Health & Wellness
SLOW DOWN, SWITCH OFF, RESTORE
You can’t escape the healing power of nature on the West Coast. It could be a quiet walk in the woods, an invigorating swim in the ocean, a relaxing soak in a hot pool or just taking time to gaze into the universe above.
Check in for some well deserved West Coast rest and relaxation. Slow down, leave the everyday behind and take time to treat yourself and your soul.
Soak your cares away
Soothe your body and mind with a soak in healing waters. In Franz Josef, private wood-fired tubs nestled amongst native bush are filled with pure glacial water from fresh mountain streams. Nearby Rainforest Retreat offers hot tubs on the deck for romantic evening spa-gazing – the night skies here are wild!
If you’re willing to put in a little legwork, there are natural hot pools bubbling away in the West Coast wilderness. A day’s hiking through native bush and ancient alpine landscapes alongside the rushing Copland River will bring you to Welcome Flat Hut. Weary muscles will appreciate a soak in the nearby natural hot pools with magnificent mountain views.
Forest therapy
A walk in the woods is good for body and soul. Tree-hugging aside, the health benefits of ‘shinrin-yoku’ – the Japanese practice of forest-bathing – have gained international approval. That’s a nice fit with the West Coast where there’s a bush trail around every corner. There’s plenty of variety here, too: lush, rustling groves of nīkau palms, dappled beech forest, and verdant rainforest.
Take the Truman Track at Punakaiki for a brief blast of soaring trunks, entangled vines and vibrant green canopy or follow the trail around stunning Lake Matheson / Te Ara Kairaumati Walk. It’s famous for reflections but don’t miss out on soaking up the rainforest goodness.
Retreat for wellness
Thoughtfully designed West Coast retreats harness and amplify nature’s healing powers. In an alpine river valley, Maruia Hot Springs is an intimate wellness resort and day spa. Immerse yourself in hot pools fed by pure geothermal waters bubbling up from below. Treat yourself to a massage or yoga class, or wile away the time between sauna and plunge pool. There’s a healthy on-site restaurant and stylish lodgings.
Immersed in nature, 5-star Te Waonui Forest Retreat is a luxury hotel with an on-site spa for top-to-toe relaxing and rejuvenating packages. You literally won’t see the wood for the trees, as the hotel wings have been carefully constructed for maximum privacy within a dense patch of luxuriant rainforest.
Eco-friendly stays
Create your own retreat and book yourself into accommodation that celebrates nature. At luxury eco-resort Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki, you’re fully immersed in nature. Wake up to tui and bellbirds in the trees, sit on the beach watching rare Fiordland crested penguins coming and going, watch for tiny Hector’s dolphins, and go to sleep to the sound of the morepork.
For more secluded stays, Punakaiki boasts two off-grid glamping sites: Woodpecker Hut (an outdoor kitchen, simple luxuries, hot tub included) and Indo Kiwi (a Balinese-style one-bedroom hut set in serene sub-tropical gardens).
