Places to Explore In Upper South Island and the West Coast

Discover the best places to explore in Upper South Island and the West Coast with curated recommendations from our travel experts.

Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman National Park is a stunning-yet-accessible swath of idyllic beaches and estuaries backed by a hinterland of native beech forests, granite gorges, and waterfalls...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 2 Hotels
  • 2 Things To Do

Blenheim

Many people come to Blenheim (pronounced bleh-num by the locals) for the wine. There are dozens of wineries in the area, some with stylish cellar...

  • 5 Restaurants
  • 4 Hotels
  • 10 Things To Do

Farewell Spit

A 35-km (22-mile) sandspit that expands tenfold when the tide goes out, Farewell Spit is the home of tens of thousands of seabirds, many of...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 0 Things To Do

French Pass and D'Urville Island

They're not easy to get to, but if you have an adventurous spirit and don't mind a rough road, French Pass and D'Urville Island are...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 0 Things To Do

Golden Bay and Takaka

The gorgeous stretch of coastline that begins at Separation Point, in Abel Tasman National Park, and runs westward past Takaka to Farewell Spit is known...

  • 5 Restaurants
  • 4 Hotels
  • 4 Things To Do

Greymouth

The town of Greymouth is aptly named—at first take, it's a rather dispirited strip of motels and industrial buildings stretched along a wild beach. It...

  • 4 Restaurants
  • 1 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Havelock

Known as the Greenshell mussel capital of the world (Greenshells are a variety of green-lipped mussel), Havelock is at the head of Pelorus and Keneperu...

  • 3 Restaurants
  • 1 Hotels
  • 0 Things To Do

Hokitika

Hokitika is one of the larger towns along the West Coast, with the pounding ocean before it and bush-covered hills behind. It's a place of...

  • 3 Restaurants
  • 3 Hotels
  • 5 Things To Do

Kahurangi National Park

New Zealand's second-largest national park, Kahurangi is 1.1 million acres of marbled mountains with fluted rock forms, arches, shafts, and sinkholes (featured in the Lord...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 2 Things To Do

Kaikoura

The town of Kaikoura sits at the base of a peninsula that juts into the ocean from the east coast, and is backed by the...

  • 5 Restaurants
  • 4 Hotels
  • 2 Things To Do

Karamea

North of Westport, the coastline is squeezed between high mountain ranges and pounding surf. The highlight of the tiny settlements along this stretch is Karamea...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 0 Things To Do

Mapua

Though Nelson's a bustling city, it retains a rural quality. Overlooking Tasman Bay and the foothills of the Bryant and Richmond ranges behind, open farmland...

  • 1 Restaurants
  • 2 Hotels
  • 4 Things To Do

Motueka

Motueka (mo-too-eh-ka) is a horticultural center—hops, kiwifruit, and apples are among its staples. As a major gateway to two national parks, Kahurangi and Abel Tasman...

  • 3 Restaurants
  • 3 Hotels
  • 1 Things To Do

Murchison

Surrounded by high mountains and roaring rivers, this small town is in some big country. With Nelson Lakes National Park to the east, Kahurangi National...

  • 2 Restaurants
  • 2 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Nelson

Relaxed, hospitable, and easy to explore on foot, Nelson has a way of always making you feel as though you should stay longer. You can...

  • 4 Restaurants
  • 5 Hotels
  • 12 Things To Do

Nelson Lakes National Park

Spread around mountains and two spectacular glacial lakes, Rotoroa and Rotoiti, the Nelson Lakes National Park also extends to high alpine passes and rocky peaks...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 1 Hotels
  • 1 Things To Do

Picton

The maritime township of Picton (population 4,000) is a popular boating spot and has two sizable marinas, the smaller at Picton Harbour and the much...

  • 3 Restaurants
  • 4 Hotels
  • 5 Things To Do

Punakaiki and Paparoa National Park

Paparoa National Park extends from the forest-covered Paparoa Range inland, to the coast. With steep bluffs, limestone basins, canyons, caves, and fluted rock, it's a...

  • 1 Restaurants
  • 2 Hotels
  • 0 Things To Do

Westland/Tai Poutini National Park

Westland/Tai Poutini is a place of extremes, from the highest mountains to most ancient rain forest, and certainly extreme precipitation. Try to allow more than...

  • 4 Restaurants
  • 5 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Westport

One of New Zealand's oldest ports sits at the mouth of the mighty Buller River. Once a boomtown for two separate gold rushes, it's now...

  • 2 Restaurants
  • 3 Hotels
  • 1 Things To Do

Explore Upper South Island and the West Coast

Sights 48

Shopping 6

Nightlife 2

Performing Arts 4

Restaurants 45

Hotels 46
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