Punakaiki - West Coast, New Zealand

Punakaiki is best known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes - both of which are spectacular and a must-see when visiting the West Coast.

Punakaiki is the service centre for the Paparoa National Park - 30,000 ha of varied landscape from lush West Coast native rainforest and mountain tops, to expansive rugged beaches and coastline.

But there's more to see and do here than that - ecotourism and tourist activities are plentiful. Take a walk along the beach looking for greenstone; walk the numerous forest and mountain tracks into the Paparoa National Park. Picnic on the beach, surf, or explore the amazing limestone caves.

Stay a while - make Punakaiki your destination for a couple of days and enjoy the friendly hospitality West Coasters are famous for - there are taverns, cafés and restaurants, and a great range of accommodation.

There's so much more here than meets the eye!

View Larger Map

Click here to download the Punakaiki Visitors' Guide PDF

The Pancake Rocks are columns of limestone resembling stacks of pancakes. At high tide with a heavy swell running, seawater is forced upwards through blowholes.

Click here for the weather forecast and tide timetables