Hokitika is the greenstone town. Pounamu, the New Zealand jade that Māori have carved into tools, weapons and ornaments for centuries, is found in the rivers of the West Coast, and the workshops along Hokitika's main street cut and polish it into pendants and sculptures.
The town has a rough-and-ready history. In the 1860s, gold drew thousands of diggers to the West Coast, and Hokitika became one of the busiest ports in the country, with dozens of ships crowded into the river mouth and many wrecked on the treacherous bar. The shops and hotels sprang up overnight, and the streets were full of miners, merchants and adventurers. Today the old buildings, some of them from that period, give the main street a faded charm. In March, the town hosts a wild food festival, where visitors eat anything from grubs to whitebait.
The ride along the West Coast is a long, rolling road. State Highway 6 runs between the sea and the mountains, with rainforest on one side and surf beaches on the other, and the surface is generally good, with occasional narrow bridges and tight bends. Rain is frequent, since this is one of the wettest regions in the country, and the clouds often hide the mountains. When the weather clears, the view is spectacular. Hokitika Gorge, a few kilometres inland, has water of an unreal turquoise colour, thanks to rock flour from the glaciers.
Fuel is easy in Hokitika, which has several stations, and cafes and restaurants serve fresh seafood and good coffee. Greymouth, thirty-odd kilometres north, is the larger town. After sunset, the glow-worm dell in the middle of town lights up in the damp, a small, free display. Carry waterproof gear, as showers are frequent, and apply insect repellent against sandflies. Evening on the beach, with driftwood and the sound of surf, makes a pleasant end.