Length of stay: 2 days
Visited: April 2025
The West Coast region of New Zealand is known for its rainy weather and beautiful coastal views. It also features temperate rainforests, limestone cliffs, rugged gorges, turquoise rivers and rocky beaches. It lends itself well to a scenic road trip along the coast.
Day 1: Hokitika Gorge
After leaving Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers we continued our drive along the West Coast towards Greymouth. It pretty much rained for most of the drive. Despite the weather we made a detour to check out Hokitika Gorge which is famous for its brilliant turquoise coloured water. The rain had momentarily subsided as we pulled into the large car park.
The Hokitika Gorge Walk (2km loop, rated easy) loops through the forest and contains two suspension bridges and several viewpoints of the gorge. The lower suspension bridge was closed, but you could still hike most of the trail, you’d just have to double back and return the way you came. But it’s a short trail to begin with so what’s another kilometre or two.
The path is mostly gravel with a few boardwalk sections. It was a bit cooler here compared to Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. And the trees looked a bit different here too. The first suspension bridge provided our first close-up of the gorge. Thanks to all the rain and gloomy weather, the colour of the water looked muted, but it was still beautiful nonetheless. We could also see the foothills of the Southern Alps.
We turned around at the closure and retraced our steps back to the parking lot. Despite the fact that it was 4pm, it was still pretty busy and more cars were pulling in. It started to rain again. So glad we were done for the day. We just had another hour’s drive to get to Greymouth.
Day 2: Pancake Rocks
It rained and poured throughout the night, but by the next morning the clouds were starting to clear. We left Westport and headed to Paparoa National Park which is popular for its stacked flat rocks that resemble pancakes.
There’s a short trail that’s paved, the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Walk (1.2km loop) that passes several of these interesting limestone pancake rock formations. They were formed by a slow, natural process where the ocean deposited sediments, shells and marine life that eventually hardened into stone. The rocks were then sculptured by the wind, rain and waves, chipping away at the softer layers of rock and leaving behind the appearance of flat and stacked rocks.
Despite the name of the trail, we didn’t actually see any blowholes. No big deal as we had another option to see a blow hole along the Truman Track (1.4km). After passing through the subtropical forest, the trail comes to a viewing platform overlooking the ocean. And along the rocks we could see water spluttering up through a blowhole every few seconds.
The path continues to the beach. We walked along the pebbly shore, admiring the limestone cliffs behind us, which featured a small trickling waterfall. The sandflies were aggressive though. We did a quick lap around the shore then raced back to the forest.
We had another hike planned, but our little one was ready for a nap. And so we drove to Westport. It was a scenic drive along the coastline filled with lots of twists and turns. We were making good time so we decided to embark on a longer hike along the Cape Foulwind Walkway (3.4km one-way). There are two access points on either end of the trail. We opted for the southern one at Tauranga Bay, closer to the seal colony.
The trail starts near the beach and it’s a gentle climb to a few viewpoints. The most notable of which is of a fur seal colony. We could see some seals lounging on the rocks and swimming in the water below. We also got a good view of Wall Island, one of the most important seabird colonies on the West Coast.
The path continues to follow the coastline, providing nice views of the bay below from up on the cliff. Despite some darker clouds rolling in, we were thankful for the calmer weather. I’m sure this place isn’t called Foulwind for no reason!
On the way we read about how this area has been revegetated through a partnership between a local high school and the New Zealand Department of Conservation, which took 22 years to complete. Originally the walkway was through windswept open paddocks. Over two decades, a grade 9 Environmental Studies class continued to plant native shrubs and trees along the walkway, sea front and car parks. The goal was to help create a good habitat for native birds and other animals.
There were lots of ups and downs. And we were huffing and puffing by the time we reached the lighthouse. It was initially constructed of timber and first used in 1876. It was later replaced with an automated light in a concrete tower. Even though the trail passes the lighthouse, there is no obvious path to get to the base of it. We continued onward to the other car park at the northern end of the trail before turning around.
We then headed to Westport where we planned to spend the night.
L
It’s so interesting to see the rock formations and blowholes, Linda. And the suspension bridge is a delight to see as well as the lighthouse. My niece is watching these photos with me and she loves the lighthouse. The cute waterfall and the mossy trees look perfect. It sounds like baby M enjoyed napping, and the rain is always in your company. Hugs and stay safe. Looking forward to another adventure!
Awww thanks for your lovely comment Hazel. The pancake rocks were really neat and same with the blowholes too. I could have spent the entire morning watching the ocean. I’m such a fan of lighthouses too and we couldn’t resist going for a long coastal hike in the afternoon, especially since the weather was surprisingly decent. Hugs to you as well and have a happy Friday!
Some beautiful views of the coastline! Those seals sure blend in. I like the pancake rocks. That is a very fitting name!
