The West Coast, South Island New Zealand
2007 - Lonely Planet's Blue List has included the West Coast road in its list of top 10 road trips and it is in some famous company. Driving from Milford Sound in the south to the Abel Tasman in the north, State Highway 6 is ruggedly beautiful and largely untouched. That's seen it ranked alongside classic road trips like the route 66 in in the US and Italy's Amalfi Coast.
Within this 600 kilometre long swathe of Eden, no wider than 70 kilometers at any point, the mountains look closer, the lakes clearer, the rivers larger and faster, the forests more lush than anywhere else in the country.The region maintains much of its eccentricity and rawness, offering an opportunity to get close to nature and to the people who live in this place.
Not surprisingly, given its rich environmental heritage, the West Coast of the Southern Alps boasts five of New Zealand's fourteen national parks - Kahurangi, Paparoa, Arthur's Pass, Westland, Mt Aspiring - along with the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. Days can be spent exploring the region, which Rudyard Kipling described as "the last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite part".
Among the scenic treasures to be found on the West Coast are New Zealand's highest mountains, lowest glaciers, finest lowland rainforests (with the tallest trees), wildest beaches, longest caves and most natural rivers.
The West Coast of the Southern Alps has it all - it is one area of New Zealand that you must not miss. In this increasingly developed world the West Coast remains "with the world's other special places".
July 2007 - House of Travel have conducted an online poll to determine New Zealand's Natural Wonders. Punakaiki Rocks (30 minutes from Birds Ferry Lodge) was rated number 5 with Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers (1 day from here) being ranked second. A days drive North from us is Abel Tasman National Park ranked 4. Incase you are wondering - Number 1 was Milford Sound and 4 of the seven winners are in the SOUTH ISLAND! We await your visit!
Home the Lodge Accommodation Services the Area Enquiries
Birds Ferry Lodge, Westport, West Coast, South Island, New
Zealand.
Tel 021 337 217
Free phone Customer Line in New Zealand 0800 212 207
