Fodor's Expert Review Westland/Tai Poutini National Park

The glaciers are the main attractions here, yet there are many other beautiful places to explore in this magnificent national park and World Heritage region, which encompasses everything from New Zealand’s highest mountains to glaciers, rain forests, hidden lakes, and coastal wetlands. Scenic drives and a couple of walks in the glacial valleys bring you to viewpoints within 500 feet or so of the glaciers. Alternatively, from Fox township, drive about 4 km (2½ miles) toward the coast on Cook Flat Road for a roadside view of Fox Glacier (weather permitting). Because of glacial recession access onto the actual glaciers is no longer possible by foot, but by helicopter only. There are many guided heli–hike options, as well as scenic flights for both glaciers. Flights are generally best early in the morning, when visibility tends to be clearest. Summer may be warmer, but there is more rain and fog that can scuttle flightseeing and hiking plans. In winter, there are fewer people, and the skies are clearer, which means fewer canceled flights and more spectacular views. In fact, winter in this area can be a lot warmer than the snow resort towns east of the Southern Alps. Note that the glaciers are currently receding fast, and with less ice to bind their rocks, the mountains and valleys are increasingly prone to slips and landslides. Accordingly, access roads and trails change regularly for safety reasons; do check with the Department of Conservation (DOC) or i-SITE Visitor Informtion Centre about current conditions, and be sure to heed all DOC warning signs. Away from the ice, just a five-minute drive west of Fox Glacier township is the walk around Lake Matheson, leading to one of the country's most famous views. A trail winds by the lakeshore to where (weather permitting) the snowcapped peaks of Aoraki/Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman are reflected in the water. It's an easy 2.6-km (1-mile) walk right around the lake. The best times to visit are sunrise and sunset, when the mirror-like reflections are less likely to be fractured by the wind. Other beautiful park walks are on the coast; at Gillespies Beach (coastal wetlands and forests and wild surf), and at Ōkārito, where your choices are the wetland boardwalk (20 minutes), Ōkārito Trig for an amazing viewpoint of Ōkārito Lagoon and Aoraki/Mt. Cook (1½ hour round-trip), and the Three Mile Pack Track, where you can return along the beach if you get the tide right.