Mother Nature had other ideas, picking my weekend to drop a bundle near Franz Joseph and block the highway. Sometimes things turn out for the best. Even two nights in Hokitika wasn’t enough.
Hokitika wears its slogan well — clearly the “cool little town” on New Zealand’s West Coast. There is more than enough to fill several days — places to explore, history to discover and things to do. There are bush walks and cycle trails for all, from serious adventure buffs to slow strollers.
The Hokitika Gorge is spectacular; a must- do and an easy walk — even with its swing bridge. Afterwards, there is the picturesque loop drive around Lake Kaniere to stop at various spots. With lakes and rivers surrounding Hokitika, you can fish, boat and water ski; see glow worms, feed eels and admire native bush from lofty heights along the stunning Treetop Walk.
The area’s history is fascinating, from its foundation on gold mining to its claim as the birthplace of pounamu. Understandably, Hokitika is an artisan haven, locals boasting that it probably has more galleries and studios per capita than anywhere else in New Zealand. Pan for gold, carve your own piece of jade, or fossick on Hokitika’s rugged beach for a speck of treasure.
The foreshore promenade is mandatory any time of the day, but best savoured at sunset. While driftwood sculptures dot the somewhat ominous rock wall every summer following the Driftwood and Sand Festival, Hokitika’s landmark signature is a year-round fixture. Invariably tweaked and twiddled by locals and visitors alike, it’s arguably the top postcard shot.
Plenty to doHokitika’s calendar is loaded with events, quite apart from the Wildfoods Festival. The driftwood event is the second biggest and renews all the intriguing monuments along the beachfront.
For racing fans, the summer races at Hokitika and nearby Kumara draw people from throughout the country.
Other events include the Woodstock Rally at Rimu, junk shows and art days; a lantern parade and a scooter safari. Depending on the time of year, Hokitika is a photographer’s nirvana, borne out by captivating pieces in local galleries framing sunrise behind the town’s clock tower to stunning sunsets at the beach.
The sunset stroll is standard for visitors and locals alike. On a clear evening, paying homage to the dipping sun while munching a pizza is joyful. Fat Pipi Pizzas are the best — especially when dripping with whitebait. Whitebait, after all, is synonymous with Hokitika.
If you’re truly lucky and not one cloud graces the sky, the crisp outline of Aoraki/Mt Cook is a reminder of the Southern Alps’ dominance in this part of the world. That said, given the friendly jibes to the “Wet Coast”, rain is always on the cards. It simply makes the likes of Dorothy Falls at Lake Kaniere more impressive and indoor pastimes at local attractions appealing.
Having read Eleanor Catton’s The Luminaries since visiting Hokitika, her explicit detail made much more sense of this extraordinary area. While fiction meets fact in the book, having walked in the footsteps of her characters, this cool little town’s history is all the richer for her literary masterpiece. I can’t wait for the film version. Hopefully it will have the same effect as Lord of the Rings and lure people in droves to this unique place.
Rain might have thwarted my chance to explore Franz Joseph; but the prospect of another visit to the West Coast is already in the diary — sunsets and whitebait on the menu preferably.
More:
www.hokitika.org (coollittletown.com)
Where to Stay:
Stumpers Bar and Cafe Accommodation
Places to See:
Hokitika Gorge
Lake Kaniere
Lake Mahinapua
Glow Worm dell
Things to Do:
Treetop Walk
Sunset Walk
West Coast Wilderness Trail
Blue Spur MTB trail
