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 White Water Rafting - If you are into action and excitement try
White Water Rafting along remote gorges, canyons and high-grade
rapid rivers. Westland is unique in that it offers white water
rafting along rivers which are interspersed with natural hot
pools, so you can relax in the thermal waters after a hard day
negotiating the rapids. As well as white water rafting, the West
Coast offers a myriad of adventure activities for thrill seekers:
kayaking, underground cave rafting, exploring ice caves, alpine
skiing, mountain biking, surfing, jet boating, climbing and
caving, or for gentler pursuits - beach and forest walks, eco
tours, fishing, horse trekking and hiking.
Waterworld - Westland’s Waterworld is an indoor
marine aquarium on the outskirts of Hokitika which offers a
fascinating look at sea life which is unique to the West Coast.
You can watch sharks being fed by brave divers and giant West
Coast eels having a feeding frenzy in the huge aquariums while
remaining safely outside. Take a close up look at local marine
and fresh water fish, crayfish, seahorses and octopuses and see
the largest ever recorded Shortjawed Kokopu. Follow a whitebait
trail and catch a salmon in Waterworld’s indoor lake and
have it prepared fresh for you to eat at their special
restaurant. For those who love marine life and fresh seafood,
Waterworld is the place to visit.
 Wildfoods Festival - Hokitika has become famous in New Zealand
for its annual Wildfoods Festival in March, this food festival
attracts thousands of visitors eager to sample the gourmet ‘bushtucker’ on offer. On the menu is billy tea brewed
in a bushman's hut, huhu grubs, westcargots (local snails in
white wine), gumboot milkshakes, sphagnum moss candy floss,
kangaroo, ostrich, mussels, mountain oysters, Bambi burgers, eel,
scallops, emu, homemade ice cream, and the famous West Coast
whitebait.
It all began in 1990, as part of a celebration of the Goldfield
town’s 125th anniversary. The first ever festival
was held on Hokitika’s waterfront and included inventive
dishes such as venison goulash, possum pate, whitebait patties
and smoked eel. The festival caught on and now it is a West Coast
institution which celebrates the Coaster’s resourcefulness
and sense of humour.
History and Nostalgia -
Hokitika and its surrounds are filled with the memories of days
gone by. Hokitika’s West Coast Historical Museum will give
you a thrilling audio visual journey through the old
gold-prospecting times on the West Coast. The museum reconstructs
the town’s history with displays of original relics,
artifacts and photographs. The museum also provides a fun
treasure hunt for the kids and all weather gold panning in the
miner’s hut. Explore the Hokitika Heritage Trail, an
historical walk through the town that enlivens the
Hokitika’s pioneering past. Take a relaxing Paddleboat
cruise through Lake Mahinapua aboard the Takutai Belle. The area
is rich in natural minerals and metals such as greenstone and
gold and you will find many carvers and jewelers displaying their
original designs.
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