Westport

We then drove from Hokitika to Westport, which is a 2.5 hour drive. Not Westport, CT, but Westport, New Zealand!! But it took us more like 5 hours because there are so many places to stop for hikes and to take photos. The drive to Westport was spectacular. In addition to the stop at the Gorge, we made two more stops. The first one was at the Pancake Rocks Blowholes. This was another fascinating natural formation. The stones have formed in layers and they look like stacks of pancakes. There are also many caves and tunnels where the seawater flows and during high tide, the blowhole spits water into the air. The second stop was at the Truman Track, which is a short hike to a beautiful beach that has a waterfall where you can take a natural shower.

 Lodging: We stayed at the Carters By The Sea Motel, which is a small establishment of contemporary studios at Carters Beach, about 4 miles from Westport. We had a very nice, comfortable room in front of the ocean. The owners are very friendly and gladly made lots of restaurant and activity recommendations.

Food: We ate at the Town House restaurant in Westport. Nice atmosphere and good food. We had a very nice breakfast in front of the beach at Donaldo’s, which is a small café about 30 meters from the motel.