Things To Do in West Coast New Zealand

New Zealand is a country made of majestic vistas and never-ending adventure. And one of the most intriguing regions in this island nation is the West Coast of the South Island.

The West Coast is recognized to be one of the most distant and most sparsely inhabited places in the country, with little over 32,000 inhabitants.

Also, considering that this region spans quite a distance north to south, the temperature and environment fluctuates considerably. You’ll discover glaciers and alps in the southern section, while palm palms and white sand beaches greet you in the north.

We’ve put together a directory of the greatest things to do in West Coast New Zealand, including heart-thumping thrills, once-in-a-lifetime splurges, free activities and experiences off the normal tourist trail.

Whether you’re an adrenaline enthusiast with a huge budget or a family traveling with kids and little place for splurges, we’ve got suggestions for every sort of traveler. Plus, we’re giving our top advice and everything we wish we had have known about traveling in this isolated location.

Top Things To Do In West Coast New Zealand

If you’re seeking for the absolute finest things to do in West Coast New Zealand, here are our top picks.

• Go tubing in a glowworm cave

• Carve your own jade necklace

• Spend the night in Brewster Hut

• Get up close and personal with a glacier

• Ride in a helicopter

• Soak in hot pools

Keep reading for more extensive information on each of these activities and more suggestions of fun things to do in West Coast New Zealand.

But first we’re going to answer an essential question you may be wondering…

Where is West Coast New Zealand?

Alright, first things first: What territory precisely does “West Coast New Zealand” relate to? Good question.

“West coast USA” is a relatively generic word, spanning California, Oregon and Washington. However, West Coast New Zealand is a far more precise territory, since it relates to a stretch of the South Island’s West Coast.

1. Go Tubing In A Glowworm Cave

• If you’re seeking an adventure that most visitors miss, listen up because this one’s for you.

• When visiting New Zealand’s West Coast, make sure to include the Underworld Rafting Tour in your plans. Situated in Paparoa National Park, lies a vast cave system that is waiting to be explored, but it’s still somewhat of a secret that most tourists overlook.

• The name of this activity doesn’t entirely do credit to the journey you’re about to embark on.

• A mix of trekking, discovering secluded caverns, witnessing glowworms, and river tubing, this is truly an amazing journey, and we enjoyed every minute.

2. Carve Your Own Jade Necklace

• You don’t need to spend much time in New Zealand to see jade necklaces swinging from the necks of approximately half the people you meet. And at every souvenir store in the nation, you’ll find these artifacts for sale.*

• Carving jade is a significant aspect of Maori culture, and many of the designs you see across the nation have a unique importance to New Zealand’s indigenous people.

• *Insider Info: If you encounter jade necklaces at souvenir stores selling for incredibly cheap, they are not authentic. They are crushed up chunks of stone (or worst yet, plastic!) formed into a pattern.

• For a unique keepsake and genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience, carve your own jade necklace and learn about the wonderful process behind these famous pieces of jewelry.

3. Spend The Night In Brewster Hut

• New Zealand is a country with a seemingly unlimited quantity of hiking routes in different lengths and levels of difficulty. Along some of the longer treks, there are networks of mountain huts that are privately owned or operated by the DOC (Department of Conservation).

• Brewster Hut is positioned at an elevation of 1450 meters in Mount Aspiring National Park, just within the border of the West Coast area. This modest red cottage provides some of the most stunning 360-degree vistas we had the opportunity of witnessing in the entire country (just check out the cover shot for this post!).

• After a difficult 3-hour journey which consisted of climbing on tree roots at a 45-degree angle for 80 percent of the time, we eventually came to the shelter we’d be calling home for the night.

• We spoke with fellow hikers while wind blew against the shelter walls. And we stood outdoors in quiet as the sunset covered the sky in a cotton candy tint.

• We fed our growling tummies with “hiking food” and wine we’d carried on our backs the whole trip up (totally worth it!).

• The sky grew black and the sole source of light came from our headlights. And we curled up in a bunk and heard everyone’s breathing start to become heavier until it became to soft snores.

Read Also: Experience a Hot Air Balloon Ride in Seattle

4. Get Up Close And Personal With A Glacier

• Known as “glacier country” for the prevalence of glaciers in the area, you will want to miss an opportunity to get up close and personal with these famous glaciers. Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are far from the only glaciers in New Zealand (there are really more than 3,000 in the nation!), but they are undoubtedly the most popular.

• While traveling through New Zealand, you can’t miss a visit to one (or both!) of these glaciers, it’s one of the finest things to do in West Coast New Zealand.

• Both glaciers are easily accessibly (thus their appeal), and you can get pretty near merely by strolling on the marked trail. In fact, the Franz Josef Glacier Walk is one of the best things to do in West Coast New Zealand.

• If you want additional information on area flora and wildlife, the history and just about everything else glacier-related, try going on the eco-tour. Your guide can take you to the greatest perspectives, go to locations most people don’t go, and answer all your foolish questions – like, Why do glaciers occasionally seem blue? Answer: Ice crystals absorb red and yellow colors and reflect blue light, which is what our eyes see. Cool, huh?!

5. Ride In A Helicopter

• If flying in a helicopter is on your bucket list, New Zealand is the perfect destination to obtain that check mark.

• There are banners promoting helicopter trips all over the nation (really a mind-boggling quantity!); but unless you’ve got infinite riches, you’ll have to select just one site to fly.

• The enormous vistas of the south island mean there truly isn’t a terrible location to take in the view from above. But we think witnessing glaciers up close that are decreasing by the year is a fairly amazing experience.

• The glaciers in West Coast New Zealand have receded dramatically in the previous decade, and there’s a high probability these glaciers will look quite different 10 years from now. So witnessing them from a helicopter truly is an experience of a lifetime.

• Plus, if the weather is good enough, you have the option to land on snow and get out to observe the glaciers from a vantage position few get to see.