Westport accommodation from AU$102

Westport was settled by Europeans in the 19th century. They were mostly gold miners, traders, farmers and coal miners at the time. It turns out that coal mining was quite lucrative for the area, and continues to be Westport's main industry. In fact, thanks to coal, Westport was the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to have electric street lights. This was even before many major cities in the Northern Hemisphere, like London and New York. It seems that Westport has always been a step ahead of the rest of civilisation, and yet, its natural beauty is virtually untouched by civilisation. Here, you can check out Kahurangi National Park, Paparoa National Park and Cape Foulwind, home to a large seal colony. You can encounter dolphins or explore limestone caverns. You can go white water rafting and kayaking, horse riding, jet boating, mountain biking, surfing and/or fishing. Westport offers the very rare experience of rafting through glow worm grottos or, if you're really brave, you can kayak over the edge of the 10 metre high Maruia Falls. If you're here in February, why not put your fitness to the test in the Buller Gorge Marathon? If cycling is more your style, you can participate in the Coast Road Cycle Challenge in November. The local Sunset Speedway also hosts plenty of races and events all year round.

While you're in town, make sure you check out the Coaltown Museum, which preserves the town's coal mining past. Afterwards, you can hit the boutique shops and general stores. Stop by Miners for a taste of the boutique brewery beers, or hit up the Denniston Dog Saloon, which serves good old fashioned Kiwi pub meals, while sitting on the unique antique furniture. There are plenty of bars, cafe and restaurants in Westport which serve New Zealand seafood and lamb, but the finest dining experience is had at Town House Restaurant.

Westport is 270km from Wellington. There are coach buses available from the airport, but you're best off hiring a car to have the freedom to explore the surrounding areas, such as Reefton, where you can walk through the Victoria Conservation Park, and Punakaiki, where you'll see the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. For a fun adventure holiday, right in the heart of nature, check out our cheap flights to Wellington and book your Westport accommodation today.

Image credit Ingolfson under Creative Commons