Places to stay on the West Coast?

[tigertim20]

a mate and I are planing a multi day excursion around the south island around feb / march sometime. There are a few points along they way we have accommodation sorted, however we will be looking for a place to stay somewhere along the west coast between Haast and hokitika.
preferably closer to haast than hokitika.

Having only been this way once before, I can't remember if many of the places along the way have accommodation available?

Does anyone know the availability of, or can anyone recommend reasonably priced accommodation in places like Paringa, bruce bay, karangarua?

[pritch]

Fox and Franz Joseph both have multiple options. The Top 10 park at Franz Joseph was relatively new, but I think a flood went through it earlier this year so I don't know what it's like now.

Don't pick something too small because it's not uncommon to arrive soaking wet and in need of lots pf space to spread your kit out to dry. It doesn't happen everytime but it does happen.

[mulletman]

Harihari has a good pub with lots of accomodation.

[Grumph]

Ring ahead for Fox or Franz joseph. Since the flood there's a major shortage of accomodation down there.

[tigertim20]

good to know re: franz, as we were planning a stop there.

the initial plan we had was a little optimistic for a 4 day trip so we are making changes and working it out from there.

The current iteration looks something like:
day 1 dunedin - palmerston - pig route - alex - cromwell - queenstown - crown range to wanaka - haast - franz josef.

day 2 franz josef - charleston - inangahua - glenhope - motupiko - wakefield - nelson - blenheim.

day 3 blenheim - inangahua - reefton - waipara - rangiora - sheffield - glentunnel - mount somers - geraldine.

Day 4 Geraldine - tekapo - omarama - lindis pass - cromwell - alex - lawrence - milton - waihola - taieri mouth - dunedin.

[mulletman]

Route looks good, first two stints being the most technical and demanding and the last 2 being the easier and less taxing
for the ride back. :niceone:

[Gremlin]

I've stayed at the backpackers in Franz Josef, Sir Cedrics from memory... typical backpackers, depends what you usually book?

Most of those backpackers usually have something like free soup in the evening.

[jasonu]

a mate and I are planing a multi day excursion around the south island around feb / march sometime. There are a few points along they way we have accommodation sorted, however we will be looking for a place to stay somewhere along the west coast between Haast and hokitika.
preferably closer to haast than hokitika.

Having only been this way once before, I can't remember if many of the places along the way have accommodation available?

Does anyone know the availability of, or can anyone recommend reasonably priced accommodation in places like Paringa, bruce bay, karangarua?

Pick the places that have the best pubs. Easy.

[Grumph]

Route looks good, first two stints being the most technical and demanding and the last 2 being the easier and less taxing
for the ride back. :niceone:

If the last stint is Geraldine to Fairlie over the top that last day is pretty heavy duty.

[Akzle]

oh. and for actual advice: buy your ass a trangia and a fucking fly, and camp wherever the fuck you are.

[tigertim20]

Route looks good, first two stints being the most technical and demanding and the last 2 being the easier and less taxing
for the ride back. :niceone:
total accident. Idea was combine a bunch of roads and places that one or other of us hasn't been to / ridden before. We've had to shorten the route by about 800km, to keep it at no more than 4 days, without doing too many kms.
We're looking at around 600km each day on average - which should make for a fairly leisurely ride, given that we're not on tourers - we're taking late-ish model sportsbikes.

I've stayed at the backpackers in Franz Josef, Sir Cedrics from memory... typical backpackers, depends what you usually book?

Most of those backpackers usually have something like free soup in the evening.
don't care, more worried about the ride than the accommodation. whatever leaves more money to cover fuel for unexpected detours (read:shit that bit of road was fun, lets go back and do it again a few more times). Ive stayed at various top ten parks and never been dissapointed with a cheap cabin. Looks like geraldine and franz both have top tens, so that looks like a good option.

Pick the places that have the best pubs. Easy.
easy fella, we gotta ride the next day!

If the last stint is Geraldine to Fairlie over the top that last day is pretty heavy duty.
third day will be the longest, they look to be about 615km, 597km, 655km last day is only 507km. But might yet detour back through pigroot and middlemarch, will probably decide on the day

[Racing Dave]

But might yet detour back through pig-route and middlemarch, will probably decide on the day

It's the Pigroot...

[tigertim20]

It's the Pigroot...

duly noted.

