The West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand is a hidden gem which offers an abundance of outdoor activities and beautiful scenery.
Here are some of the best things to do on the West Coast of the South Island. If you visit this part of New Zealand you’ll need access to a vehicle to get around as towns and attractions are spread out.
Visit the Denniston Plateau
The Denniston Plateau is a historic coal mining site dating back to the 1800s which is located just outside of Westport. Here you can take a tour of the old coal mine and learn about the history of the area and there are also several walking tracks.
By the time we drove up to the Denniston Plateau, the cloud had really come in and we missed out on the promised views. There were plenty of signs to read detailing the tough lives and stories of the residents and workers.
Being such a drive out of town it seemed crazy an entire suburb and industry used to be here and what has been left behind for visitors.
Cape Foulwind Walkway
The Cape Foulwind Walkway is an easy coastal walk of around 1 hour and 15 minutes each way on a scenic headland approximately 15 minutes drive from Westport.
We drove to the far end and walked the first 15 minutes to view the seals basking in the sun at the seal colony. As I was recovering from surgery, my friends walked the entire walkway along the rugged coastline while I returned to the carpark and drove to the lighthouse end, walking the 15 minutes back to the lighthouse to meet them.
For me, I felt like this was a good way of seeing the highlights. Obviously if you don’t have access to transport you’d need to walk both ways and return to your starting point.
Reefton Gin Distillery
Tucked into Reefton, a small town on the West Coast is the Reefton Gin Distillery where they source their botanical ingredients from the nearby west coast rainforests.
Within their first two years of establishing their business in 2017, Reefton Gin Distillery was already winning both national and international awards for their Little Biddy Gin, Wild Rain Vodka and Refton Distilling Co fruit liquors.
You can learn about the process on a distillery tour (you do need to pre-book on their website). Tastings are available at the bar with helpful, friendly staff and the cellar door premises is spacious for spending an afternoon sipping gins.
Walk the Truman Track
Around 3 minutes drive north of Punakaiki along State Highway 6, you’ll find a small carpark for the 600 metre Truman Track. It’s an easy walk through forest to the coastline and a waterfall. There are signs identifying various New Zealand native plant species.
Explore the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
These unique rock formations are named for their resemblance to stacks of pancakes and are a popular tourist attraction near the town of Punakaiki. The rocks are easily accessible around a short walking track.
Visit Hokitika
Hokitika is famous for the annual Hokitika Wildfoods Festival which takes place every March – this is a small town with some different and delicious food offerings and is a must visit on the West Coast.
Several people recommended the whitebait pizzas at Fat Pippi to us however they were closed the days we were in Hokitika.
The Hokitika Sandwich Company is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-2pm or until they run out of bread. Unfortunately we didn’t take this threat seriously enough and by midday they had run out of three options (including vegetarian) and the wait was over an hour. Obviously incredibly popular.
As well as it’s wild food, Hokitika is also known for its art galleries, craft shops, and beach.
Check out the West Coast Tree Top Walk
We bought Grab One vouchers for the West Coast Tree Top Walk, around 15 minutes drive from Hokitika. Built in 2012 this high walkway structure really puts you in the treetops, and for the more adventurous there is also a zipline over the rainforest.
Take a scenic flight over a glacier
Franz Josef is a beautiful small town in the West Coast of the South Island with hot pools, adventure activities (including heli-hiking on the glaciers, quad biking and horse riding) and a kiwi conservation centre.
The racidly receding Mount Cook and Franz Josef glaciers are both nearby, surrounded by rainforest and come down to within 300m of sea level.
Taking 20 minute scenic flight over the glaciers with The Helicopter Line which included a snow landing is not just one of the best things to do on the West Coast, but one of the most amazing things I’ve had the chance to do in New Zealand.
From glaciers to beaches to rainforests, the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island has it all.
