Swimming Spots

These are just some of the amazing places to swim in the area. Please note that not all beaches are safe to swim. Other spots to explore are Cobden beach, Taylorville at the river and of course the Rec centre in Greymouth which has a heated swimming pool, spa, sauna and hydroslide.

Quad bikes with boogie boards surrounded by tyre tracks on the sandy part of Barrytown Beach with tire tracks and gear on some of the vehicles, under a partly cloudy sky.

Barrytown Beach

A short 5 minute walk from Gumboot Paradise. Turn right onto Coast Road and left just past Golden Sands Road down the nicely mown grass track to the beach. Best to swim to the north beyond the rocks at mid to low tide. A great place to boogie board or surf when the waves are right.
Shelly from Gumboot Paradise wearing a pink sun hat and sunglasses enjoying the sun and the best swimming spot on the coast at the mouth of the beautiful Punakaiki River with pancake rocks covered in bush

Punakaiki River

My fav swimming spot where the river meets the sea. Float down the river and then be pushed up again by the incoming tide. Swim with the fishes or cross the river into the mysterious caves.
Shelly from Gumboot Paradise standing in the Pororarai River surrounded by large limestone pancake rocks and lush green trees in the Paparoa National Park on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand in Punankaiki

Pororari River

My second fav river swim. Walk for 30 minutes up the track to an amazing deep pool with gorgeous limestone rocks. Watch trout and the occasional kayaker paddle by.
Sunset over Rapahoe beach near Greymouth with driftwood arranged to spell 'RAPAHOE' and foreground plants on the stony shore.

Rapahoe Beach

14 minutes south by car, Rapahoe is a beautiful flat sandy beach to swim and walk where Davy Creek enters the sea. This is the only beach which sometimes has life guards stationed during summer. The Point Elizabeth track also starts here.