[mossy1200]

Harihari :niceone:

[neels]

There is accommodation at Whataroa, Hari Hari, Ross if you want to stay away from the tourist traps at Fox and Franz Josef.

Would pay to book ahead, we send guys from work to the west coast feb/march and it's getting harder and harder to find somewhere for them to stay.

Another option that we've used for the above reason is bookabach, some reasonable places for not too much money.

[awayatc]

+1 on book a batch....

Only smallish problem is you need to be at least a day or so ahead of yourself booking...

Had some great places for reasonable money....
Some even with a garage to park bikes

[FJRider]

Avoid Queenstown ... just turn off at the bottom of the Crown Range road and go over. In and out of Q'town will cost you an hour and a half ... even if you don't stop. Parking there is a bitch (even for bikes) and traffic is worse.

Haast Lodge and Backpackers in Haast village (2 km's short of the bridge) is good. Go much further and it will be a long day.

Spring Creek Holiday park north of Blenheim is good too.

Methven is a good place for accommodation too.

Remember ... it is very likely the Lewis pass route from Blenheim will still be the only "shortest" route to Christchurch then. The route IS a good motorcycle road ... but not with current vehicle volume of heavy trucks ripping the road up. Add accidents/road works/campervans into the mix ... :facepalm: Back track through Inungahua/Reefton and do the Arthurs pass. Most likely it will be quicker. And more fun.

[tigertim20]

Avoid Queenstown ... just turn off at the bottom of the Crown Range road and go over. In and out of Q'town will cost you an hour and a half ... even if you don't stop. Parking there is a bitch (even for bikes) and traffic is worse.

Haast Lodge and Backpackers in Haast village (2 km's short of the bridge) is good. Go much further and it will be a long day.

Spring Creek Holiday park north of Blenheim is good too.

Methven is a good place for accommodation too.

Remember ... it is very likely the Lewis pass route from Blenheim will still be the only "shortest" route to Christchurch then. The route IS a good motorcycle road ... but not with current vehicle volume of heavy trucks ripping the road up. Add accidents/road works/campervans into the mix ... :facepalm: Back track through Inungahua/Reefton and do the Arthurs pass. Most likely it will be quicker. And more fun.

We have a free place to stay in Blenheim with family, so we are sorted there.

and yup, we won't go right into queenstown itself, no reason to.

We have both ridden arthurs pass before, so looking to go places one, or both of us havent been as much as possible, not too worried about the quickest way, its a boys week away from the wives and kids, don't wanna rush it!!

[eldog]

Inungahua/Reefton more fun.

SI Roads are much better than NI ones from memory:bleh:

[ellipsis]

...as Neels has mentioned, Whataroa Pub is great, old school West Coast and near Haast...great food too, last time I was there...

[PistonBlown]

Can't offer any help on accommodation as I've not stopped at the places your stopping at each night but agree with mulletman that you've picked a really good route there that happens to include many of my favourite bits of road.

Only thing to be careful of is that with SH1 closed some of your day three route will be on the new main route that the lorries etc are using - you'll be ok if you time it right with the ferry traffic but just something to keep in mind. There's also been warnings about the 63 and the potholes that the extra traffic has caused. By Feb/March it could be in a bad way.

After Tekapo are you doing the diversion to Mt Cook?

[russd7]

sounds like a good ride Tim, but i don't see many roads that you wont have ridden, they are fun roads tho.
as a side note, there is a motel/cabins some where between haast and fox (possibly around bruce bay, memory slips at the moment) that we stopped at when i picked the wing up in nelson. the rain was comin down in sheets and i was soaked and just stumbled apon it.

enjoy :niceone:

[tigertim20]

sounds like a good ride Tim, but i don't see many roads that you wont have ridden, they are fun roads tho.
as a side note, there is a motel/cabins some where between haast and fox (possibly around bruce bay, memory slips at the moment) that we stopped at when i picked the wing up in nelson. the rain was comin down in sheets and i was soaked and just stumbled apon it.

enjoy :niceone:

beleove it or not, Ive never actually got round to riding the lindis. Most of the rest is stuff I have done, Ive ridden the west coast from haast up to greymouth. Driven further north but not ridden it.
Most of it is roads my mate hasn't been on.

Pigroot weve both done a few times, but its a lovely road, and crown range, well, be silly not to ride over the crown range!

