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New Zealand's '''West Coast''' ''(or '''The Coast''')'' refers to the west coast of the [[South Island]] of [[New Zealand]].

==Regions==
*[[Buller]]
*[[Westland (New Zealand)|Westland]]

==Cities==
There used to be ''cities'' on the Coast, they are really small towns now.  Indeed, some have recently suggested the whole place is a village with a main street a few hundered miles long. In a place where popping down the road to the shops can easily be a 200km round trip, the concept of ''metropolitan area'' is a non-starter. 

* [[Westport (New Zealand)|Westport]]
* [[Greymouth]]
* [[Hokitika]]

==Other Destinations==
''From North to South''
* [[Karamea]]
* [[Reefton]]
* [[Punakaiki]]
* [[Ross_%28New_Zealand%29|Ross]]
* [[Hari Hari]]
* [[Whataroa]]
* [[Franz Josef]]
* [[Fox Glacier]]
* [[Haast]]

==Understand==
Before tourism became a more economical sustainable business, ''coasters'' mined coal, dredged or panned for gold, cut down the native forests.  Generally they cleared the land and drained the swamps for farming, exploiting the land. They still exploit the land but it is now done in an environmentally sustainable way.  Some believe ''the Coast'' is on its last legs, yet others see great potential for a land full of natural beauty, ready to be exploited by, and developed for, tourists, in environmentally sustainable ways.

==Talk==

==Get in==

'''From the North'''
* From [[Blenheim (New Zealand)|Blenheim]] take '''State Highway 6''', via [[Nelson]] over the '''Hope Saddle''' to [[Murchison]] or take '''State Highway 63''' via [[St Arnaud]] and the [[Nelson Lakes National Park]]. '''State Highway 63''' meets '''State Highway 6''' at ''Howard Junction'' about 40km north of Murchison.

'''From the East'''
* From [[Christchurch]] there are two options:
** '''State Highway 7''' leaves '''State Highway 1''' at [[Waipara]] in [[North Canterbury]], travels past [[Hanmer Springs]] and over the the '''Lewis Pass''' to [[Reefton]] and on to [[Greymouth]] where it joins '''State Highway 6'''. This is a good road at any time of the year and suitable for any type of vehicle and is the recommended route for towing caravans or trailers.
** '''State Highway 73''' is the direct route from Christchurch to the Coast. It travels through [[Mid Canterbury]] to [[Springfield (New Zealand)|Springfield]], before climbing over, first, '''Porters Pass''' and then '''Arthurs Pass''' before descending down the ''Taramakau River'' to meet '''State Highway 6''' at '''Kumara Junction''', about half way between [[Greymouth]] and [[Hokitika]]. 
::This road has a number of steep grades and sharp corners - towing caravans or trailers over this route is not advised. Until recently, the descent from the top of '''Arthurs Pass''' to '''Otira''' included a single lane section that was subject to rockfalls. It has now been replaced with a viaduct.  
::Historically, this is the horse drawn coach route and this dictated that the trans-alpine railway line also cross the [[Southern Alps]] here, via the '''Otira Tunnel'''. Steeped in history, and with spectacular and varied scenery, be sure to stop in at [[Arthurs Pass National Park]] headquarters in [[Arthurs Pass]] township, even if it is only for a quick break.

'''From the South'''

* From [[Wanaka]] travel '''State Highway 6''' over the '''Haast Pass''' to [[Haast]] and the glaciers.

===By train===
* '''Trans-Alpine Express'''. [http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz/]  Departs from [[Christchurch]] and provides a daily return journey to [[Greymouth]] and has been described as one of the best rail journeys in the world. It includes many tunnels, apart from the 8 km long '''Otira Tunnel''', with a grade of 1:33 making it one of the steepest grades of any two rail traction railway tunnel in the world as well as the third longest railway tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere.

===By coach===

InterCity Coachlines [http://www.intercity.co.nz/]  operates daily services along the West coast departing from Nelson and Picton. InterCity also offer a range of fixed itinerary options which enable you to travel from Nelson to Queenstown via the West Coast.   Newmans Coach Lines [http://www.newmanscoach.co.nz] provides premium daily sightseeing tours from Queenstown to both [[Fox Glacier| Fox]] and [[Franz Josef| Franz Joseph Glaciers]].

