In the upper South Island, tucked between the Paparoa ranges and the Tasman sea is the small town of Punakaiki. Sitting along some of New Zealand’s most stunning and rugged coastline, Punakaiki hosts a dramatic landscape of limestone cliffs and native forest amidst crashing waves, roaring blowholes and a rich native birdlife.
Punakaiki and its surrounds boast no shortage of enchanting walks, remote beaches, water activities, forest adventures and coffee chats. The longer you linger, the more you encounter, the more your senses thank you.
Discover the heart of Punakaiki
Uncover hidden gems and local community in Punakaiki.
Whether a short meander or a long ramble our walks have a high reward to effort ratio.
The Visit Punakaiki experience is here to help you make the most of your time in Punakaiki. We offer our inside knowledge and experience so you can relax and have the most rewarding and memorable stay.
Click through here for plenty of hot tips on how to make the most of your Punakaiki Experience.
All guides written by locals just for you!
Be inspired by a journey through Punakaiki's most stunning landscapes and experiences.
Pancake Rocks
Paparoa Track
Stacks of Pancake Rocks
Beautiful Beaches
Paddle Boarding
Epic Views
Wild West Coast
Discover local insights and experiences through our community blog
Our short walks offer a high reward to effort ratio, a perfect option for all ages and a great way to experience our dramatic West Coast when limited on time.
Here are five of our most-loved trails near Punakaiki Beach Camp offering breathtaking scenery on easy terrain.
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We’ve had plenty of time to explore this area and we’ve found plenty to do.
Because sometimes it’s nice just letting someone else organise your activities!
These are our favourite paid activities.
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If you’ve seen it during the day fossicking around camp or along the sidewalk it is more than likely another native flightless bird called the Weka. The Weka has a shorter beak and isn’t as shy as the Kiwi which is nocturnal meaning it comes out at night. The Weka are very curious and happy to come and steal anything lying stray around your campsite. Kiwi, which have very long beaks, are endangered and sightings are rare but some lucky hikers on the Paparoa Track have seen them outside their huts after dark.
Yes, the Pancake Rocks is easily walkable for all but one of our accommodation options which are around 1km from the track start or less. The exception is Treescapes, a lovely house tucked away in the bush, which is a short drive of a few minutes.
The blowholes are most spectacular at high tide. Check out a tide guide such as surf-forecast.com to pick your best time.
Check out the Paparoa Experience at the Punangairi Visitor Centre
Yes, Punakaiki has many tracks which are easy to walk to from your accommodation and the tracks, Visitor Centre, cafes, pub/restaurant are all walkable from a shared pedestrian and cycle path.
The pancake rocks are layers upon layers of marine sediment from the seabed formed over millions of years and then forced up by earthquakes to the level we see them today.
Book your stay and experience the magic of Punakaiki's natural paradise.