[snodpete]

...there is a motel/cabins some where between haast and fox (possibly around bruce bay, memory slips at the moment)...

enjoy :niceone:

Probably this Motel in middle of nowhere (https://goo.gl/maps/A7iwVBMjsyx)- would make shakedown Day 1 of your ride more manageable - especially with the 'conditions' we sometimes get on the 'Coast ;)

[russd7]

Probably this Motel in middle of nowhere (https://goo.gl/maps/A7iwVBMjsyx)- would make shakedown Day 1 of your ride more manageable - especially with the 'conditions' we sometimes get on the 'Coast ;)

yup that be the one, real basic and carports to park under and the hosts were awesome

[husaberg]

Avoid Queenstown ... just turn off at the bottom of the Crown Range road and go over. In and out of Q'town will cost you an hour and a half ... even if you don't stop. Parking there is a bitch (even for bikes) and traffic is worse.

Haast Lodge and Backpackers in Haast village (2 km's short of the bridge) is good. Go much further and it will be a long day.

Spring Creek Holiday park north of Blenheim is good too.

Methven is a good place for accommodation too.

Remember ... it is very likely the Lewis pass route from Blenheim will still be the only "shortest" route to Christchurch then. The route IS a good motorcycle road ... but not with current vehicle volume of heavy trucks ripping the road up. Add accidents/road works/campervans into the mix ... :facepalm: Back track through Inungahua/Reefton and do the Arthurs pass. Most likely it will be quicker. And more fun.

Err arthurs pass, hes going to Haast.
Detour from Inagahua up to westport and then down to Greymouth, One of the worlds best rides.
Actually take an extra day and explore the road to Karamea as well.

[granstar]

Karamea road :wari:

[FJRider]

Err arthurs pass, hes going to Haast.
Detour from Inagahua up to westport and then down to Greymouth, One of the worlds best rides.
Actually take an extra day and explore the road to Karamea as well.


Haast was only the first day, the third day was south from Blenheim. The recent earthquakes removed a few route options for all those heading south.

The Lewis pass is now bumper to bumper (each direction)... around 300 truck/trailer combinations on the road each day. A similar number of camper vans. Plus the usual car traffic diverted from highway one. Those using this route can expect delays/stoppages due to frequent accidents and road works. Not to mention the slow speeds of tourist traffic. The road surface is getting chewed up too ...

[husaberg]

Haast was only the first day, the third day was south from Blenheim. The recent earthquakes removed a few route options for all those heading south.

The Lewis pass is now bumper to bumper (each direction)... around 300 truck/trailer combinations on the road each day. A similar number of camper vans. Plus the usual car traffic diverted from highway one. Those using this route can expect delays/stoppages due to frequent accidents and road works. Not to mention the slow speeds of tourist traffic. The road surface is getting chewed up too ...

Err yes, Yet in between the Blenheim anD Hasst there is no need to use either the Lewis or Arthurs Pass.
He should take a detour ride through the Motueka Gorge over to Collingwood as well.

[husaberg]

Haast was only the first day, the third day was south from Blenheim. The recent earthquakes removed a few route options for all those heading south.

The Lewis pass is now bumper to bumper (each direction)... around 300 truck/trailer combinations on the road each day. A similar number of camper vans. Plus the usual car traffic diverted from highway one. Those using this route can expect delays/stoppages due to frequent accidents and road works. Not to mention the slow speeds of tourist traffic. The road surface is getting chewed up too ...

Err yes, Yet in between the Blenheim and Hasst there is no need to use either the Lewis or Arthurs Pass.
He should take a detour ride through the Motueka Gorge over to Collingwood as well.
edit oh the other post Whoops

good to know re: franz, as we were planning a stop there.

the initial plan we had was a little optimistic for a 4 day trip so we are making changes and working it out from there.

The current iteration looks something like:
day 1 dunedin - palmerston - pig route - alex - cromwell - queenstown - crown range to wanaka - haast - franz josef.

day 2 franz josef - charleston - inangahua - glenhope - motupiko - wakefield - nelson - blenheim.

day 3 blenheim - inangahua - reefton - waipara - rangiora - sheffield - glentunnel - mount somers - geraldine.

