Glacier Country / West Coast Region
Area Overview
The West Coast Region
Remotely positioned along western corridor of the South Island, between the towering Southern Alps and the
Tasman Sea, the West Coast is famous for its friendly people and abundant rainfall.
The West Coast has as very sparse population [the lowest number of people per square kilometre in NZ] and is the most
spectacular coastal drive in New Zealand, rated by Lonely Planet to be in the top 10 scenic drives in the
world.
Most travellers access the region by road from one of the many mountain passes [Haast Pass, Arthur’s Pass, or the
Lewis Pass] or via the Buller Gorge at the northern end of the coast. There is also a popular
scenic rail trip [Tranz Alpine] that departs daily from Christchurch and
meets with other transport or rental car companies in Greymouth. Greymouth is
the largest of all the small seaside villages on the coast and has the most
facilities. Other coast villages including Westport, Hokitika and Haast all have good traveller facilities but are limited with financial services
like money transfers and banks.
The main scenic icons include the world renowned Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. Both Glaciers are unique being the only
glaciers in the world that pass from an Alpine region through a living rain
forest to sea level. They have a tremendous amount of activities supporting
them that allow the traveller to experience their features. The other
well-known iconic attraction is the ‘Pancake Rocks’ at Punakaiki. This part of
the West Coast houses a scenic phenomena where the limestone rock has eroded
away to form a pan-cake like rock formation.
There are many other attractions that draw
visitors from all over the world including excellent historic attractions, and
some of the best cultural/artistic souvenir shops in the country. The West
Coast is our pick as the most dramatic scenic drive in the country, and well
recommended for its local culture.
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