Magnificent Shorelines
West Coast
Punakaiki, Hokitika, Greymouth Fringe, the Glacier Coast & More.
Te Tai Poutini, the West Coast, is a wild and rugged stretch of coastline along the Tasman Sea, with low population density and a landscape unlike most of New Zealand.
Holdings there are intentionally scarce: weather-exposed homes above black-sand beaches, river-mouth retreats, and bush-fringed land where rainforest meets the sea.
Frequently asked
About West Coast
- Where is the West Coast in New Zealand?
- Te Tai Poutini, the West Coast, runs along the western edge of the South Island, facing the Tasman Sea. It stretches roughly from Karamea in the north through Westport, Punakaiki, Greymouth and Hokitika, down to Franz Josef, Fox and Haast in the south.
- What kind of waterfront properties does Exclusive Waterfront Properties list on the West Coast?
- We list sparingly here: weather-exposed homes above black-sand beaches, river-mouth retreats, bush-fringed land where rainforest meets the sea, and rare private estates along an otherwise undeveloped coastline.
- Why is the West Coast significant?
- It is one of the wildest and least-populated stretches of coastline in New Zealand, with around 600 km of Tasman Sea shoreline, Westland rainforest, the Pancake Rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki, and Franz Josef and Fox, among the few glaciers in the world that descend close to the coast.
- How accessible is the West Coast?
- Hokitika Airport offers direct flights to Christchurch, the coast is also reachable by road over Arthur’s Pass and the Lewis Pass, and Greymouth is the largest town and the terminus of the TranzAlpine train. Punakaiki is about 40 minutes north of Greymouth, while glacier country is roughly two to three hours south.
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