Thanks Lyssy! My camera isn’t the greatest which means I couldn’t really get a good picture of the seals. I really should get a better camera considering how many pictures I take! The pancake rocks were really cool. I’ve never seen anything like that before.
Wow, Linda! What a beautiful region of New Zealand. The rocks are a remarkable set of formations and the 22-year project of the grade 9s amazing. Had it been deforested by humans? Some parts of the trail remind me of parts of B.C, too. Thank you very much for sharing your visit. I’ve enjoyed perching on your shoulder, so to speak.
Thanks for your lovely comment Lynette. The West Coast of New Zealand is magical. It was neat to hear that the local Grade 9 students were involved in helping rehabilitate the coastline. I’m not sure whether it was deforested, but it’s possible as there was a section along the trail that was being used as a farm field.
The pancake rocks are interesting formations, but don’t really look like pancakes. I remember those relentless sandflies though, not a good memory. 😊 Maggie
That’s fair. The horizontal lines in the rock formations are pretty linear, giving the appearance that the rocks are stacked on top of each other. But they’re actually not. And agreed, those pesky sandflies are relentless. We encountered them in a few areas around New Zealand and were forced to retreat.
This is lovely. It does bring great memories of our visit to this area in 1998…(Suzanne)
The West Coast region may be rainy, but at least it’s beautiful. The pancake rock formations were really neat. Glad to hear it brought back fond memories from when you were there. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
Wow man, New Zealand is absolutely STUNNING!! A paradise. 🥰🥰
Paradise is right. New Zealand is one of our favourite countries we’ve ever visited. If it wasn’t so far we’d probably consider moving there.
I can see why you’d want to move there but that’s basically the other side of Earth! 🌍
I know!! It would be a very long series of flights home. I imagine it would take some adjustment getting used to the differences in the timing of the seasons between the north and south hemisphere too.
You guys can do anything you want but you would really want this very much! The financial cost has got to be extreme. Are you going to go for it!
For sure. We probably wouldn’t do it anytime soon. It would be tough to leave our parents behind. The older we get the more we recognize the importance of being together as a family. Time is fleeting.
It sure is Linda. Both of my folks have passed and I’ll be 65 next month. It’s kind of hard to live in Vegas with the family all in Michigan. You are wise to consider these things.
Would you consider moving back to Michigan? I imagine it would be tough to return to snowy and colder winters!
No. I will stay here in Vegas as long as I can! I love it here!
I get it. There’s always something special about the mountains. And I find the older I get the more I tend to dislike the cold. Although I’m not sure I could handle the desert heat and dryness in the summer!
Me too, cold doesn’t feel good these days. The desert heat isn’t for everyone for sure! 115 degrees can be hard on the body! Thank God for AC!
And thank goodness for heat too! It’s currently -2C / 28F here in Ontario. Brrr.
Wow that’s cold! It’s almost 60F here just now, my faint be lying though.
So cool! The pancake rocks are so interesting, I don’t think I’ve seen formations like these before.
I’ve never seen rock formations like that before either. They had an impressive collection of them. And it was neat to hear how they were formed.
I love those pancake rocks! So much unique scenery in New Zealand.
The pancake rocks were really neat. I’ve never seen anything like them before. No wonder this park was so popular.
What place have you visited that’s similar to the west coast of New Zealand? Your description makes me imagine the coast of UK or Europe.
The area by Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers reminded me a lot of the west coast of Vancouver Island with all the mossy trees and lush rainforests. But the scenery along this section the West Coast was different. I’m not sure what it reminds me of. But now I’m picturing the coast of the UK!
One of our favourite parts of the South Island Linda. Too bad about the rain, but it looks like you coped well. We have seen the blowholes at Punakaiki and they are impressive in the right weather and tide conditions. We will not be going to the West Coast on this trip and are exploring the area around Tekapo and Mount Cook for the first time. Have a wonderful day. Allan
I can see why you enjoyed this part of the South Island. The scenery is very different compared to anywhere else on the island (or rather islands). Good to know that they’re actually blowholes by the pancake rocks. We visited near low tide so we didn’t see much action. I hope you have a wonderful time at Mount Cook. That was such a highlight for us during our trip. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Linda
The rugged and untouched natural beauty of the West Coast of New Zealand is something truly incredible, especially the Pancake Rocks. It’s amazing to see all the unique shapes that the sea, wind, and rain have sculpted over millions of years. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment Aiva. The scenery along the West Coast of New Zealand is beautiful. We really enjoyed seeing the pancake rocks and learning more about how they were created.
I like the looks of the Pancake Rocks. Stunning!
The pancake rocks were the star of the show on our drive along the West Coast region. They were very visually appealing, especially since they’re right along the coastline.
