Planning a Trip
Getting There
By Plane -- There is air service via Air New Zealand Link (tel. 0800/737-000 in NZ; www.airnewzealand.com) between Hokitika and Christchurch.
By Train -- Access to the nearest rail service is in Greymouth.
By Coach (Bus) -- InterCity (tel. 09/913-6100) has daily departures from Hokitika to Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, and Fox Glacier. Both Magic Travellers (tel. 09/358-5600) and Kiwi Experience (tel. 09/366-9830) pass through Hokitika on their way from Greymouth to the glaciers.
By Car -- Hokitika is reached from the north and south via Highway 6.
Visitor Information
The Westland Visitor Information Centre is in the Carnegie Building, Tancred and Hamilton streets, Hokitika (tel. 03/755-6166; fax 03/755-5011; www.hokitika.org). It's open December through April daily from 8:30am to 6pm, and May through November Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Twenty-five minutes south of Hokitika, the Ross Goldfields Information & Heritage Centre, 4 Aylmer St., Ross (tel. 03/755-4077; www.ross.org.nz), is open daily in summer from 9am to 4pm, and in winter from 9am to 3pm. Try your hand at gold panning for NZ$8.50 (US$6/£3.10).
Note: If you're traveling farther south, Hokitika is the last stop for banks, ATMs, pharmacies, and major supermarkets until you reach Wanaka, 450km (279 miles) away. For more information on this area check www.hokitika.com and www.westlanddc.govt.nz.
Wildfoods Festival -- If you're in the area around the second Saturday in March, stop in Hokitika for the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival (tel. 0800/494-539 in NZ, or 03/756-9010; www.wildfoods.co.nz). On the easy side of things, you'll be able to sample wild pig, venison, wild herbs, honey, and fish from local waters; the much braver visitor might like to try possum pâté, wild goat, wriggling grubs, and the unmentionable parts of a variety of animals. The general motto here is close your eyes, swallow, and ask questions later! Admission is NZ$25 (US$18/£9) for adults, NZ$5 (US$3.55/£1.80) for children, and ticket numbers are limited to 17,000 each year.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
By Plane -- There is air service via Air New Zealand Link (tel. 0800/737-000 in NZ; www.airnewzealand.com) between Hokitika and Christchurch.
By Train -- Access to the nearest rail service is in Greymouth.
By Coach (Bus) -- InterCity (tel. 09/913-6100) has daily departures from Hokitika to Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, and Fox Glacier. Both Magic Travellers (tel. 09/358-5600) and Kiwi Experience (tel. 09/366-9830) pass through Hokitika on their way from Greymouth to the glaciers.
By Car -- Hokitika is reached from the north and south via Highway 6.
Visitor Information
The Westland Visitor Information Centre is in the Carnegie Building, Tancred and Hamilton streets, Hokitika (tel. 03/755-6166; fax 03/755-5011; www.hokitika.org). It's open December through April daily from 8:30am to 6pm, and May through November Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Twenty-five minutes south of Hokitika, the Ross Goldfields Information & Heritage Centre, 4 Aylmer St., Ross (tel. 03/755-4077; www.ross.org.nz), is open daily in summer from 9am to 4pm, and in winter from 9am to 3pm. Try your hand at gold panning for NZ$8.50 (US$6/£3.10).
Note: If you're traveling farther south, Hokitika is the last stop for banks, ATMs, pharmacies, and major supermarkets until you reach Wanaka, 450km (279 miles) away. For more information on this area check www.hokitika.com and www.westlanddc.govt.nz.
Wildfoods Festival -- If you're in the area around the second Saturday in March, stop in Hokitika for the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival (tel. 0800/494-539 in NZ, or 03/756-9010; www.wildfoods.co.nz). On the easy side of things, you'll be able to sample wild pig, venison, wild herbs, honey, and fish from local waters; the much braver visitor might like to try possum pâté, wild goat, wriggling grubs, and the unmentionable parts of a variety of animals. The general motto here is close your eyes, swallow, and ask questions later! Admission is NZ$25 (US$18/£9) for adults, NZ$5 (US$3.55/£1.80) for children, and ticket numbers are limited to 17,000 each year.
