Directions

The Buller Coast Road winds its way south along State Highway 6 from the scenic Buller Gorge down along the West Coast Punakaiki.

The Buller Coast Road

The Coast Road was voted one of the Lonely Planet’s top 10 Drives. It is easy to see why this spectacular drive is one of the best in the world.

Take your time, and your camera, and enjoy the rugged splendor of the rainforest mountains dropping down into picturesque sandy bays fringed with nikau palms. 

The famous Coast Road starts on State Highway 6 where it intersects with State Highway 67 at the end of the Buller Gorge. Make sure you stop in Westport if you need fuel or supplies, as there are no petrol station or supermarket until you reach Greymouth, almost 100kms away.

From the turnoff the road winds its way through farmland with glimpses of the ocean. The first main turn off is Wilson Lead Road. This 10-minute detour takes you to Tauranga Bay and Cape Foulwind.  This is a picturesque white sandy bay with a seal colony a few minutes walk from the car park. If you feel like stretching your legs you can walk along the cliff tops to the old lighthouse at Omau.

Further along Coast Road is the old goldmining town, Charleston. There is a small sign on the right saying ‘Princes Street’ and this takes you down to the picnic spot at Constant Bay.

From here the road heads into the Paparoa National Park and follows the coastline. This is a magical part of the drive with the coastline on one side and the scenic Paparoa Ranges on the other. In winter you can look up and see snow capped mountains on one side of the road and sandy coves framed with nikau palms on the other.

Each bay seems more picturesque than the next but luckily there are pull offs at almost all of them where you can spend a few minutes, or a few hours, with your feet in the sand watching the waves crash on the beach.

Fox River is where the track to the Fox River caves starts but if you don’t want to hike all the way up, there is a large sea cave on the side of the road.

Head inland, start climbing and prepare to stop at Irimahuwheri Point, one of the best places to take pictures on the drive. Cross the road to the look out and marvel at the view stretching before and after you.

As you head down towards the sea again you will soon come into the settlement of Punakaiki. Just before you reach Punakaiki (3km) is a track called the Truman Track, this is a short stunning track giving you a close up of the dramatic Te Miko coastline.

From here it is only a couple of minutes before you head into Punakaiki and the famous Pancake Rocks at Dolomite Point. This is a stop you will not want to miss. The Pancake Rocks and blowholes are spectacular in all types of weather.

Make sure you take your time on the Coast Road, as this is a journey not just a drive.