Punakaiki Cavern is a fantastic limestone cave you can explore safely without a guide. It’s just a few steps from the main road, but a whole other world once you enter the cave itself. It’s very close to the sea, so you’ll explore the depths of the cave with the constant backdrop of waves crashing in the distance, which adds an element of drama.
Come back at night and you’ll see the cavern in a whole new light. And I mean that literally! The ceiling is lit with hundreds of tiny blue lights which look like constellations in the night sky. Best of all, the cavern is not known as a glow worm cave, so it’s highly likely you’ll get this magical experience to yourself!
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Punakaiki Cavern.
Punakaiki Cavern by day
The entry way to the cavern is very atmospheric with lots of nikau palms and a huge cliff wall which is usually dripping with water. You’ll walk down one staircase and then up two to get into the cave itself. You then have 150m of cavern to explore!
There’s not exactly a set path, but there are poles which act as markers and you’ll often see footholds which come from so many people choosing the same route.
The ground is slightly muddy in places but nothing too awful. I took it slowly over any rocks but it wasn’t actually that slippery. There are ups and downs and uneven terrain but it’s all pretty easy going.
You’ll want a torch to explore beyond where the cave openings let light in. I found the one on my phone good enough, but you’ll want to make sure you have enough battery life as the further into the cavern you go it is pitch black!
As soon as you leave the entrance you’ll enter a dark section with a low ceiling before it opens up and you’re standing in a big chamber with a second entrance (it takes less than a minute so it’s not claustrophobic).
That second opening is the reason that you can’t see the glow worms during the day, far too much light is let into the cave.
From the main chamber you can walk down and left towards the back of the cave. There’s a fun narrow passage which is almost canyon like and you’ll come out at a tall dripping wall.
As you pass through the narrow part of the cave watch out for brushing against the cave walls, it will leave you covered in a thin layer of orange dirt! It’s actually quite hard to avoid entirely so don’t wear anything white!
You’ll then reach the end of the cave and return back the way you came. From the narrow passage to the very end of the cave there are a few puddles so just watch out for those!
All in all, Punakaiki Cavern is a really fun cave to explore, although it’s not one which is full of beautiful formations. I loved looking from inside the cave through the openings to the nikau palms and the sea, which along with the sound of the waves makes for a unique cave experience.
Punakaiki Cavern by night
If you’re up for a little adventure after dark you’ll find that the cave feels completely different. It’s pitch black and your senses are heightened, so the sound of the waves feels much louder and the whole experience is captivating.
Your first few steps into the cave won’t reveal much and we doubted at that point that we would find any glow worms inside. But head a little further into the main chamber and suddenly you’ll be standing under what feels like a starry night sky.
There are hundreds of glow worms on the ceiling of the cave in various clusters and the fact that’s its 100% dark means you see them shining incredibly brightly. We’ve seen some amazing glow worm displays in the bush around New Zealand, but nothing compares to viewing them in a cave setting.
The majority of glow worms are all in the big open passage, with a few scattered further back along the cave. They weren’t any in the narrow passage as you head towards the back of the cave, so you only need to explore the first open chamber - unless you just want to see the cave at night!
I loved having a peek in all the nooks and crannies but in honesty you only need to go 70m into the cave where the glow worms are in their biggest numbers. And in terms of numbers, there aren’t as many as in places like Waitomo Caves or Waipu Caves, but unlike both of those this is a little known glow worm spot and getting it to yourself makes it all the more special! I’d also say the sound of the ocean makes it feel so unique.
We found our phone torches were more than enough to get around the cave, but make sure you have at least one backup light as you really can’t see a thing once you’re inside. If you luck out with a clear night as you exit the cave, don’t forget to look up, it’s like the glow worms have continued into the sky, such a beautiful sight.
If you love this experience, we have plenty more amazing spots to see glow worms around New Zealand in this guide.
Getting to Punakaiki Cavern
Punakaiki Cavern is located just outside the village of Punakaiki and only 700m from Pancake Rocks. There is no car park for the cavern so you can either park at Pancake Rocks and walk down the road from there or just beyond the cavern (on the opposite side of the road) there is a small lay by with room for around two cars.
This is just a minute’s walk away from the entrance (65m) back up the road towards Pancake Rocks. Keep an eye out if you’re here after dark because it’s easy to miss the signpost as there isn’t any lighting around.
If coming from Greymouth it’s 45km away and just under a 40 minute drive.
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