Freefalling at terminal velocity from a massive 19,500 feet over West Coast Glacier Country makes you feel alive in a spine-tingling, hair-raising sort of way. This is tandem skydiving at its heart thumping best. An adrenalin buzz with the added bonus of breathtaking views of the Southern Alps.
Stop and marvel at the perfect pancake rock stacks, which are piled high in giant columns and battered by ocean swells. Wonder at the seismic forces that thrust these mysteries of nature up from the seabed. Punakaiki is the gateway to the dramatic limestone country of the Paparoa National Park.
Riding the ‘Iron Road’ is a very romantic and exciting way to travel into West Coast Glacier Country. New Zealand’s most scenic railway line runs coast to coast from Christchurch to Greymouth, and is one of the world’s great railway journeys.
Hidden deep in the silent grottos of Oparara’s Honeycomb Caves are spellbinding limestone sculptures and slender skeletons of extinct creatures like the moa and giant eagle. But there’s still life in the darkest recesses of this alien world. A glow worm galaxy shimmers on the ceiling of the cave.
Step inside the perspex bubble of a sightseeing helicopter and rise like a phoenix into the bright shafts of sunlight falling on Glacier Country. The West Coast hills are alive with the sound of rotor blades thwacking through the crisp alpine air. And with good reason.
Welcome to the wild and wonderful West Coast of the South Island. DANNY : DE HEK has highlighted a number of ‘must see’ attractions to assist you in planning a great holiday in this fascinating part of the country.
Christchurch is the South Island’s largest city and the international gateway to its scenic wonders of mountains, lakes, rivers, glaciers, fiords and forests. Christchurch International Airport has regular Air New Zealand flights to Australia with onward connections to worldwide air services.
The Garden City’s nightlife is becoming as celebrated as its vibrant cafe culture and performing arts scene. Visitors can enjoy a night on the town in Cathedral Square, Oxford Terrace or the Cashel Mall. In these areas you will find fashionable cafes, bars, clubs and restaurants
Christchurch has a long tradition of serving fresh produce (e.g. tender Canterbury lamb), gourmet cuisine and fine table wines. Gastronomic delights await the visitor in elegant restaurants and lively cafes that serve a wide range of European, Oriental and American cuisine.
Christchurch is visitor-friendly, having been laid out by the founding fathers to a simple geometric grid design centred on Cathedral Square. Within a few city blocks in each direction you can find everything from backpacker hostels, to Bed & Breakfast guesthouses and top international hotels.
Christchurch has achieved a fine balance between the extremes of modern metro hustle and the grace and charm of an earlier era. The city is an ideal size; large enough to achieve economic viability yet small enough for people to feel they belong.