Day 4 Geraldine - tekapo - omarama - lindis pass - cromwell - alex - lawrence - milton - waihola - taieri mouth - dunedin.
still no need there is nothing noteworthy on that side of the island.

[Bass]

The Lewis pass is now bumper to bumper (each direction)... around 300 truck/trailer combinations on the road each day. A similar number of camper vans. Plus the usual car traffic diverted from highway one. Those using this route can expect delays/stoppages due to frequent accidents and road works. Not to mention the slow speeds of tourist traffic. The road surface is getting chewed up too ...

Am heading south from Picton on Dec 22nd - eventual destination Invercargill but this night in Methven.

Wondering what the extra distance/time is to go on through Reefton down Arnold Valley Road and back over Arthurs please?

[FJRider]

Am heading south from Picton on Dec 22nd - eventual destination Invercargill but this night in Methven.

Wondering what the extra distance/time is to go on through Reefton down Arnold Valley Road and back over Arthurs please?

Three days before Christmas ... hoping for a fast ride ... :killingme

From a news report I saw ... will traveling time or luck play the bigger part ... ?? The gamble is yours to take ...


NZ Traffic is at least four times heavier on the Lewis Pass route from Christchurch to Picton.  Freight companies have renewed lobbying for more coastal shipping as the Lewis Pass road route becomes increasingly congested. Mainfreight​ chief executive Don Braid said the recent truck accident near Springs Junction delayed freight by 18 hours

[husaberg]

Am heading south from Picton on Dec 22nd - eventual destination Invercargill but this night in Methven.

Wondering what the extra distance/time is to go on through Reefton down Arnold Valley Road and back over Arthurs please?

About 5 hours of execellent riding and scenery vs about 3.5 hours of mostly barren wasteland most not even fit for rabbits. (to get to CHCH only)
Fuel in Murchison, Reefton, Ikamatua, Moana, Arthurspass.
You could take an extra 45min/1 hour and do the loop to the Westport turnoff and down the Coast road to Greymouth.
There is nothing much to see between Reefton and Stillwater. (Other than Fresians and cowsheds plus the odd centerpivot)

[neels]

Am heading south from Picton on Dec 22nd - eventual destination Invercargill but this night in Methven.

Wondering what the extra distance/time is to go on through Reefton down Arnold Valley Road and back over Arthurs please?
Given the extra traffic on the Lewis Pass Rd at the moment, I suspect not a lot of difference, and a lot more enjoyable than being stuck in a queue of trucks. It's a nicer ride the other way anyway.

Methven is easy over Arthurs Pass, turn right at Darfield and follow the signs, you're heading back inland after coming down the coast to get there anyway which is as boring as batshit.

Google maps doesn't see much difference, and an accident or slow truck would take care of that.
326807

[T.W.R]

Methven is easy over Arthurs Pass, turn right at Darfield and follow the signs, you're heading back inland after coming down the coast to get there anyway which is as boring as batshit.



Turn right on the scenic highway (SH72) about 8km before Darfield just past Sheffield

[Bass]

Thanks guys.

I've travelled it all before - some of it several times (once on a Honda 50 Sports in the middle of winter), but it was a while ago and I couldn't remember what the relative times and distances were. The GS will do nearly 400 km to a tank and so fuel is not an issue.

I had been thinking to drop into Oxford via the Ashley Gorge but that will have to wait for another time. Follow the railway round Lake Brunner and over the Arthurs it is then.

We had planned to come back that way when we return at New Year. We are staying a night in Nelson then with a quick flit over to the ferry the following day. Might sneak up to Westport and do the Buller Gorge on the way. (Pies in Sheffield, mmmmm)

[jellywrestler]

Route looks good, first two stints being the most technical and demanding :

what the fuck, they're part of the new zealand road system, not the olympics.

[Hailwood]

We had the Buell rally last year in Hari Hari at Hotel Hari Hari on the main road....really good place to stay...would stay there again..its the only motel in Hari Hari.

[husaberg]

We had the Buell rally last year in Hari Hari at Hotel Hari Hari on the main road....really good place to stay...would stay there again..its the only motel in Hari Hari.

Err there is also Accommodation pretty much on the other side of the road from the Hotel, did you miss those............?
FlaxBush Motels.:psst:
http://flaxbushmotels.co.nz/

[Daffyd]

I've stayed at the Fox camping ground a couple of times. Quite good.