Exploring Greymouth: A Historic New Zealand Gold-Mining Town

Greymouth is the largest city and cultural center on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. It is a great base for exploring the nature beauty of the West Coast.You can take a walk here; explore the beaches and museums; or try out the local beers at a winery.Greymouth has a long history of gold mining, and the nearby Shanty Town can give you a deeper understanding of the gold mining history and bring you back to the late 1960s.Greymouth is also known for its New Zealand Jade.

The TranzAlpine Train follows the most popular railway route in New Zealand. The route across the Southern Alps passes through the 73-meter-high Staircase Viaduct, the spectacular Arthur's Pass National Park and the Otira Tunnel.This is one of the two routes from the east coast of the South Island to the pristine West Coast. The alpine landscape along the way and the unique vegetation landscape of New Zealand make the entire route rich and varied.There are huge panoramic windows in the new sightseeing train. There is also an Open-air Carriage that allows you to breathe the fresh air of the mountain. An English audio commentary system is also mounted in the carriage, which runs as and when you pass by the places outside the window.

Shanty Town is a re-created town, just like a movie set. It shows the Greymouth in the 1860s during the gold rush.There is even a Chinatown nearby, which depicts the hard life of a large number of Chinese immigrant gold miners during the gold rush on the West Coast.This town is small yet complete.Not only are there grocery stores, bars, restaurants, there are also hospitals, courts, jail, butchers, iron shops, printing houses, etc. You can also find watch stores and scale stores, as well as a church in the town.Under the guidance of an experienced gold panning team, you can learn how to pan for gold, and then keep the gold granules in a special small glass bottle to bring home as a souvenir.Besides that, you can also experience a vintage steam train ride in the town.

The Pancake Rocks are located in Punakaiki.The Pancake Rocks are cross-cut limestones. This natural masterpiece was formed 30 million years ago and is shaped like a pancake. It has a spectacular view as great as the Twelve Apostles of Australia.The topography of the pancake rocks is unique, resembling a huge layer cake. When the raging waves of the sea hit against the rocks, the splash created can go up as high as dozens of meters.The sea bursts through the numerous vertical blowholes during high tide. It is unforgettable watching the fountain-like water columns and hearing the accompanying roar.

Between Pancake Rocks and Greymouth, there is a lesser-known coastal trail, Motukiekie. It is a beach with amazing sea stacks and it is almost like a private beach!There are very little tourists here, and only a variety of jagged sea stacks. Hence, some people call it the Twelve Apostles of New Zealand.The entrance to the beach is on the side of it, located from a small road which is 50m away from the north of the entrance of a private house. It is really very small!You must note the tide times, and strictly calculate them!The beach is only accessible at low tide.As you may face the risk of not being able to turn back at high tide!In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, it would be best to give up on visiting Motukiekie Beach once you miss the timing.

Global Village is a featured hostel that is highly-rated by BBH. It is beautifully decorated in a Maori and Asian-African style, incorporating elements from countries around the world. Various artworks adorn the walls of this hostel. Global Village is a popular choice among young backpackers.The most impressive feature is the communal kitchen. It is very well equipped, and you can find all kinds of pots and pans on the wall.Congrats to you if you love cooking! It’s time to show off your incredible culinary skills!The hostel has a wide range of recreational facilities, including bicycles, kayaks and life jackets, spas, gyms, squash/tennis equipment, etc. that are provided free of charge.There are supermarkets, bars and cafes around the hostel, and it is about a 20-minute walk from the beach.