Pancake Rocks!

Our last day in the Motueka region was spent visiting a local winery (check out my post on wine in NZ for more on that), and a local delicious brewery called the Hop Federation.

I highly recommend a stop here! Also, Nelson is the craft brewing capital of New Zealand, so there are plenty of good beer tasting options around too.

After enjoying a relaxing day and a fun trip to a quaint wharf in Mapua for a delicious dinner at the Apple Shed Cafe, we set out to explore the west coast of the South Island the following day. The main stop we made on the way down the coast was to the Pancake Rocks in Paparoa National Park or Punakaiki, as the Maori refer to them.

 

 

They are beautiful formations of layers of rock. Certainly worth a visit if you’re in the region.

There is also a blow whole and beautiful views and fun day hikes if you’re inclined to check those out as well.

The scenery was stunning on the west coast, despite a dreary day, so I can only imagine what it would be like on a sunny day!

Even Leo Enjoyed the Views!

The cuisine to eat in this region is fish and chips. They are fresh and outstanding. After visiting the Pancake Rocks, we stopped at the Rapahoe Hotel pub for a sea view, a few ciders, and delicious fish and chips.

We were the only ones in this cozy place, so we got a chance to talk with the owners who ran it. I also discovered my love of Speight’s Green Apple Cider here…it is different from most other ciders and amazingly delicious (a great balance of sour and sweet).

Afterward, we drove through Greymouth and down the coast. On our way, we came across a one-way bridge…for trains and cars!

Since the weather wasn’t too great, we pretty much headed straight for the Franz Josef Glacier area to stay the night and have a bit of time to relax after a long day of driving.

We chose to stay at another Top 10 Holiday Park, as it was available and inexpensive. it was decent, but definitely not as good as the one in Coromandel. We enjoyed a relaxing night with a light dinner and a bottle of one of our New Zealand wines. It was just what we needed for the location and the few hours we were there!