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Known as the “Greenstone centre of New Zealand”
Hokitika has an abundance of pounamu (greenstone) carvers and gold jewelers, as well many arts & crafts shops, studios and factories exhibiting the work of local artists.
For the adventure seekers,T
here are world class extreme kayaking rivers, white water rafting, heliskiing and hiking tracks that cross snowfields, glaciers and the Southern Alps. For the less adventurous there is an abundance of beach and rainforest walks, trout fishing, whitebaiting during the season and gold panning.
The Hokitika Wildfoods Festival,
in early March each year has become famous for its bizarre wild food and great entertainment.
Two hours easy drive south of Hokitika are the spectacular Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers,
nestled amidst rainforest, where the lakes, rivers, forests and beaches are part of an untamed and rugged wilderness.
North of Hokitika is superb coastal scenery leading to Punakaiki and the famous Pancake Rocks and
Blowholes,mysterious limestone rock formations best seen at low tide. Along the way is Shantytown, a re-creation of an early gold mining township near the site of an old gold claim. |
