Touring the Alpine Pacific Triangle
The Alpine Pacific Triangle is a touring route which connects some of the Hurunui region's most popular visitor attractions. The touring route also puts the visitor in touch with some of the smaller rural townships of New Zealand.
These townships have mainly grown out of a need to service the surrounding farming community, but the increase in domestic and international visitors has seen an increase in the importance of service industries and cottage arts and crafts.
Getting to know the local characters, and being able to see and buy arts and crafts that are not in the mainstream, makes journeying through the Alpine Pacific Triangle a delight.
Examples of some local experiences include stopping in at the
Old Leithfield Hotel, which is a marvellous country hotel with a unique collection of historic prints. John Hill is an avid collector and shares his gallery with visitors. A popular short walk from the Hotel to the Ocean allows visitors not only to enjoy the countryside but invariably meet many of the local residents who use this walk daily.
Further north in the
Waipara valley there are many small vineyards that offer cellar door sales. Some of the smaller vineyards need visitors to book their visit in advance simply because the winemakers are busy doing the business of making the wine. There are few places in the world where visitors get to meet the people who actually own or make the wines. This aspect of visiting New Zealand is one of its unsung charms.
Cheviot, further north on the way to Kaikoura, has a wealth of arts and crafts people who enjoy sharing their knowledge with visitors. A lot of the people who engage in this activity do so because they are genuinely interested in the visitors they meet and enjoy the social contact.
Some local farmers have taken the opportunity of a growing tourism market to diversify their services by offering farm tours and four wheel drive trip through their own properties. This gives visitors who take the time to explore the area a chance to see some spectacular parts of New Zealand that very few people get to see. These are also the best people to get advice from on where to go next and what other treasures there are to find locally.
Inland from
Kaikoura are the townships of
Waiau and Rotherham. Similar in many ways to their coastal neighbours, they are primarily farm servicing townships with local entrepreneurs offering tours and fishing trips for anyone who wants to give it a go. There is a great sense of community here and you'll find out that there are more things to see and do than first meets the eye.
Accommodation can be found in all of these townships and ranges from
motels,
bed and breakfast to
luxury lodges.
When you're travelling the Alpine Pacific Triangle, take your time, ask about local activities and be prepared to change your itinerary.