WEST COAST of the SOUTH ISLAND :ABOUT THE REGION

New Zealand's pioneer heartland.

The region is populated by only 31,000 people, known by New Zealanders as WestCoasters, a term synonymous with friendliness and hospitality. Within this 550 kilometre long swathe of Eden, no wider than 70 kilometres at any point, the mountains look closer, the lakes clearer, the rivers larger and faster, the forests more lush than anywhere else in the country. Not surprisingly, given its rich environmental heritage, the West Coast of the Southern Alps boasts five of New Zealands fourteen national parks : Kahurangi, Paparoa, Arthurs Pass, Westland, Mt Aspiring, along with Te Wahi Pounamu “ the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area.

Nature lovers will discover that fascinating wildlife is accessible in abundance on the West Coast of the Southern Alps, with opportunities to view fur seals colonies, kiwi, the white heron (Kotuku), penguins, dolphins, and a great variety of fauna in their natural habitats.

Eco-systems : The region displays a great variety of mountain to sea eco-systems; unique alpine flora, vast podocarp forests, temperate coastal forests featuring flowering rata, kowhai and nikau palms, diverse wetlands and much more. Many parts of the region serve as time capsules to show us what our country looked like before humans arrived 1000 years ago.

The West Coast of the Southern Alps has it all " it is one area of New Zealand that you must not miss". In this increasingly developed world the West Coast remains with the worlds other special places.