Punakaiki

The Pancake Rocks are picturesque limestone formations that look curiously like stony stacks of pancakes after being pounded by the Tasman Sea for tens of thousands of years. The blow holes funnel blasts water up to 15 m (50 ft) into the air as the waves crash into the caverns below the rocks. The best spouts are caught at high tides with westerly waves (usually signposted at the information centre) but a leisurely 20 min walk around the boardwalks is still great even without timing your visit. Much of the walk is wheelchair-accessible.

Small cave which can be explored - bring a torch.

A track follows the otherworldly Pororari River valley from just north of the pancake rocks. Go as far as you feel like or get to the intersection with the track to Punakaiki town - the whole circle down the two rivers and then over the coastal hill including the pancake rocks takes about 4 hours.

Kayaking on the scenic and birdsong-filled Pororari River is beautiful in any weather. Wetsuits, booties, dry bag, and lifejackets supplied. Tours offered. Open depending on conditions - call ahead to check.

Specialised guided tours exploring the coastlines and forests of the Paparoa National Park.

The Paparoa Track is a "Great Walk" for walkers and mountain bikers opening in December 2019. For walkers the track runs from Smoke-ho car park to Pororari River car park. The track is 55km and there are three huts available from pre-reserved accommodation. The Pike29 Memorial Track is a branch of the track which will open in December 2020, going to the site of the former Pike River Mine. The Pike River Mine was a coal mine which exploded in 2010, killing 29 miners.

The start of the track is 3 km north of Punakaiki. The walk is an easy 1.4 km (30-minute) round-trip walk through subtropical forest to a spectacular coastline views. A stairway used to provide access to the beach, but this has been closed for safety reasons since 2019. No dogs.