It’s been so fun to follow along on your New Zealand Adventures. The Pancake Rock formations are quite fascinating. It’s hard to imagine that Nature did all of that intricate work.
Thanks for your kind words Rose. The pancake rocks were really neat. We’ve never seen anything like that. Mother Nature is pretty amazing. Makes you wonder how long the entire process too to create them.
These are Spectacular!!!! Thank you!!!!
Thanks for your kind words. I must say, after all the rain we had the past few days, it was really nice to finally enjoy a bit of sunshine!
I remember the long drive along the coast to reach the attractions further south. The Pancake Rocks rock formation is quite fun to photograph.
You’re right, it’s a long drive along the coast, but at least it’s scenic. The pancake rocks were really neat and definitely a highlight of this section of our road trip.
Those pancake rocks are just the weirdest thing. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything quite like that. It seems like you had a super rainy trip overall, but it looks like you got some good view in between the rain!
Oh I know. It was fascinating to see all the horizontal lines in the pancake rock formations. Nature is pretty cool. After dealing with the rain for the past several days, it was finally nice to enjoy a dry period with even a bit of sunshine.
I just love the pancake rocks- so interesting, so pretty, so needing some kind of tree sap to look like syrup! What a beautiful area this is. I love how you have capture the varied beauty of the landscapes so perfectly 🙂
All this talk about pancake rocks makes me want to eat some actual pancakes for breakfast! The rock formations were really neat. Thanks so much for your lovely comment.
Wow; it’s just so beautiful. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your NZ posts.
Thanks so much for your kind words. It’s amazing how the scenery is so varied, even along the same coastline.
Beautiful… great captures!!
Thanks so much for your kind words and for leaving a comment. It was a long drive along the west coast, but at least it was beautiful!
The pancake rocks are amazing, incredible to see all the layers so clearly. I really enjoyed your articles about New Zealand. Such a varied and beautiful landscapes. I must say your photos of the coastal path, ocean and beaches made me rather long for a seaside holiday.
Thanks Leighton! We’ve never seen anything quite like those pancake rock formations before. They were very visually appealing. Nature is just full of delightful surprises. It’s currently snowing here and I’m longing for a seaside holiday as well, preferably somewhere warm!
What a beautiful journey. Your trip through New Zealand looks incredible. The scenery, the hikes, the coast, even the rain added its own charm. I really enjoyed reading every part of it. Thank you for taking us along with you.
May God bless your travels and keep you safe on every road you take. 🙏
Thanks for your lovely comment Willie. We had a wonderful time exploring New Zealand, even with some rainy weather. The scenery along the west coast was very different compared to elsewhere on the islands.
That’s great that you beat the rain! Your photos are breathtaking, and you intro is poetic. Thank you for sharing photo highlights and walking details. 👏🏻
Thanks Michele! After dealing with the rain the past few days it was finally nice to enjoy a bit of sunshine! We certainly made the most of it by spending a lot of time outdoors.
Wonderful! 🥰
The Pancake Rocks are yet another proof of Mother Nature’s own playful way of creating art. The seals are so well-camouflaged with the boulders! I love the revegetation project carried out by the government and a local school. Involving students in projects like this is a great way of teaching the young generation of the importance of taking care of the environment.
Oh I know! Nature continues to amaze me. Those pancake rocks were pretty cool. It was neat to hear how the local grade 9 class was involved for a couple of decades in helping rehabilitate the coastline. And you’re right, it’s a great way of teaching the importance of taking care of our environment in a way that’s more hands on and direct.
Got here at last! Sorry- yesterday wasn’t a good day for me. I loved the area around Pancake Rocks, and the silvery water beyond the boardwalk was beautiful. Nobody ever tells you about pesky things like sand flies. Nowhere is perfect, hey, but NZ does its best xx
No worries!! The area around Pancake Rocks was one of the highlights of our road trip along the West Coast. The rock formations were pretty neat. The sandflies not so much. But you’re right, relative to all the other bitey insects, it could be way worse! At least there were no mosquitos or deer flies!
Enjoying seeing the photos of the rock formations especially the pancake rocks and learning how they were formed. Despite poor weather you seemed to dodge the worst of the weather along the hiking trails.
It was nice to finally have a day without any rain!! The rock formations along this stretch of our road trip were fascinating! We also enjoyed the coastal views from our hike. All in all, it was a good day!
Rain seems to be a constant theme of your New Zealand adventures. Who cares though when you’ve got blowholes, amazing rock formations, pretty lighthouses and cute little seals to admire! 😄
It was a risk we were willing to take to visit during the shoulder season when things are less busy and prices are cheaper. Thankfully we left the rain behind us for a few days as we made our way back towards the North Island. And you’re right, even with the rain, the scenery still looks spectacular.
