Travel & Places Other - Destinations

Visiting the West Coast of New Zealand

One of the most beautiful holiday experiences in New Zealand is the West Coast of South Island. The region offers a kaleidoscope of activities, and is the right destination for a fun-packed tour of New Zealand.

Adventure seekers can find a range of activities at the West Coast. Along the Franz Josef glacier, ATV quad bikes are an exciting option. Speeding these quad bikes through the forest, the riverbeds, and the muddy stretches is a thrilling experience. Those who enjoy tramping through snow can opt for a guided walk tour along the glacier. A more leisurely activity is the walk through the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes National Park.

The West Coast boasts of five of the total 13 national parks in New Zealand. The Paparoa National Park can be visited through Punakaiki. The destination is ideal for a day's holiday, a weekend break or more. Paddling the Pororari River, going kayaking, or rock climbing are some of the activities here.

The highpoint of this region is the breathtaking West Coast Road, rated as one of the top road experiences the world over. The road offers the most fabulous sights of glaciers, luxuriant forests and the magnificent Tasman Sea.

Hot springs are a wonderful surprise during New Zealand tours in the scenic area of Central Southern Alps. Tourists love to relax in these natural hot pools. The wondrous fact here is that these rivers are fed by the glacier, and the natural hot springs exist alongside. One of the most enchanting experiences on this route is to enjoy champagne as the balmy waters of hot pools soothe your skin.

Rafting in the Wanganui River, or a guided walk through the rainforest are other popular activities here. What draws a fantastic number of tourists is the Black water rafting through the Ruakuri cave. The ceiling of the cave appears to be the Milky Way, made up of millions of glow worms. Tubing downstream through the cave is almost like floating in outer space.

The riches of the West Coast are hard to resist. A beautiful souvenir of the region is a jade that you may find on the splendid beaches of the Tasman Sea. If you have patience and want to follow the footsteps of gold seekers, you might even successfully hunt for gold.

In the towns along the West Coast, master craftsmen create fantastic pieces out of green gemstone. Some of the finest specimens of jade craftsmanship can be found at Hotitika. You can try some sculpting yourself and carve a jade under the guidance of experienced tutors.


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