Hokitika was first settled in 1860, after the discovery of gold on the west coast. It is a town on the north side of the Hokitika River, near its mouth.Located centrally on the West Coast and is surrounded by the Southern Alps, multiple lakes and rivers, and the Tasman Sea. Although only 39 km south of Greymouth, Hokitika has a distinct identity as a major tourist destination, as well as the centre for dairy processing on the West Coast with the population of 3,078 in 2006 (plus 459 in for Kaniere, a growing suburban area. Lake Kaniere, 18 kilometres east of Hokitika, is a glacial lake, used for boating, kayaking and fishing.).
This small but still attractive place with gray sand beach and unusually white and green high waves has some serious stuff to offer. From many challenging activities (biking, hiking, hunting),art workshops featuring pounamu jade (local jewelery material), gold, wood, glass blowing, copper, the rare ruby rock to calm trips to Glaciers, walks on the beach and historical town filled with beauty and riches too hard to ignore (and over 100 pubs!) with no traffic lights, no fast food outlets, no mega stores...just a picturesque town on the beach.
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