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Find things to do on the West Coast
Hike Franz Josef Glacier. © Jackman Chieu
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The Lake Matheson walk: a photographer's dream
Lake Matheson is a photographer’s dream, where the waters reflect a near-perfect image of snow-capped Aoraki Mount Cook. Read the story . . .
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Walk above the treetops in Hokitika
Climb the Hokitika Tower – one of the tallest human-made structures on the South Island’s West Coast. Read the story . . .
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Must Do's: South Island Road Trips Travel Guide
Start planning your next road trip with great attractions, accommodation and things to see and do in the South Island with our 2021 Must-Do's travel guide. Read the story . . .
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Peters Pool Walk, Franz Josef
Enjoy the reflective views of the glacier valley and mountains on this easy, accessible walk to a small kettle lake. Read the story . . .
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Buller Gorge: a thrilling adventure
If you’re driving from Nelson to Westport, you’ll first pick up the Buller just past Glenhope, about 30km as the kererū flies from where the mighty river arises from Lake Rotoiti. Read the story . . .
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Westland road trip: a deep green journey
Low-slung clouds obscure the landscape and as we drive closer, it turns to rain, veiling the steeply rising hills. Moody is a good word for this part of the country. Read the story . . .
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Adventure time: Waiatoto River jet boat safari
The jet boat ride up the Waiatoto River in Haast is not a thrill-seeking-360º-spins kind of experience, rather a cruise to discover some of the region’s remote and pristine landscapes. Read the story . . .
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Ōkārito Lagoon: wonderful wetland wilderness
Explore the lagoon and river channels by kayak and journey through this divine wetland wilderness into the heart of the rainforest. Read the story . . .
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Loved by the locals: Central West Coast
Find great walking tracks, picturesque lakes, historic townships and a dramatic coastline around the South Island's Central West Coast. Read the story . . .
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Hokitika: nuggets of history
Back in the 1800s dance halls and shooting-galleries, barmaids and ladies of ‘relaxed virtue’ all crowded along Hokitika’s golden mile, vying to entertain the hundreds of diggers. Read the story . . .
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Loved by the locals: Buller
Visit for the famous Pancake Rocks at Punakāiki and stay for river rafting, hot pools, coastal walkways and intrepid mountain biking adventures. Read the story . . .
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The Blue Pools of Haast Pass
Māori knew about the glacial defile between the coastal flats of South Westland and the high tussock-land surrounding the southern lakes from their expeditions in search of pounamu. Read the story . . .
What to do in West Coast Region
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