Shining Star

The West Coast


This attractive and versatile beachfront spot has everything from camping to log-lined cabins facing the sea. Kids will love the menagerie, including pigs and alpacas straight from Dr Doolittle’s appointment book. Parents might prefer the spa or sauna.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The West Coast attractions

1. Glowworm Dell

0.05 MILES

At nightfall, bring a torch (or grope your way) into this grotto on the northern edge of town, signposted off SH6. The dell is an easy opportunity to…

2. St Mary's Catholic Church

0.74 MILES

This handsome Catholic church, completed in 1928, could only be admired from the outside when we passed through, due to earthquake-strengthening…

3. National Kiwi Centre

0.82 MILES

Tiptoe through the darkened kiwi house to watch the birds rummage for tasty insects, or stare a tuatara – a reptile unchanged for 150 million years – in…

4. Clock Tower

0.89 MILES

Iconic only to West Coast locals, Hokitika's attractive clock tower was unveiled in 1903 to commemorate King Edward VII's coronation and to memorialise…

5. Hokitika Museum

0.99 MILES

Housed in the gorgeous, recently strengthened Carnegie Building (1908), this museum has displays on greenstone, gold mining, history and whitebait fishing.

6. Sunset Point

1.38 MILES

A visit to Sunset Point is a quintessential Hokitika experience: watch the day's light fade away, observe whitebaiters casting nets, munch fish and chips,…

7. Lake Māhinapua

7.05 MILES

Serene Lake Māhinapua lies 10km southwest of Hokitika, screened from SH6 by its surrounding forest. The scenic reserve, gazetted in 1907, has a picnic…

8. Lake Kaniere

12.4 MILES

Lying at the heart of a 7000-hectare scenic reserve, 18km southeast of Hokitika, beautiful Lake Kaniere is 8km long, 2km wide, up to 195m deep, and…