Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Seddon St, SH73, Kumara; mains $22-42, d incl breakfast $135-290; 10am-late; )
, the fully
restored highway stop that has kicked Kumara well and truly into the 21st century with
its civilised bar, classy dining room, and sumptuous upstairs rooms styled after local per-
sonalities of old. The attention to detail in furnishings and heritage displays is simply
wonderful. Stop in to enjoy some of the best food on the coast (fish and chips, local
game, pizza and delicate cakes) or just pull in for a drink and a yarn with the locals.
Should you be to-ing or fro-ing over Arthur's Pass, consider staying at
Jacksons
Retreat
( 03-738 0474;
www.jacksonsretreat.co.nz
;
Jacksons, SH73; sites from $35; )
, 33km west of Arthur's Pass Village. Set upon 15 sloping acres with exceptional
views over the Taramakau River, it offers stacks of excellent amenities for campervanner
and tenter alike.
WESTLAND
The bottom third or so of the West Coast is known as Westland, a mix of farmland and
rainforest backed by the Southern Alps, which pop straight up in a neck-cricking fashion.
This region is most famous for its glaciers.
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Hokitika
POP 3000
Popular with history buffs and the setting for numerous NZ novels - including the 2013
Man Booker Prize-winning
The Luminaries
by Eleanor Catton - Hokitika's riches come
in many forms. Founded on gold, today the town is the stronghold of indigenous
poun-
amu
(greenstone), which jostles for attention amid many other arts and crafts, drawing
rafts of visitors to the town's wide open streets.