Budget travel is provided by
* <listing name="Atomic Shuttles" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="03 349 0697" email="info@atomictravel.co.nz" fax="03 349 3868" url="http://www.atomictravel.co.nz/" hours="" price=""> Operates Picton - Nelson - Fox Glacier, Christchurch - Greymouth and Greymouth - Queenstown</listing>
* <listing name="Southern Link KBus" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="0508 458 835 or 03 358 8355" email="" fax="03 358 8585" url="http://southernlinkkbus.co.nz/" hours="" price=""> Nelson to Greymouth via St Arnaud, Westport and Punakaiki </listing>
* <listing name="Coast to Coast Daily Bus Service Ltd" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="0800 800 847" email="coast.coast@xtra.co.nz" fax="" url="http://www.coast2coast.co.nz/" hours="" price=""> Christchurch to Greymouth via Arthurs Pass</listing>
* <listing name="West Coast Shuttle" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="03 768 0028 or 027 492 7000 or 027 492 7488" email="ski@westcoastshuttle.co.nz" fax="03 768 0328" url="http://www.westcoastshuttle.co.nz/" hours="" price=""> Christchurch to Greymouth via Arthurs Pass </listing>

==Get around==

Until they completed the '''Road''' to [[Haast]] in the 1960's, meaning you could drive over '''Haast Pass''' to [[Queenstown (New Zealand)|Queenstown]], without having to backtrack all the way to [[Christchurch]], you couldn't get around the ''Coast''. You either went ''to'' the Coast or came back ''from'' it.

==See==
* '''Pancake Rocks''' and blowholes in Punakaiki.
* '''Shantytown'''
* '''Glaciers'''.

==Do==
* '''Pan for Gold'''.  There is still plenty in the hills, though it is not economic to extract commercially. You might even find enough to cover the cost of the panning fee.
* '''Climb the mountains'''.
* '''Hunting'''.
* '''Fishing'''.

==Eat==
* '''Whitebait'''
* '''Wild food'''

==Drink==
The ''Coasters'' have never been afraid of alcohol or consuming large quantities of it, especially beer. They were never afraid of the licencing laws either and always enjoyed a drink - after hours. The operative word though is ''were''. With the relaxation of liquor licensing laws, ''Coasters'' have continued in their anti-regulatory approach to life and voluntarily leave the bars early, if they even go there at all.

==Stay safe==
It '''rains''' here. Carry a raincoat and gumboots (wellingtons), waterproof your shoes or accept being wet - accept it, you will get wet anyway, just more slowly.

''Coasters'' are apparently immune to the endemic '''sandflies''', but tourists need to wear insect repellent or put up with being bitten. Their bites leave nasty little itchy spots but are relatively harmless otherwise.

Have an emergency? Call '''111''' for the Police, Fire or Ambulance services, but don't expect to get what you thought you were asking for. Someone will turn up to help, but they might not wear a uniform you were expecting, they might not wear a uniform at all, but they'll help, because ''Coasters'' are like that. Mind you, if you see someone and the help you asked for hasn't turned up yet, ask them too. And if you're asked, even if your not asked and have to ask if help is needed, - please help - it could be you tomorrow.

==Get out==
You really want to leave? Try moving on to [[Nelson]], [[Christchurch]] or [[Queenstown (New Zealand)|Queenstown]].  You can always come back for another look if you go to [[Te Anau]] and take the long road back throught the Homer Tunnel to [[Milford Sound]]. If you really must go (because your visa's almost expired), you can catch the ferry from [[Picton (New Zealand)|Picton]] to [[Wellington]] and rush around the [[North Island]].


[[File:Glenorchy air logo.jpg|350px]]<br>
<big>[[Glenorchy Air]] provides scenic flights to the [[Glenorchy Air, Mount Cook|West Coast]] from [[Queenstown]].</big>

== References == 

<small>This article uses material from [http://wikitravel.org/en/West_Coast_(New Zealand) Wikitravel, "West Coast (New Zealand)"] Any material derived from Wikitravel articles is released under the [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/ Creative Commons Attribution share alike licence]</small> 

{{related|Driving_in_New_Zealand}}

[[de:West Coast (Neuseeland)]]