Must-see places to visit in West Coast, South Island, New Zealand.
West Coast
The dramatic glaciers at Franz Josef and Fox are simply mind-blowing, still vast but slowly retreating, and you can opt for a helicopter visit that deposits you on the glacier itself for a while.
Nearby the stunning Lake Matheson is famed for its shimmering reflections of the Southern Alps. The walk through the rainforest trail is wonderful. The coffee in the pleasant café afterwards is (almost) better still.
Take it easy in the Glacier Hot Pools, set among the lush rain forest of Fox, and visit the West Coast Wildlife Centre, home to New Zealand’s rarest kiwi – the Rowi and Haast Tokoeka.
Further north lie old gold mining and jade hunting towns, such as Greymouth. You can visit the replica gold mining town of Shantytown and enjoy a fine beer at the town’s local brewery Monteith’s Brewing Company, one of New Zealand’s oldest breweries. Shop for jade at historic Hokitika and hear tales of shipwrecks, gold miners and pounamu hunters.
A stop-off at Punakaiki is a must: it’s a geological one-off where the pounding surf and blowholes have buffeted the strange rock formations of Pancake Rocks for 30 million years.
Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers
Lying in the majestic Southern Alps, these two glaciers are humbling to observe. Huge valleys of ice hundreds of metres deep, running down almost to sea level but still retreating as global warming makes its impact.
Both are awe-inspiring, however close you get. The massive, brooding granite cliffs surround you, worn down by millennia of retreating ice which is a distinctive electric blue colour.
Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef glacier is around 7,000 years old and 12 km long, falling to less than 300 metres above sea level in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park. What makes this glacier so remarkable is the unique combination of glacial ice juxtaposed with the Waiho River and the surrounding lush rainforest. It is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, with a modest hike getting you as close to the ice face as you are allowed (this will vary daily according to the weather and safety considerations).
Franz Josef is the fastest-moving glacier in the country. The steep incline facilitates relatively speedy ice flow – up to 4 metres per day (an average glacier might reach 1 metre per day at top speed).
Fox Glacier
The Fox Glacier is 13 km long and descends 2,600 metres, fed by four glaciers. Just 5 km from Fox Glacier is Lake Matheson. Aside from the obvious appeal of the excellent café, the lakeside trail leads through the rain forest, offering scenic vantage points, especially the ‘Reflection of Reflections’ from the Jetty Viewpoint. If lucky, you’ll get views of the Southern Alps beautifully reflected in the still waters (morning/evening are usually best for calm conditions).
A relaxing soak at the Glacier Hot Pools, set among lush rain forests in the centre of town, is a popular end to the day.
Mount Cook
An area of truly awesome scenery surrounding Mount Cook itself, New Zealand’s highest mountain. It’s an epic landscape with snow-capped peaks, vast glaciers and numerous trails, many of which are easygoing for walkers of reasonable fitness, all with breathtaking views.
The Hilary Centre, in the Hermitage Hotel, offers excellent information and exhibitions and really helps visitors get their bearings and understand their surroundings.
The Church of the Good Shepherd on the southern tip of Lake Tekapo is a magnificent photo opportunity with wonderful vistas perfectly framed by its altar window. In November, the vibrant lupins carpeting the foreshore are a treat and being a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve, it’s also a perfect spot for stargazing.
Greymouth
In Greymouth, you can visit the replica gold mining town of Shantytown and enjoy a fine beer at the town’s local brewery Monteith’s Brewing Company, one of New Zealand’s oldest breweries.
Shop for jade at historic Hokitika and hear tales of shipwrecks, gold miners and pounamu hunters.
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
The Pancake Rocks at Dolomite Point near Punakaiki are where the sea bursts through several vertical blowholes.
The foundations of the rocks were formed 30 million years ago when minute fragments of dead marine creatures and plants landed on the seabed about 2 km below the surface. Immense water pressure caused them to solidify into layers of more resistant limestone and softer, thin, mud-rich layers. Over the course of time, seismic action lifted the limestone above the seabed, where water, wind and salt spray eroded the softer layers leaving a "pancake" like stack of harder limestone.
Carters Beach
Carters Beach is the perfect location to stay a few days and experience what the Westcoast Northern beaches have to offer.
It’s only 15 minutes from the famed Cape Foulwind Seal Colony, 40 minutes from the famous Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki and 80 minutes from Karamea with the Oparara Arches and Scotts Beach at the start of the Heaphy Track. There are some great walking/biking trails at Charming Creek, the Denniston Plateau, and the newly formed Old Ghost Road cycling trail all within 40 minutes from Carters Beach.
Carters Beach is great for walking, bike riding, swimming, fishing, and kite flying. It has a temperate climate and is one of the three well-known northern West Coast beaches. Located just a few minutes north of Cape Foulwind and Tauranga Bay. A lovely relaxing stopover between the glaciers and Nelson.