How beautiful – and I love the sound of Pancake Rocks, I’d definitely have to pay them a visit 🙂 Not more rain though, it seems to be following you on this trip!
I wish we had pancakes for breakfast beforehand as that would have seemed fitting. The Pancake Rocks were pretty cool. And yah, that rain needs to F off. Thankfully it left us alone for the next few days.
Pardon me while I sit and pout. I’m so jealous of this trip!!
Haha thanks! It was honestly a trip of a lifetime. I still can’t believe my boss gave me six weeks off work!
That’s amazing. I hope you brought your boss a great souvenir.
Ha! I didn’t! Whoops!
lol. Maybe something nice for christmas…..
I suppose that’s not a bad idea, especially if I want to hoard my vacation days and take a longer trip again next year!
Lol. It can’t hurt!
Wow, the scenery is stunning! The rock formations at Pancake Rocks are spectacular and very unusual. It’s cool you saw seals, too (although it took me a little while to spot them!).
The pancake rock formations were really neat. I haven’t seen anything like that before. It was fun to watch the seals bask in the sun and playing in the water. I really do need to get a better camera though!
Such a beautiful view of patten rocks and grace nature , earth and ocean merging view breathtaking 👌🤩
The beautiful road and trees , the light house are gorgeous!! Photos all the eternal beauty of earth wonders 👍🏻🌎
Thank you so much for sharing and sending lots of love to you my sweet friend 🥰👏💐
Thanks for your lovely comment. The rock formations were really impressive. And those coastal views were beautiful. I’m such a fan of lighthouses and couldn’t resist hiking to the one at Cape Foulwind.
Most welcome and All The Best Wishes my dear friend 💞🙏🌷
Thanks so much! Hope you had a wonderful day!
Thank you so much for explanations the coastal views and most welcome dear. My friend 🌷🙏❤️🌷
Such beautiful coastal views, Linda! The glacial turquoise waters are always so peaceful and calming to view. And the pancake rocks are too cute and I can see why they got that name.
And I especially love how the school system partnered through the grade 9 environmental studies students to work on a nature related project. The best hands on way to learn while making an impact on the local landscape and ecosystem.
Oh I know! The coastal scenery, especially with those interesting stacked rock formations, was pretty spectacular. It was neat to hear how local grade 9 students helped rehabilitate the coastline. It’s too bad we don’t do more of that through our school system. It’s such a great teaching moment and it’s good for the environment.
Ah, classic West Coast weather—bit like Cornwall in November, but with fewer pasties and more turquoise rivers. Rainy skies didn’t stop you, though—proper British spirit that. That suspension bridge sounds like it’s closed more often than our local train station. Still, nothing like a bit of mist, moss, and muted magic to make you feel alive… or mildly damp. Cheers for proving that even in the drizzle, New Zealand can out-pretty the very best postcards!
Yup! They don’t call it the wet coast for nothing! Thankfully we managed to dodge the rain (for now) and finally enjoyed a bit of dry weather and even some sunshine. The suspension bridge closure wasn’t too bad as it was at least near the end, so we were able to complete most of the hike. But it just meant we had to turn around and do it all over again to get back to the parking lot. No worries as it’s a short trail and this way we got to enjoy the scenery a bit longer. Love how you put it “bit of mist, moss and muted magic”!
I recognize those distinctive Pancake Rocks, so fascinating. We didn’t do much tracking so I’m glad to see the Hokitika Gorge and Truman Track, both that I had heard of, through your eyes.
They were both shorter trails, but a good way to stretch our legs and enjoy the views during our road trip. The pancake rocks were the star of the show though.
Pancake Rocks is a very appropriate name for those stacked rocks, and it’s interesting to read how they were formed. You have beautiful photos (and views) from your last hike along the Cape Foulwind Walkway (😁, yes, I guess it’s good you didn’t experience the wind that this trail is named after)!
Thanks! The pancake rock formations were really neat. I’ve never seen something quite like that before. I’m glad we had pleasant weather otherwise I doubt we would have attempted the Cape Foulwind Trail!
This looks like a wonderful hiking area, and I love the pancake rocks!
The nice thing about taking a road trip are all the stops we make along the way. The pancake rocks were definitely a highlight. And it’s always nice to explore the coastline.
Love the West Coast!! Hokitika and the Pancake Rocks were amazing (and so strange to see). Also 22 years to complete !! It must have felt like such an achievement to finally do it! I am speechless!
Oh I know! It was neat to hear how several grade 9 environmental studies classes over the years helped restore the landscape. We should do a lot more of that through our school system. Sounds like a win-win!
Right?! I wish our studies were that interesting. Sadly, the 80/90s school programs weren’t all that developped compared to nowadays ones. Science has also improved massively!
Very true! That being said, I have fond memories of some of the field trips we took back when I was in grade school.