Punakaiki Overview

Punakaiki (pop. 38) is synonymous with pancake rocks and blowholes. Every day, hundreds of tourists put on their raincoats, dash to the cliffs to take pictures of the layered limestone bluffs and geyser-like plumes of water, and then hit the road again. Those who linger find a variety of hikes in the palm forests and sea-carved landscape of Paparoa National Park.

Transportation. Almost all bus service through Punakaiki stops long enough (30min.-1hr.) to allow passengers to see the rocks and take pictures. InterCity (☎768 7080; www.intercity.co.nz) passes through Punakaiki daily en route to Greymouth (45min., 12:35pm, $17) and Nelson (4hr., 3pm, $68) via Westport (1hr., $24). Atomic Shuttles (☎768 5101) provides service south to Greymouth (2:55pm, $15) and Fox Glacier (4hr., $50) and north to Nelson (5hr., noon, $45) and Picton (9hr., $55). Southern Link K Bus (☎0508 458 835) runs to Greymouth (40min., 7:45pm, $13) and Nelson (5hr., 9:25am, $46) via Westport (1hr., $18). Greymouth Taxis also run from Greymouth. (☎768 7078. Round-trip $25, 3-person min.)

Practical Information. The Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre, on SH6 across from the blowholes, has park and tramping info. (☎731 1895; fax 731 1896. Open daily 9am-6pm. In winter 9am-4:30pm.) The nearest gas stations are 35-60km away, but the Wild Coast Cafe (see below) keeps a small emergency supply of gas. They also offer Internet access for $3 per hr. The police (☎768 1600) are in Greymouth, along with the nearest doctor and hospital.

Accommodations And Food. Punakaiki’s accommodations are scattered along SH6. If you’re coming by bus, ask the driver to drop you off at your destination. Though many backpackers stay in Punakaiki just long enough for a photo, the area’s hostels are reason enough to stay. The  Te Nikau Retreat (BBH/YHA) , on Hartmount Pl., is 3km and a 30min. walk north of the visitors center; call for free pickup. This rainforest retreat has the sort of facilities and large common spaces that backpackers dream about. The tiny tent-like “Stargazer” unit has a transparent roof. (☎731 1111. Small store. Dorms $20-25; doubles and 2-person cabins $56, with bath $71; self-contained cabins $81-86. Tent sites $15. MC/V.) The Punakaiki Beach Hostel (BBH) , at Webb St. and Dickenson Pde., is a 15min. walk north from the visitors center; call for free pickup. Airy rooms open onto a magnificent beach where dolphins are sometimes sighted frolicking in the surf. (☎731 1852; www.punakaikibeachhostel.co.nz. Free outdoor spa 6-10pm. Reception 8am-9pm. Dorms $23-24; singles $40; twins and doubles $58. Tent sites $14. $3 BBH discount. MC/V.) Punakaiki Tavern has recently renovated facilities, though cabins remain utilitarian. (☎731 1894. Powered sites $13. 2-person cabins $36-50.)

For limited groceries, stop by Wild Coast Cafe , on SH6 at the turn-off for the Beach Hostel, is packed in summer with pub-goers flipping through their day’s photos over a pint. (☎731 1188. Occasional bands in winter. Pastas from $18.50. Steak $28.50-30.50. Open daily 8am-late.)

Sights And Outdoor Activities. The 35 million-year-old pancake rocks are the product of waves pounding the soft limestone and mudstone cliffs into strange, twisted formations. Subterranean channels have been carved out in three places. When water surges in, it shoots high into the air, creating the Punakaiki blowholes. Both are at the end of the Dolomite Point Walk (20min. round-trip; wheelchair accessible) across from the visitors center. Check the tide schedule before planning your visit, as the blowholes are practically nonexistent at low tide. The best conditions for viewing the blowholes are at high tide with a westerly or southwesterly swell. A superb alternative is the Truman Track (15min.), off SH6, north of the visitors center, which leads through nikau palms to a dramatic lookout point on the ocean’s edge. At low tide, explore the rocks and beach below, including the small, 10m long caverns. For a bigger cave, grab a flashlight and head to the 130m long Punakaiki Cavern, 500m north of Punakaiki, to the right off SH6. The Punakaiki Pororari Loop (3hr. round-trip) winds through the stretch of rainforest from the Punakaiki River to the Pororari River. Check in advance to see if the rivers can be crossed. More rugged trekkers can explore the Inland Pack Track (27km, 2-3 days), which follows the Punakaiki and Pororari Rivers through steep limestone gorges. Fill in the intentions book and get full trail information at the DOC before you go and stay on the track, as there are numerous sinkholes. In addition, the track is very weather dependent and when the rivers are in flood the track is impassable. There is a designated campsite at Ballroom Overhang, but no huts along the track. Green Kiwi (☎731 1843; www.greenkiwitours.co.nz) provides taxi service to trailheads by arrangement and also runs eco-sensitive guided walks (from $60) and caving ($30-200). Punakaiki Canoe Hire, 1km north of the visitors center, near the tavern, has guides and rents canoes. (☎731 1870; www.riverkayaking.co.nz. Canoes $30 for 2hr., $50 per day. Guided tours from $70.) Call Punakaiki Horse Treks to view the pancake rocks from horseback. (☎731 1839. 2hr. from $110. Daily rides 9:30am, 3pm. Open Oct.-May.)