Check out: Easy rides on the Wilderness Trail or mountain biking trails at Blue Spur

MOUNTAIN HIGHLIGHTS — THE GLACIERS

While visitors are fewer, the world’s most accessible glaciers are at their most enticing. The heli hike on Fox Glacier — voted TripAdvisor’s #1 ‘out of this world’ experience — is an absolute bucket list experience with scenic flight, glacier landing and a thrilling hike across an icy wonderland.

Fox and Franz Josef are most famous for glaciers but they’re also the gateway to Westland Tai Poutini National Park — part of the UNESCO World Heritage Area of Te Wahipounamu South Westland, this unique wilderness fringed is by the Southern Alps on one side, temperate rainforests and coastal wetlands on the other.

By day, there are many lovely forest, coastal and alpine walks, from easy family-friendly strolls to multi-day hikes, with lakes and lagoons to kayak or circumnavigate, untamed beaches and encounters with rare wildlife or, for the most adventurous, skydiving and ice climbing.

• Stay: Rainforest Retreat Franz Josef
• Indulge: Relax under the stars in wood fired Waiho Hot Tubs
• Must-do: Mirror reflections at Lake Matheson, or disconnect completely at peaceful Ōkārito Lagoon

WILDERNESS WONDERS — HAAST WORLD HERITAGE AREA

A little town on the edge of wilderness, Haast is the western gateway into Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand — a vast UNESCO World Heritage Area, this is epic Aotearoa New Zealand, one of the world’s most outstanding natural treasures.

An outdoor enthusiast's playground, Haast is a hub for adventures from walking and tramping to rare wildlife encounters, photography, boating, fishing and hunting, immersed in unforgettable landscapes. For visitors, a scenic heli flight or a jet boat river journey from the coast into the mountains is the best way to appreciate the grandeur of this wilderness.

• Take an incredible eco jet boat adventure through the Haast UNESCO World Heritage Area.
• Stay: Heartland Hotel Haast
• Indulge: A fresh seafood lunch at The Craypot in Jackson Bay
• Must-do: Wilderness jet boating with Haast River Safari or Heli flight to a hidden hanging lake
• Check out: Walk to wild Monro Beach where you may spot rare tawaki / Fiordland crested penguins