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Hotel Class: 
3.5 Stars - 161 Opinions
State Highway 6, PO Box 27, Punakaiki, South Island, New Zealand
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of people enjoy staying here
161 Opinions
Boarding the Magic Bus - Punakaiki - NZ
Pancake Rocks - Punakaiki - NZ
Pancake Rocks - Punakaiki - NZ
Inside the cafe
Punakaiki is located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located 45km north of Greymouth, on the outskirts of Paparoa National Park. It is roughly a 4 hour drive from Christchurch, following Highway 73 across the South Island from east to west, and then Highway 6 up from Greymouth. During this trip, you will likely stop in Arthur's Pass, and Greymouth as they are the largest towns on the trip.
For directions from Christchurch, try this link: Map to Punakaiki
As this was part of a day trip from Christchurch to Hokitika, Punakaiki did not require any baggage. If this is part of a longer camper van, then this trip would be wisely put into a backpacker form. During August, the weather was definitely cold enough to warrant a fleece coat, and long pants. I was not cold enough to use thermal underwear, however Sarah was ready for a nice warm fire by the end of the evening. Readily available in Punakaiki, but not in the smaller towns on the way. I had to include this picture of Sarah in her Punakaiki Gallery Hat. I would assume that later in the winter this would be useful, however in August it would be overkill.
It seems like this area of New Zealand rains quite a bit. When I was there, it was drizzling. So Jac & I stopped by the Tourist Centre to pick up some souvenirs (In actual fact to steer clear for the rain). The lady at the counter advised me to buy a beanie to keep ourselves warm, and that was what I did.
Just a 15 minutes drive down south of Punakaiki is a rock-filled but extremely serene stretch of beach. Take a quick breather and hear the sea come to life as the waves pound the greyish sand. I was there for about 20 minutes - admiring the sea that was in front of me and the mountain that was behind.
The beach was literally untouched, except that, someone had actually set up a fireplace to keep themselves warm.
A very rewarding short walk... just 15 minutes walk through the coastal forest, it'll lead you to this great ocean view. You can also get down to the beach with caves and a waterfall.
To get here, you'll have to watch out for signage. It's located north of Punakaiki (not very far). If you're coming from the north, pull over opposite of the track entrance. There's a small area to park your car.
Remember to bring along a jacket, it can get really windy & cold out there!!
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