Hokitika
Get in
Intercity Coachlines travel there.
Located approximately 2 hours drive from Fox Glacier.
Hokitika AirportAir New Zealand flies from Christchurch every day.
See
Glowworm DellLocated just off the main highway north of Hokitika, visit this dell at night to be surrounded by sparkling glowworms. They're about a minute walk in from the road, and while the path is dark, using a bright torch will make some of the glowworms turn off. The light of a phone screen is totally enough to see by.
Hokitika GorgeSome thirty minutes away from the town by car. Cross a swingbridge over stunning blue waters, on the 15 minute walk through forest to a viewing platform.
-
phone: +64 3 755 5251address: 64 Tancred St, HokitikaAn aquarium and kiwi house. Given that kiwis are so elusive, a kiwi house such as this is likely to be your only chance to see one in real life. You can also take part in feeding the giant eels which are approximately 85 to 100 years old, and learn a lot about them in the process.
-
phone: +64 3 755 6898address: 17 Hamilton StMuseum has closed for an extended period for seismic strengthening starting in September 2019.
-
Westland Industrial Heritage Park
address: Industrial RoadVolunteer run museum, with large machines in working order including sawmill engines, fire engines and tractors.
Do
Wildfoods FestivalAnnual food festival serving foods that range from the benign to the absolute wildest (paua titties (roe), bull, lamb and goat testicles) you could consider. Usually held in March.
- Carve some greenstone (jade).
-
address: 1128 Woodstock-Rimu RoadWalk along a 450m long steel platform at tree-top height (20m off the ground).
Buy
- Hand blown glass. Watch them make beautiful pieces of glass and then make a few purchases at the Hokitika Glass Works.
- Pounamu. This nephrite jade is found only on the West Coast, and its harvest and sale is governed by Ngai Tahu. There are a variety of pounamu stores, mainly along Weld and Tancred Streets. Beware some shops selling Canadian jade carved in China - if the price looks too good to be true, it's probably not pounamu. You can see Ngati Waewae carvers in action and buy verified pounamu carvings at Te Waipounamu Maori Heritage Centre, on the corner of Weld & Sewell.
Eat
-
address: 116 Revell Streetsupermarket
-
address: 140 Stafford Stsmall supermarket
Sleep
-
252 Beachside Motels & Holiday Park
phone: +64 3 755 8773address: 252 Revell Street -
phone: +64 3 755 7179address: 124 Kumara Junction HighwayIndependent hostel affiliated to the YHA.
-
154 Kaniere Road Accommodation
phone: +64 3 755 7440address: 154 Kaniere RoadOlder style motel units with shared kitchen and bathroom - keys to be collected from Annabelle Motel, 214 Weld Street. -
phone: +64 3 755 8232 or +64 3 755 8239address: 20 Hamilton StFrom NZ$115–180, including continental breakfast.
Go next
- Greymouth and Shantytown (a bit before Greymouth and 20 minutes drive from Hokitika)
- Punakaiki Blowholes – an hour and a half drive
- Ross
- Franz Josef Glacier – two hours drive on State Highway 6
- Fox Glacier – the bigger and less crowded glacier, 2.5 hours drive