After extricating ourselves from the Hokitika Gorge carpark, we headed back towards Hokitika and then south. South of Ross the highway heads inland with quite a lot of not very much at all. Except lots of lovely native forest. And views of mountains if the clouds aren’t in the way. And little lakes. Not far past Whataroa there is a turnoff to Okarito, as in Okarito Beach and Okarito Lagoon. It’s about 13 km off State Highway 6 to Okarito town, population 27. I’d never been there; Wyn had, and was keen to return.
The kayak place also does coffee, there’s a lovely little campground, and someone does night-time kiwi tours. And that’s Okarito, population 27. Small, and in no rush be anything else. We headed to the campground, which is run by the local community. And run very nicely.
BBQ tea at Okarito Camping ground
West Coast beaches face west, so can be good places to watch the sun set into the sea. This evening was stunning.
Wyn on Okarito Beach
Mountains from Okarito Beach
Okarito Beach – south towards the bluffs
Okarito Beach
Mountains east of Okarito Beach – perhaps Mt Adams
Mountains south-east of Okarito Beach
Okarito Beach
Okarito Beach
As beaches go, they don’t need to be any better than Okarito Beach. They are lucky people; the 27 at Okarito.
West Coast Circuit Gallery 2017
(Hover mouse over photo to see Title. Click on photo to see full size and then you can scroll through all of them.)
