New Zealand's Wild West Coast
The South Island's west coast is a rugged, remote place. There are no cities, Greymouth is the largest town with almost 10,000 people and only one major road, State Highway 6 (SH6), that is almost all single-carriageway. It is however, a stunningly beautiful part of New Zealand with mountains, glaciers, rainforests, incredible rock formations and the rough Tasman Sea, while a little way further south is Fiordland, home to the world-famous Milford and Doubtful Sounds. This is definitely an area of the country to spend a bit of time exploring.
How To Get Here
Travelling along SH6 is pretty much the only way to access the West Coast. Either hire a car and take it at your own pace, get on the Intercity buses or travel on one of the backpacker buses, as I did on the Stray bus. For me, the Stray bus was an excellent way to see this part of New Zealand, their itinerary joins SH6 after leaving Abel Tasman and follows it right down to Queenstown, with overnight stops in Westport, Franz Josef Glacier and Wanaka. The buses also stop off at particular points of interest along the way, including the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks.
Westport
Westport is a town of around 4000 people, large for the West Coast, and is a hub for valuable pounamu (greenstone) and coal mining, as well as gold mining in its earlier days. The town itself, although not perhaps the most exciting place, does have a nice little brewery called the West Coast Brewery. If you visit on the Stray bus, they will take you there for a tasting session, where you get to sample the craft beers and hear all about the brewing process. Nearby is the Cape Foulwind headland, home to a New Zealand fur seal colony. There is path along the coast from the Cape Foulwind lighthouse to Tauranga Bay, which only takes around an hour to walk and allows you to watch the seals and admire the ruggedness of the coastline. Be aware however, that the headland is very exposed so take an extra layer with you!
Pororari River Track and Punakaiki
We walked the Pororari River Track early one morning and it was gorgeous. The trail winds along next to the Pororari river, with the sheer cliff faces of the gorge rising high above you and dense jungle forest. Walking along here felt so peaceful and the light from the rising morning sun cast a glow over the scenery. This was the prettiest bit of the trail as after a little while, it turns away from the river and up into the hills, walking through the forest. The last part of the trail crosses a long wooden swing bridge and from here takes you into Punakaiki. It isn't a particularly long walk but it was a very scenic one that I would recommend if you are in the area.
The main attraction in Punakaiki are the incredible rock formations known as the pancake rocks. These ancient rock stacks rise majestically from the sea along the coastline, made up of many thin layers of limestone, giving an amazing striped appearance. They were created millions of years ago as the remains of sea creatures became compacted into layers and forced upward from the seabed. The sea and the wind has continually eroded these rocks, creating blow-holes, caves and a bit of splash! There is a short walkway and viewing platform so you can fully appreciate this natural beauty, so take a camera and go and check it out.
Franz Josef Glacier
Travelling further south, Franz Josef Glacier is a small town situated among some of the South Island's most dramatic scenery. It is home to the Franz Josef Glacier, which just a few kilometres away, is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world. The surrounding landscape, a large U-shaped valley, was created by the erosive power of the glacier which once extended this far out towards the sea. Now, the glacier has retreated a long way back up the valley and moves incredibly quickly compared to others around the world, although it is still within easy reach of the town. One activity which I would say is an absolute must-do in New Zealand is the glacier walk. At around $300, it isn't cheap but it does include all your gear, a helicopter ride and a guided walk over the glacier. It was honestly one of the best things I've done in this country.
After getting kitted out in waterproof clothes and boots, you jump into a helicopter and are whisked onto the glacier which for me, was as exciting as walking on the ice as I've never flown in one before. The view of the ice from the helicopter was incredible, like a frozen river snaking back into the mountains and before you know it, you're landing on the ice. From here, you are taken on a guided walk up the glacier, with the guides cutting out ice staircases to walk on. One thing which really struck me was how brilliantly blue the ice was and how clear it was, which becomes particularly noticeable in some of the ice tunnels and caves. After a day on the ice, an excellent way to relax is with a visit to the hot pools at the glacier walk centre.
Another activity here is skydiving. Skydive Fox Glacier is a company which operates over the nearby Fox Glacier, with views of New Zealand's tallest mountain, Aoraki/Mt Cook. According to their website, only the skydive over Mt Everest is more scenic and having jumped out over Fox Glacier, it is hard to imagine many more stunning sights. After a plane ride up to 16,500 feet, it's time to jump. With around 65 seconds of free-fall followed by a few minutes of gently floating through the sky, you really have time to take in the views of Aoraki/Mt Cook, the glaciers, the valley and the sea. I would definitely recommend the Fox Glacier as an excellent skydiving location, the beautiful scenery was totally worth the money, nerves and lack of sleep the night before!
With such a wide variety of landscapes and activities, the West Coast is not to be missed and should definitely be included in any New Zealand itinerary.
