Fur seals and colonies of rare black petrels, white herons and blue penguins breed along the coast, whose national parks offer some of New Zealand's best and quietest hiking trails. Sleepy Karamea, in the north, is the gateway to the vast wilderness of Kahurangi National Park, with its legendary limestone caves and arches. Nearby Westport is known for its colonies of fur seals, which breed at Cape Foulwind.
The TranzAlpine rail journey terminates at Greymouth, which is the largest town on the coast and a centre for exploration. The gold-mining heritage of the region is brought to life in nearby Shantytown.
To the North of the stunning Pancake Rocks and the blowholes of Punakaiki are backed by the lush forests of the Paparoa National Park. While South of Greymouth, Hokitika is known for its Wild Foods Festival and greenstone carving.
The twin glaciers of Fox and Franz Josef provide the undoubted highlight of this region abd complete with the World Heritage coastal rainforests for visitors' attention.
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Northland