exploring greymouth and the west coast
Greymouth
Terminus for the TranzAlpine rail journey, Greymouth is the largest town on the
West Coast and a good base for exploring the region. Its heritage is vividly brought
to life at the local history museum and in the nearby replica gold-mining settlement
of Shantytown. North of the town, Paparoa National Park protects a superb stretch
of native forest and the renowned Pancake Rocks and blowholes of Punakaiki.
Hokitika
The gold rush town of Hokitika lies on an exposed stretch of coast with a wave-pounded
beach and is renowned for its range of crafts and artefacts made of local jade or
greenstone. Each year in March the town hosts the unusual Wild Foods Festival.
The Glaciers
The Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers are the West Coast’s major attractions. The twin
villages offer an excellent choice of accommodation, as well as a great range of
glacier excursions, which include guided walks, heli-hikes and scenic flights. But
there is more than ice to explore: a visit to idyllic Lake Matheson is unforgettable
at sunset, with Mt Cook and Mt Tasman reflected in its calm water. Nearby Okarito’s
lagoon, beach and white heron colony are a further draw, while the coastal rainforests
to the south are New Zealand’s most spectacular and are protected as a World Heritage
Site.
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