The West Coast is described as one of the most beautiful regions in the South Island of New Zealand. Bounded by Kahurangi National Park to the north, and Mount Aspiring National Park to the south, the region has a 600km long coastline and lies in a narrow band between the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea.

It is a diverse, spectacular and dynamic setting - from rivers and mountain peaks to coastal wetland areas and wild coastlines. Nearly two million hectares of rainforest and bush is protected conservation land. About 32,000 people live in the towns, small settlements, rural areas and splendid remote places that are steeped in historical and cultural wonder.

All of this provides tourists a lot of things to see and enjoy their trip along with getting fascinated.

√ Paparoa National Park : - Explore the limestone caves and canyons located to the East of Hwy.6.

√ History House Museum : - The History House Museum has collected, preserved, interpreted and exhibited the human and natural history of the Greymouth district. The museum helps to tell stories relating to the local Indigenous culture, European and migration to the district and local industries including farming and timber.

√ Hokitika Glass Studio : - This gorgeous studio is filled with beautiful hand crafted glassware. This studio hosts some of the finest glassware in the world!!

√ Left Bank Art Gallery : - Located by the bank of the Grey River in the heart of Greymouth, The main Gallery and Vault spaces display regular exhibitions of contemporary New Zealand painting, prints, photography, sculpture and crafts with an emphasis on local content.

Housed in a historic former Bank of New Zealand building, The Left Bank Art Gallery showcases the wealth of West Coast artistic talent.

West Coast is filled up with attractions for the tourists and some of them include The Charleston Nile River Rainforest Train, New Zealand Ruby Rock Ltd, Shantytown, Coaltown Museum, and so on.

Catering to the needs of all the budgets, West Coast has got a variety of activities to offer that ranges from theatre, music, opera, pubs, casino’s and horse riding apart from various other offers.

Like the landscape, the food here is wild. In March, the popular Hokitika Wild Foods Festival offers extreme challenges, such as huhu grubs and fish eyes, alongside more the traditional delicacies - venison, pork and whitebait. Hunting deer or boar by helicopter, deep in the forest-covered mountains, will appeal to gastro-tourists who prefer to source their own wild food.

During the September to mid-November season, tiny native whitebait are caught in their thousands along the river mouths. Combined with egg and a little flour, they make amazing fritters - the perfect accompaniment for any of the local boutique beers.

Speaking of beer, Monteiths brewery in Greymouth provides tours and fascinating insights into their range of boutique beers. And New Zealand’s oldest ice cream company, Westland Snowflake, makes a beer flavoured ice cream.

The tiny mining town of Blackball, which hosts a sausage festival in November, is known for its salami company and an apiary that specialises in a distinctive rata-kamahi bush honey.

Throughout the West Coast region, historic hotels, luxury lodges, restaurants and cafes offer light alfresco dining in summer and hearty fireside meals during winter.

The West Coast is a haven for artisans who gain inspiration from the landscape and enjoy the relaxed lifestyle that exists here. An extensive range of galleries and craft shops showcase locally made pieces. As well as the traditional mediums used in arts and crafts, the West Coast is home to some unique New Zealand resources.

Jade (Pounamu or Greenstone, as it is also known) has its only significant source on the South Island's West Coast. Treasured by the Maori for its incredible strength and beauty, it plays a significant part in Maori culture as a much sought after and sacred resource. Today it is carved into magnificent sculptures and jewellery pieces, which are exhibited in galleries throughout the region.

The geological forces that combined to create Jade deposits also produced another unique gemstone - Ruby Rock. Found nowhere else in the world, beautiful jewellery pieces are created from this stone.

√ Adventure Activities : - Tour operators in the West Coast offer white water rafting, underground cave rafting, jet boating, horse trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, caving and a range of other activities.

√ Heaphy Track in the Kahurangi National Park : - Visitors can enjoy one of New Zealand's 'Great Walks' as well as a range of shorter walking options.

√ Seal Colony : - Cape Foulwind near Westport has a seal colony viewing point accessible by short walk. The track is suitable for wheelchair acces.

√ Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes : - The blowholes operate at high tide and are best on a blustery day when there are big seas.

√ Shantytown, 15 minutes South of Greymouth : - A replica pioneering town with steam train rides, a working gold claim where visitors can successfully pan for gold, as well as historic buildings including the local saloon, jail, church, hospital and school.

√ Blackball (30 minutes inland from Greymouth) : - Blackball is where the New Zealand Labour Party movement was founded. Visit the well known hotel 'Formerly the Blackball Hilton'.

√ Ross (30 minutes South of Hokitika) : - As well as being of historic interest, this goldmining town still has working goldmines. Visitors can do a local tour from the Ross Goldfields information centre.

√ White Heron Sanctuary, Whataroa : - Visit the only nesting colony of the white heron (kotuku) in New Zealand. The bird's breeding season is between October and March.

√ Coastal Okarito : - Observe the largest unmodified tidal inlet in New Zealand and a major feeding area for birds, with over 70 species recorded.

√ Franz Josef & Fox Glaciers : - Take a guided walk or helihike on to the glaciers.

There are different ways for you to explore this stunning region. From rental vehicles to passenger trains and on-demand taxi services. Travelling here is so much more than getting from A to B.

→ Air : - Two airports - Westport and Hokitika - provide air links to and from the West Coast.

→ Coach : - InterCity Coachlines and Newmans Coachlines have a nation-wide network including daily scheduled coach services to the West Coast region, from both northern and southern directions. Other local companies operate services to and from this region.

→ Rail : - Greymouth is the main rail terminus for the West Coast region. The 'TranzAlpine' is a daily service between Christchurch and Greymouth.