Punakaiki
A small West Coast village famed for the Pancake Rocks, layered limestone stacks formed over about 30 million years. At high tide, blowholes shoot spray into the air, and the surrounding Paparoa National Park has rainforest and caves.
- Where
- Greymouth, West Coast, New Zealand
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- -42.1080, 171.3360
Get the Punakaiki stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Punakaiki. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your West Coast volume with your photos and a note.
Near Punakaiki
Arthur's Pass 95 km
A township and mountain pass in the Southern Alps, linking Canterbury with the West Coast at 920 metres. Arthur's Pass National Park around it has steep tracks, a high alpine flora and the cheeky kea parrots.
Hokitika Gorge 98 km
A scenic reserve and gorge on the Hokitika River, about 33 kilometres and 40 minutes by road inland from Hokitika. The river runs a milky turquoise colour from glacial silt, and swing bridges cross it on a short bush walk.
Castle Hill 128 km
A high country station at 700 metres beside State Highway 73 between Springfield and Arthur's Pass, in the Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area. Huge weathered limestone boulders cover the basin, and the site is popular with climbers and film fans.
Southern Alps 151 km
A mountain range running most of the length of the South Island, with a spine of peaks above 3,000 metres. Its Maori name is Ka Tiritiri o te Moana, and it holds Aoraki Mount Cook and the great glaciers of the west coast.
Mount Hutt 152 km
A mountain of the Southern Alps west of the Canterbury Plains, topped by a major ski field. It rises about 2,190 metres and has one of the longest ski seasons in the country.
Franz Josef Glacier 178 km
A 12 kilometre long glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park that flows from the Southern Alps almost down to rainforest, a few hundred metres above sea level. It has advanced and retreated sharply over the last century and is reached from the village of Franz Josef.
Te Waikoropupū Springs 184 km
Freshwater springs near Takaka in Golden Bay, also called Pupu Springs. They are known for exceptionally clear water and for the large volume that rises from the ground, and a short bush walk with boardwalks leads to the main pool.
Lake Matheson 186 km
A small glacial lake in South Westland near the township of Fox Glacier, once a food gathering place for local Māori. An easy track circles the lake, which is famous for mirror reflections of Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Tasman on calm mornings.
More hidden gems in West Coast
Questions
Where is Punakaiki?
Punakaiki is in Greymouth, West Coast, New Zealand. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Arthur's Pass (95 km), Hokitika Gorge (98 km), Castle Hill (128 km).
How do I get the Punakaiki stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Punakaiki and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your West Coast volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Punakaiki before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your West Coast volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.