A week on the West Coast: Hokitika to Punakaiki

The West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island is ideal for a week-long road trip. In this blog we follow the road from Hokitika to Punakaiki and on towards Westport, stopping at four especially scenic areas – the Hokitika Gorge, Lake Kaniere, Punakaiki, and Coast Road. You can do everything mentioned here in a couple of days, but by taking three or four you’ll have time for the longer walks.

To reach the West Coast it’s a scenic two or three hours drive, either from Nelson or Blenheim to Westport, or Christchurch to Hokitika.

Hokitika

Hokitika is the most substantial of the southerly towns on the West Coast – after Hokitika, there are only modest hamlets and the two glacier resort towns at Fox and Franz Josef until you reach Wanaka. The history of these West Coast towns is rough, with rapid growth during the gold rush of the 1800s followed by gradual decline until tourism began to have an impact in the last two decades.

Now Hokitika has cafes and bars, plus a wild beach where the driftwood and stones are turned into artwork by locals. In March there is the popular Wild Food Festival.

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Hokitika Gorge

Hokitia Gorge is a stunning and very popular area thirty minutes’ drive from Hokitika township. The walk to the Gorge is quite short but exceedingly pretty – even by New Zealand standards. In the right conditions, the Hokitika River is a bright aqua blue, reflecting the suspension of minerals within the water as they interact with sunlight. Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki are also known for their blue-green water.

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Dorothy Falls and Lake Kaniere

If you continue on the backroads to Kokatahi Road, you can get to the southern end of Lake Kaniere and Dorothy Falls. Stop at the falls for a one-minute walk, then cross back over the road to walk to the lake.

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Kumara

Kumara is now just a modest hamlet, but in the 1800s it was a main centre for gold mining. The area was dug out with water hoses and piles of stone and rock were left behind as tailings, although you can’t easily see this now due to forest regrowth. Two things to look out for are the Londonderry Rock, which was carried down from the Southern Alps and left behind as the glaciers receded, and the historical swimming baths, a huge dug-out area surrounded by a stone wall. Both are signposted from the main road and are just an easy, short walk away.

You are more likely to stop at Kumara when driving down the main road from Arthurs Pass to Hokitika. If you miss it, go back on your way north up the main highway to Greymouth.

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Greymouth

Coal was the other major mining product on the West Coast, with Greymouth developed as a service town for the mines. There’s still some mining in the area, but tourism has become increasingly important and accessible with the Transalpine Express tourist train coming in regularly from Christchurch.

The main features of Greymouth are the town centre, rugged West Coast beaches, and the walkway along the Grey River, which leads to the famously dangerous river mouth.

If you want to take a trip back in time, drive inland to Blackball. This is a dot of a place made famous by being a starting place for the NZ Labour Party (plus, for you meat lovers, there’s a great local salami business).

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Punakaiki

Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks has been a tourist favourite for many years. The unusual rock formations were seen as a unique feature of New Zealand’s geography from early in European migration, and it’s now a pleasant and interesting cliffside walk with gorgeous native bush replanting. It can be very busy, but it’s worth risking the crowds if you’re in the area.

The new three-day Paparoa Great Walk (and cycle ride) also starts in Punakaiki and traverses the Paparoa National Park, ending near Blackball.

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Coast Road

Coast Road, which runs between Greymouth and West Port, is in our top contenders for the best scenic drive in New Zealand. (The roads from Queenstown to Glenorchy and Wanaka to Makarora are also on our list, along with the Desert Road). It’s winding with spectacular coastal views, and has a number of excellent stopping points, including Punakaiki, the Fox River Caves Track entrance at Tiromoana, and Woodpecker Bay. There are also several viewpoints and access points to very remote beaches, so don’t try to take this road in 90 minutes – really plan your day around it.