What is hokitika famous for

Contact Laura via our contact page. Was this article useful? Super useful! Needs improvement. Share on facebook Facebook. Share on pinterest Pinterest. Share on twitter Twitter. Related Posts. The Travel Guide to Greymouth on a Budget. The Honeymoon Guide to Greymouth. The Travel Guide to Greymouth for Families. Recommended For You. South Pacific Islands. In Hokitika, there are probably more galleries and studios per capita than anywhere in NZ. You can wander around town and watch artists at work.

Talk to pounamu and bone carvers, photographers, painters, glass blowers, sculptors, wood turners, potters, jewelers, craftspeople and metal, stone and textile artists. Rest a while on the Take-a-Seat art installations around town. Just north of Hokitika lies the Arahura River, the birthplace of pounamu , or New Zealand greenstone. Hokitika is a vital stop to learn about the stone and watch it being carved. There are many talented artists creating jewellery and art pieces that will make for a treasured gift back home.

This post may contain affiliate links. Where is Hokitika? Unique things to do. Free things to do. Other things to do.

Hokitika a small coastal town on the West Coast. Hokitika Gorge, much like the blue pools at Haast , is a stunning river system with turquoise blue waters that flow down from the Southern Alps. Just half an hour inland from the main town of Hokitika, the gorge is easily accessible via the boardwalk that winds its way down the side of the grey stone gorge wall. We really loved the Hokitika Gorge, despite it being busier than we expected. So another of the unique things to do in Hokitika is carving your own Jade Stone!

There are a couple of places along the West Coast where you can find Jade but Hokitika is one of the best, especially at the mouth of the Hokitika River, making it truly one of the most unique things to do in Hokitika. Better yet — why not take it to Bonz n Stonz and carve it yourself! Their dark enclosures make it easy to see them in a true to the natural environment of this nocturnal bird. They also have a selection of other native and endemic New Zealand animals such as longfin eels, Tuatara and Koura freshwater crayfish , so it really is one of the greatest things to do in Hokitika if you have kids or just love wildlife!

Whitebait is a local delicacy and with that comes some pretty wacky recipes. Looking for unique things to do in Hokitika? The Driftwood Festival is the thing to do here. Thanks to the rough seas of the West Coast, Hokitika is the final destination for a lot of driftwood. Local artists here have made that an iconic part of the area by creating an annual driftwood festival. There are prizes for the winners and you can play judge by casting your vote along with a gold coin donation.

Not visiting during January? This still deserves to be on your list of things to do in Hokitika as the driftwood sculptures stay on the beach until nature takes its course, when we visited in March there were still signs of artwork from the previous year.

Here you can learn about the gold rush era, why Whitebait is so popular and even read about the history of Jadestone. When the weather is clear, you can sometimes see Mount Cook New Zealand's tallest mountain and the Southern Alps from the beach. The beach is also famous as a fantastic sunset-viewing spot. Pounamu is the Maori name for greenstone or jade, which originates on the West Coast. It's sometimes possible to find greenstone on Hokitika Beach after a storm, but unless you know what you're looking for, you'd be better off shopping for a piece in one of Hokitika's boutiques.

Carvers make a range of jewelry and objets d'art, with prices falling everywhere along the spectrum. If you're not in the market to buy a piece of pounamu, taking a look in the galleries and shops is free and fascinating. Also, keep an eye out for the rare Aotea stone, only found in southern Westland. It's similar to pounamu but more of a bluish color. Hokitika is hardly a metropolis, but if you'd prefer to stay out of town, try camping at nearby Lake Kaniere.

There's a standard Department of Conservation campsite here, with sites for tents and caravans and camper vans. Fishing and swimming can be done from the lakeshore. There are several short walks beside the lake that lead to different viewing points and swimming areas.

Lake Kaniere is about 30 minutes drive inland from Hokitika. Whether you stay overnight at Lake Kaniere or not, you can visit beautiful Dorothy Falls within the Lake Kaniere Scenic Reserve, east of the lake on a day or half-day trip from Hokitika. The tall, multi-tiered falls are sometimes just a trickle, but after rain widespread on the West Coast!

It's surrounded by bush and just a short walk from the parking lot. Swimming in the plunge pool is refreshing in the summer. Hokitika's population of 3, swells in late summer and early autumn, when the Wildfoods Festival is held every year. As well as entertainment, festival-goers can "enjoy" tasting all kinds of weird and wonderful foods that you won't find on the average restaurant menu.

If huhu grubs and bull testicles don't appeal, there's also plenty of more "normal" food and drink to keep you well fed. Book accommodations well in advance.