Things to Do on the West Coast

Things to Do on the West Coast: this untamed strip of the South Island is a wilderness of rainforest, glaciers and geological treasures. Franz Josef and Fox glaciers descend from the Southern Alps to rainforest only about 300 metres above sea level, so you can walk to the ice or fly over it by helicopter. Visit the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, carve your own piece of pounamu (Māori jade) in Hokitika, ride a Great Ride cycle trail and explore the coast’s gold-mining history.

Experience the West Coast

• Franz Josef and Fox glaciers
• Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes
• Pounamu (greenstone) carving in Hokitika
• Wild Great Rides and rainforest trails
• Gold-mining history and untamed beaches

You´ll ❤️ these great things to see & do…

• Take a heli-hike or guided walk on Franz Josef or Fox Glacier
• See both glaciers from the air on a scenic flight
• Watch the sea burst through the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes
• Carve your own piece of pounamu in Hokitika
• Walk among the treetops on the West Coast Tree Top Walk
• Cycle the West Coast Wilderness Trail, or tackle the Old Ghost Road

Where to Experience It on the West Coast

The West Coast stretches the length of the South Island’s western side, so the easiest way to plan your things to do on the West Coast is by area and theme. Where we have a matching activity, the name links to it.

• Glacier Country (Franz Josef and Fox): two of the most accessible glaciers in the world. Join a guided walk to the Franz Josef Glacier terminus, see both from above with a scenic flight, or hike on the ice by helicopter. See Scenic Flights and Walking & Hiking.
• Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park: the Pancake Rocks are limestone stacks formed more than 30 million years ago, and the most visited natural attraction on the West Coast. Visit at high tide, when spray shoots through the blowholes. See Nature.
• Hokitika and pounamu: pounamu is found in many places on the West Coast and is prized for its strength, durability and beauty. In Hokitika you can carve your own piece. Don’t miss Hokitika Gorge. See Māori Culture.
• Rainforest and lakes: the West Coast Tree Top Walk, Lake Brunner and Lake Matheson near Fox Glacier.
• Cycling: the West Coast Wilderness Trail, with local history and wilderness, and the Old Ghost Road, the most remote and challenging of New Zealand’s Great Rides, which follows an old gold miners’ route between Lyell in the Buller Gorge and Seddonville. See Cycling & Mountain Biking.
• Gold-mining history: explore towns such as Ross, where one of the deepest mining projects in the Southern Hemisphere once operated. See Heritage & Art.

Events on the West Coast

• Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, Saturday 13 March 2027. A celebration of wild food and West Coast character at Cass Square in Hokitika, confirmed by Westland District Council. The festival began in 1990.
• Wild West Backyard Ultra, 26–28 March 2027. An ultramarathon on Hokitika Beach, starting on Good Friday.

For national dates such as Waitangi Day, Matariki and Great Walks season, see New Zealand Festivals.

Good to Know Before You Go

• Distances are long: the main towns are far apart, so plan driving time between Franz Josef, Hokitika, Punakaiki and Westport.
• Glacier trips: book guided glacier walks and heli-hikes in advance, because they depend on weather.
• Hokitika Gorge: see the official West Coast Tourism guide, and transport operators such as Hokitika Scenic Tours and West Coast Encounters.

Driving times

• Nelson to Westport: about 3 hours
• Franz Josef to Fox Glacier: about 30 minutes

Combine the West Coast With

The West Coast connects to the rest of the South Island through the Alps, so it pairs well with these regions:

• Nelson Tasman – through Murchison to Westport, about three hours
• Christchurch & Canterbury – across the Southern Alps
• Wanaka – over Haast Pass from Fox Glacier
• Queenstown – the usual onward stop to the south

Popular themes on the West Coast

Scenic Flights · Walking & Hiking · Nature · Cycling & Mountain Biking · Māori Culture

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More tours: South Island Tours · North & South Island Tours · Wine Tours · Self Drive Tours

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More South Island regions: Christchurch – Canterbury · Dunedin & Otago · Fiordland · Kaikoura & Hanmer Springs · Marlborough · Nelson Tasman · Southland · Stewart Island · Mt Cook & Mackenzie · Queenstown · Wanaka

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