When I traveled solo around the South Island’s West Coast in New Zealand, I hadn’t planned to spend much time on the West Coast. It was just the route I needed to take to get from Queenstown up to Abel Tasman National Park. Because the involved about 500 miles of driving on two-lane roads, I planned a couple of overnight stays along the way. But once I got my first glimpse of the West Coast, I knew it should have been a destination in itself. It remains one of my top three favorite parts of my month-long trip around the South Island.
Note: kilometers and miles are from one point to the next, with starting point at Wanaka.
Mount Aspiring National Park (72 km/45 miles)
I started my journey from Wanaka, where I had spent a night in a hostel after visiting Queenstown. As it heads north/northwest, State Highway (SH) 6 is flanked on the left side by Mount Aspiring National Park. The route skirted me through the very northern section of Mount Aspiring, over the scenic Haast Pass through the Southern Alps.
Anxious to stretch my legs a bit from driving, I decided to stop at a turnoff marked Blue Pools Walk. This short one-mile hike winds through a lush native forest and over a swing bridge dangling above the Makarora River. The trail ends at the glacial waters of the Blue Pools, which was the clear blue-green water I’ve ever seen. This is definitely a must-do stop. If you have more time, Mount Aspiring National Park has plenty of other walks and hikes.
Fox Glacier (215 km/134 miles)
For the next 70 miles or so, from the Blue Pools to Bruce Bay, I didn’t make very good time, as I kept stopping to take in the amazing coastal views. But in late afternoon, I arrived in the town of Fox Glacier.
I’m not usually one to just “wing it” when I travel; I typically have my lodging planned for every night. But I decided I was going to lighten up a bit and see how it felt to trust my instincts occasionally and see where I landed. This was one of the nights I hadn’t booked lodging, and I managed to find an affordable little “self-contained” unit in a holiday park. (“Holiday parks” are the New Zealand version of an RV park, with campsites, campervan spots, and cottages or cabins.) It was a place I never would have found when planning my trip, and I enjoyed having a kitchenette to cook my own meals.
The next morning before heading north again, I went to Lake Matheson, just outside the township of Fox Glacier. An easy walk circles the small glacial lake, and its popularity with tourists means you probably won’t be alone there. But the reflections of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman in the lake make it a great spot for photography.
Hokitika (138 km/85 miles)
I stopped in Hokitika mostly because I just wanted to grab a cup of coffee and just get back on the road. But I ended up spending the entire afternoon in this quaint town of friendly people. As I sat on a bench outside the café sipping my “flat white,” a local woman asked me where I was from and then told me about the town’s history of traditional jade carving.
Native Māori people have been carving New Zealand jade (known as greenstone in Hokitika) since as far back as the 12th century. I didn’t waste any time hunting down one of the locally owned businesses, where I was able to watch while they made me a pendant with a spiral design. (This pendant has been my good-luck charm ever since, and I always wear it when traveling.)
With my new jade spiral around my neck, I took a stroll along Hokitika Beach to see the famous driftwood sculptures. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until later that I learned about Hokitika Gorge, which offers a short hike over a suspension bridge to a view of the dramatic Hokitika River. That will definitely be on my list if I do a return trip. I absolutely loved Hokitika and left wishing I had planned an overnight stay there.
Punakaiki (83 km/52 miles)
While in the Dunedin area the previous week, I had asked a guy in a coffee shop for directions to a place I was looking for. We ended up talking briefly, and it turned out he owned a backpacker’s retreat in a small town on the West Coast. Since I didn’t have any lodging booked in that area, he suggested that I come check it out. That chance encounter led me to the small town of Punakaiki, one of the best unplanned stops of my trip.
Situated on the edge of Paparoa National Park between Greymouth and Westport, Punakaiki’s main attraction is the geologic wonder known as Pancake Rocks. Over millions of years, softer layers of mud eroded away, leaving pancake-like layers of harder limestone. A paved walkway leads to a promontory with views of the rocks and the coastline in the distance. At high tide, you can see the blowholes in action—where the sea water shoots up through vertical holes in the rocks.
I ended up spending two nights in Punakaiki and was even invited to a home-cooked dinner with the hostel staff. After dinner, the hostel owner took some of us on a hike through the woods to see Arachnocampa luminosa, otherwise known as glowworms. This species of gnat is found only in New Zealand, typically in caves or forest areas where the humidity is high. In the larval stage, the glowworms produce a blue-green bioluminescence that is really a fascinating sight to see in the dark.
On To Motueka and Abel Tasman
From Punakaiki, you can continue north to Westport and then on SH 67 to Karamea, the northernmost settlement on the West Coast. I love remote places, so it was tempting to add this to my itinerary. But because I had already booked lodging near Abel Tasman National Park, I started heading inland shortly after leaving Punakaiki.
One of my favorite parts of traveling up the West Coast’s coastal highway was the highway itself. It was a photography paradise, and I kept stopping to take in the spectacular views. The most scenic section was south of Punakaiki, where your jaw will be dropping as you round every corner.
I could have easily spent a full week on the South Island’s West Coast, and the places I enjoyed most were the ones I hadn’t even planned to see. If you’re visiting New Zealand, don’t miss this rugged and beautiful section of the South Island. And the best advice I have is to be flexible so you can linger in the places you really enjoy and love.
