Where Is Punakaiki?

Punakaiki is one of the largest tourist attractions on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand.

It’s small township is best known for it’s unique and spectacular Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. It is also the centre of the magical Paparoa National Park - 30,000 ha of varied and rugged landscape from mountain tops to sea level.

Punakaiki is just half an hour north of Greymouth and forty minutes south of Westport on State Highway 6.

Getting To Punakaiki
There are a few ways to travel to Punakaiki, all which provide spectacular scenery. The fastest is flying direct to either Christchurch or Nelson via www.airnewzealand.co.nz 

Christchurch:  Travel time from Christchurch is four hours which entails breath taking scenery via Arthur's Pass.

Nelson:  The drive is three and half hours where you follow the mighty Buller River through the Buller gorge.

There are daily shuttles from both Nelson & Christchurch. www.atomictravel.co.nz.

If you’re in no rush, we recommend taking the famous TranzAlpine, www.tranzscenic.co.nz - rated one of the world’s greatest and most scenic train trips around.  The Tranz Alpine travels between Christchurch and Greymouth, from one coast of New Zealand to the other.  From your carriage you’ll see the fields of the Canterbury Plains and farmland, followed by the spectacular gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River. Your train then climbs into the Southern Alps before descending through lush beech rain forest to the West Coast town of Greymouth.  This fun journey is 223.8 kilometres long and takes just four and a half hours. There are 16 tunnels, and 5 spectacular viaducts.