Welcome to the first post in my West Coast New Zealand road trip series! Ben and I are currently embarking on our first trip down the coast, taking in all the sights, hikes, and cafes along the way. I’m going to compile all of our favorite activities and things to see into these detailed posts. Once our road trip is over, I’ll make an ultimate guide to the West Coast. Here is day 1 of our West Coast road trip — let’s go!
Day 2 ○ Day 3 ○ Day 4 ○ Day 5 ○ Day 6 ○ Day 7
Nelson to Motueka
After attending Bay Dreams music festival, Ben and I decided to take a quick detour a bit north of Nelson before heading down the West Coast. Our first stop was the town of Motueka, about half an hour away. We stopped at the Salt Water Baths, which are basically just a little bit of beach on the edge of town. We were there at low tide, so it wasn’t as impressive as I was expecting.
After a bit of a swim, we headed a bit farther down the beach to see the Janie Seddon shipwreck. Built in 1901, the ship was used in both World Wars and was later marooned on the shore and left to rot. There have been several attempts throughout the years to get rid of the ship’s remains, but Motueka residents aren’t too keen on the idea.
We saw the ship when the tide was starting to lower, so we didn’t get to go all the way up to it. Apparently it’s really cool (and somewhat dangerous because it’s falling apart).
After seeing the shipwreck, we drove a few minutes to the Motueka NZMCA park where we spent the night. If you have a self-contained campervan, I couldn’t recommend joining the NZMCA enough. Their campsites are $3 per person per night and provide all of the necessary camping amenities.
(Download their app to easily find these spots!)
Split Apple Rock
A 25-minute drive north the next morning brought us to Split Apple Rock (or Tokangawhā). From the parking lot, there is a short 5-minute walk downhill to the beach. The rock is essentially a giant hunk of granite that has split into two pieces to look like a cut-open apple. In Maori tradition, two gods fought over the rock and ended up breaking it apart.
We spent a good chunk of time here walking along the beach and exploring the nearby caves. There were several sea stars and lots of very interesting looking shells in the sand. We walked into the caves, which were just as dank and cave-like as you might expect.
After walking back uphill to our van, we chilled for a bit and had some lunch. In the half an hour we spent there, we saw a few wekas (flightless chicken-looking birds), some fantails, and a tui. If you visit Split Apple Rock, make sure to bring your camera to document all the wildlife!
Riwaka Resurgence
Thirty minutes from Split Apple Rock is the Riwaka Resurgence. To be honest, I found this attraction while on Instagram and I decided to come here because it looked very beautiful. A resurgence is a body of water (usually a spring or creek) that comes from underground. The Riwaka Resurgence (or Te Puna o Riuwaka) has cultural significance to the Maori people, who consider it a wahi tapu (sacred place).
After a short, beautiful walk through more forest, we reached the pools. The water is insanely clear and insanely cold. There are several different spots to access the water, most with viewing platforms or steps down. It seriously looked like somewhere out of a fairytale — a perfect little hideaway in the middle of the forest, surrounded by caves and waterfalls.
Ben ended up taking a (very quick) swim in the frigid water. I was too much of a baby and enjoyed the water from above. After our little excursion here, we drove two hours south to Murchison. Tired after a day of exploring, we spent the night at an NZMCA campsite.
That’s a wrap for day 1 of our West Coast road trip! Stay tuned for my post about day 2, where we explore Buller Gorge and all around Punakaiki.
xoxo Niki
Really interesting post!