Immerse yourself in nature's soundtrack

Seaside soundscapes

Clocking in at almost 600 km of coastline, the West Coast beats to the irresistible, primal thrum of the ocean.

Begin with the Great Coast Road which hugs 100 km of constantly changing coastline — among the world’s most beautiful coastal drives, says Lonely Planet. Fringed by the pounding Tasman Sea to the west and majestic mountain forests to the east, it’s easy driving — you could tick it off in a morning or afternoon but it’s best appreciated at a more leisurely pace. 

There are endless views along the drive between Westport and Greymouth, but the absolute highlight is Punakaiki and the famed Pancake Rocks. Witness this natural theatre, a constant work in progress of wind, rain and waves sculpting stacks of ancient layered limestone ‘pancakes’ into towers of tunnels and blowholes. High tide is best for viewing the action at the blowholes where seawater bursts through in great shafts of spray — ask about times at the stunning new Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre opposite.

Dreaming of falling asleep to the sound of the ocean waves? Stay beside the sea at the Scenic Hotel Punakaiki, Hokitika’s Beachfront Hotel, or in a glamping pod at Ross Beach Top 10 holiday park.

Going bush

Take a walk on the wild side. The soulful sounds of New Zealand’s forest birds are music to the ear and, wherever you find yourself on the West Coast, you’ll be somewhere close to an easy bush walk with a tuneful soundtrack.

Punakaiki’s Truman Track is a sensory experience. Take a 15-minute stroll underneath swathes of rustling nikau palms to a beautiful cove with golden sand, caves and a waterfall. Linger and listen for the chimes of bellbirds and tui, Aotearoa’s master song leaders. Nearby, the longer Pororari River tracks pass through a limestone gorge flanked with dense sub-tropical bush and birdlife. Or rent a paddle board to glide across the waters on the tranquil estuary.

The serene rainforests and whisky coloured rivers of the Ōpārara Valley, in Kahurangi National Park north of Karamea, are a haven for birdlife. Tread softly on the spongy track leading to the breathtaking Ōpārara Arches. Or walk, or zip, through the treetops up with the birds at the West Coast Treetop Walk & Zipline.

Wake up to the dawn chorus in the gardens at these lovely eco havens where the hosts actively practise sustainability and conservation – Breakers Boutique accommodation, Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki, Kahere Retreat and Ribbonwood Retreat (Franz Josef).

Soaking it up

Sometimes nature goes very quiet. Soak it all up in the mineral hot pools at Maruia Hot Springs — on the Lewis Pass highway between Nelson and Westport — blissful in the pitter patter of gentle rain and, if you strike it right and it snows, an all encompassing silence. In-house guests have 24-hour access to the three pools and the stargazing is out of this world.

Rain on the roof? Absolutely anywhere on the West Coast, you can have the singular delight of finishing off a day’s adventures by listening to rain on the roof. Curl up, snuggle down and make the most of Aotearoa’s best quality rainfall — regularly topping 2000 to 3000 mm in coastal areas, and significantly more in higher elevations. It’s heaven sent for the rainforests that thrive in the mild temperate climate..

Hunker down and listen to the rain on the roof in these exceptional rainforest hideaways: terrific Te Aka Treehouses, architectural delight BIV and welcoming Rainforest Retreat.

Powerful beauty

High mountain ranges and high rainfall connect spectacularly on the West Coast producing some of New Zealand’s most awe-inspiring water features — the full range from icy glaciers to mirror lakes, mysterious wetlands to deep flowing torrents, thundering waterfalls and pretty cascades. 

Don’t hurry your road trip over the Haast Pass Road (SH6, Wanaka to Haast) and miss the impressive lineup of waterfalls — all easily accessible from roadside parking areas, and always at their breathtaking best when it’s raining. Tops among these watery wonders, just 200 m from the roadside, the Thunder Creek Falls tumble 28 m down a sheer rock face into a deep blue pool beneath. Other short walking detours worth the stop include Roaring Billy and Fantail Falls.

Stunning Coal Creek Falls is a 10-minute drive from Greymouth and an easy 3.6 km walk to an impressive cascade with a beaut swimming hole below.  

A steep 2 km climb above Lake Brunner, on the Inchbonnie lakeside, leads through rainforest to Carew Falls, tumbling down from the Hohonu Peaks. Perch on a giant granite boulder to listen to the water rushing past, and reward your efforts with the refreshing mist and the views across the lake. Just below, Lake Brunner Eco Lodge runs on power generated by the waterfall.

Icy trails

Step out on an ancient river of ice and there’s an exceptional thrill that comes with the ever-so-satisfying crunch of crampons on ice. Up on a glacier, away from the crowds, it may be the only sound you’ll hear. 

Legendary twin glaciers that drop from high mountain ridges into a temperate rainforest zone, Fox and Franz Josef are the most famous of more than 60 glaciers in Westland Tai Poutini National Park. Close but no longer accessible on foot, the best way to experience these great creeping rivers of ice is on a heli hike — a scenic helicopter flight up onto the glacier and a guided hike across the ethereal blue icescape. 

Equipped with all the gear, it’s surprisingly easy tracking across the ice, between ice towers, deep crevasses, and into sublime blue ice caves. Or, for the purest silence of all, launch out at 10,000’ on New Zealand’s only helicopter tandem skydive for 360-degree views of the glaciers, the mountains and the Tasman Sea.

Pure untamed wilderness

World-Heritage listed Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand is a vast, treasured conservation estate  of impenetrable glaciated landscapes — majestic mountains, hidden lakes and wild torrents, Jurassic forests and pristine coastline. 

Haast —a  little town on the main highway (SH6) between Queenstown and the West Coast — is the laid-back gateway to this timeless jewel. There are no roads in or out of the wilderness, but stay over at Haast and you can take a breathtaking scenic boat safari cruising up the aquamarine glacier-fed Waiatoto or Haast rivers into this pure wilderness. 

If you prefer to be lulled to sleep to the gentle roar of a wilderness river on the other side of your insect-screen, it’s hard to beat the Rough and Tumble Lodge at the trailhead of the Old Ghost Road. You don’t have to be a mountain biker to book in here for a sublime wilderness sojourn.