Region

West Coast

Drive it as a 2–3 day through-route between Christchurch and the glaciers; stop at Hokitika, not Greymouth, if you only have one night.

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Key facts · New Zealand

Best months: Nov–Feb
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: New Zealand dollar
Language: English, te reo Māori and NZ Sign Language are official
Plugs: I · 230 V
Time zone: NZST UTC+12

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 9

Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
New Zealand ↗Visa-waiver visitors need an NZeTA (with the tourism levy) before travel, including many transit passengers; others need a visa. Apply only through Immigration New Zealand or its official app, and check the rules for your passport.
New Zealand ↗Declare all food, plant and animal products, and used outdoor gear such as hiking boots and tents, on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration; undeclared risk items bring instant fines.
New Zealand ↗Drive on the left; give way as signed at one-lane bridges; an English-language licence or one with an approved translation or International Driving Permit is required.
New Zealand ↗Freedom camping is restricted: sleep in a vehicle only where signed as allowed, and in many places only in certified self-contained vehicles.
South Island ↗Left-hand drive; many one-lane bridges and single-lane sections on the West Coast and Milford roads. Allow more time than the distance suggests.
South Island ↗Weather changes fast in the high country; check the forecast before any alpine or fiord day and carry rain and warm layers.

The West Coast is a 600 km strip between the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea, and almost everything worth stopping for sits on or just off State Highway 6. It is a through-route, not a base: two nights minimum if you want both glaciers, three if you also want Punakaiki and the Haast Pass. Rain is the default — build in a spare day rather than a tighter schedule.

Where to sleep

10 places in this region

Sleep base

WestportCity guide
Buller district base; Cape Foulwind and the Buller river mouth.
Best Dec–Apr
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GreymouthCity guide
Largest town on the Coast; TranzAlpine terminus, brewery tours.
Best Nov–Apr
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HokitikaCity guide
Best one-night stop: beach, gorge, and the road to Lake Kaniere.
Best Dec–Apr
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Franz JosefCity guide
Glacier village; heli-hikes and the glacier valley walk.
Best Dec–Apr
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Fox GlacierCity guide
Quieter twin to Franz Josef; Lake Matheson is 6 km (3.7 mi) away.Quieter twin to Franz Josef; Lake Matheson is 3.7 mi (6 km) away.
Best Dec–Apr
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Day trip

PunakaikiCity guide
Pancake Rocks and blowholes; 45 min north of Greymouth.
Best Nov–Apr
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ReeftonCity guide
Inland on SH7; gold-mining streetscape and a dark-sky reserve.
Best Nov–Apr
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KarameaCity guide
Road-end north of Westport; Ōpārara arches and Kahurangi.
Best Nov–Apr
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HaastCity guide
Southern gateway; Haast Pass road to Wānaka.
Best Nov–Apr
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CharlestonCity guide
Small coast stop between Westport and Punakaiki; seal colony nearby.
Best Nov–Apr
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Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

2 nights: Hokitika 1 + Franz Josef or Fox 1, driving Christchurch to the glaciers
3 nights: Punakaiki or Westport 1 + Hokitika 1 + Franz Josef 1
4 nights: Add a spare weather day at the glaciers, then out over Haast Pass

Driving Christchurch to Fox Glacier in one day is 6–7 hours of winding road — split it at Hokitika or Greymouth.
Mobile coverage stops south of Fox until the Haast area; do not rely on a phone for directions or emergencies.
Sandflies are worst near water and at dusk; cover ankles and wrists.
The region is isolated — carry a spare tyre, a full tank, warm clothes and water.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Punakaiki	Greymouth	45 min	unknown	Pancake Rocks walk is about 20 min; go at high tide for the blowholes.
Lake Matheson	Fox Glacier	10 min	unknown	Loop walk about 1 h 30; the mirror view needs a calm, clear morning.
Lake Kaniere	Hokitika	30 min	unknown	Partly unsealed loop road; Dorothy Falls and Canoe Cove boardwalk.
Cape Foulwind	Westport	15 min	unknown	Clifftop walk to a fur seal colony; exposed in wind.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding on the Coast; you carry your own bags between towns.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Westport	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	ok	go
Greymouth	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	go	go
Hokitika	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	ok	go
Franz Josef	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	ok	go
Fox Glacier	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	ok	go
Punakaiki	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	go	go
Reefton	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	go	go
Karamea	go	go	go	go	×	×	×	×	×	ok	go	go
Haast	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	go	go
Charleston	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	go	go
South Island (country-wide)	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Buller and Grey (Westport, Greymouth)northern half of the Coast	best	best	ok	ok	cool	cool	cool	cool	ok	ok	best	best
Westland (Hokitika to Haast)southern half, against the Alps	best	best	ok	ok	cool	cool	cool	cool	ok	ok	best	best

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, grey

Buller and Grey (Westport, Greymouth): Rain falls year-round; summer is the driest window and the busiest.
Westland (Hokitika to Haast): Some of the highest rainfall in the country; winter here is often calmer and clearer than summer.

February to April gives the most settled weather and fewer crowds than December–January. Glacier flights and heli-hikes cancel on wind and cloud, so keep a spare day.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Christchurch (SH73 via Arthur's Pass)	Greymouth / Hokitika	Self-drive over Arthur's Pass	~3 h 30 to Greymouth	Steep grades and corners; not advised for caravans or trailers.
Christchurch (SH7 via Lewis Pass)	Reefton / Greymouth	Self-drive over Lewis Pass	~3 h 30 to Greymouth	The easier all-year road and the recommended one for towing.
Christchurch	Greymouth	TranzAlpine scenic train	~4 h 30	Daily return service; one of the great rail crossings of the Southern Alps.
Nelson / Picton	Westport / Greymouth	InterCity coach	~4 h to Westport	Daily services down the Coast; book ahead in summer.
Wānaka	Haast / Fox Glacier	Self-drive over Haast Pass (SH6)	~2 h to Haast	The southern entry; no fuel between Makarora and Haast.
Wellington	Westport	Sounds Air flight	~50 min	One to three flights a day, Sunday to Friday; check the current schedule.
Christchurch	Hokitika	Air New Zealand flight	~40 min	Daily service into Hokitika airport; a weather-dependent route.

Regional passes

Verdict first

InterCity FlexiPass

check

Pays if you are doing several coach legs; run the point-to-point fares first.

Rental car

buy

The only practical way to see the Coast at your own pace; book early for summer and check one-way fees.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Whitebait fritters	Hokitika and Greymouth cafés	Westland is the main source; the season runs roughly late August to late November, so off-season menus use frozen bait.
Wild foods (possum pie, unusual meats)	Hokitika, around the March Wild Foods Festival	Festival timing changes year to year — check dates before booking around it.
Pub meal at an RSA or workingmen's club	Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika	Cheap, filling and open to visitors; sign in at the door.
Brewery tour and a pint	Westport and Greymouth	Both towns have breweries offering tours; check times locally.

Go next

South Island

SH6 north to Nelson or south over Haast Pass

The Coast is one leg of the South Island loop.

New Zealand

Fly out of Hokitika or Christchurch

Open-jaw tickets work well here: in via Christchurch, out via Queenstown.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 5 bases
Day trips: 4, 10 min to 45 min
Nights suggested: 2–4 nights
Ways in: 7 listed
Best months: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec (all zones)

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

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Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialWest Coast Regional Council
officialGreat Journeys of New Zealand — TranzAlpine
officialInterCity coaches
officialDepartment of Conservation — Westland Tai Poutini National Park
secondaryWikivoyage: West Coast (New Zealand), revision 5259005 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about West Coast

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