Te Nikau Retreat : Accommodation in Punakaiki, New Zealand

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Hi Hamish,
remeber the day when I arrived at the Te Nikau? When I told you I wanted to stay for about 2 weeks and you told me that I'll be staying longer? Well, I left the Te Nikau on the 10th of June 2003 as the (at the time) longest standing WWOOFer after 12 weeks and 1 day.
It's been such a long time and I still miss my home far away from home...
Hoping to be back some day!
cheers
verena (hoping to be still the longest standing WWOOFer)
--Verena from Germany on 19/10/11; 9:40:28 AM

Hi, we stayed in Tui Lodge for a night during Aug 2011. It was amazing. Loved how the location was so private and nestled in the beautiful forrst right on the edge of the Truman Track with the most stunning walk to the beach and waterfall.

The accommodation was really welcoming and comfortable and very reasonably priced. Loved the kitchen facilities, garlic, herbs, condiments and tea/coffee provided. Really thoughtful.

Everything clean and tidy and a comfortable bed. Only negative comment was that the shower rose was in need of repair.

Thanks guys.

Will be back again.

Jacqui & Chris
--Jacqui from New Zealand on 21/9/11; 10:04:28 PM

Hi Bunty, hi Hamish!
Dominik and I are back in Germany since about 4 month. I miss New Zealand a lot and would love to meet you again. I really loved to stay with you for 2 weeks! Maybe we hear from eacht other more often now?
Love,
Merle
xxx
--Merle from Germany on 21/7/11; 10:23:23 PM

Hi Hamish
As your 1st guests back in 1993 just wanted to sympathise with the tragedy in Christchurch.

Graeme
--graeme and caroline from Pomgolia on 23/2/11; 11:28:34 AM

I stayed in the Weka Lodge with 2 friends way back in about 1995(?) and was blown away by the place.
We only stayed one night and we found the place purely by accident.
I loved the kitchen/greenhouse, that stay changed how I think about buildings and the spaces in them.
Te Nikau rates as one of the best places I have stayed in and I've never forgotten my stay there.
My only regrets (other than not having been back yet) is not making it to the top of the rope ladder in the tall tree.
I stumbled across mention of Te Nikau on 'trade me' of all places and was very glad to see you are still around.
I will be back, now I know where to find you.

Regards
Andrew
--Andrew from Aotearoa on 26/10/10; 7:49:41 PM

Dear Hamish, Lisa and James,
Do you remember me? I just wanna say hi, and I miss you all so much. Te Nikau Retreat is the best!!
--Yihsun from Taiwan on 28/8/10; 6:37:38 AM

Stayed in the Ruru Lodge - it was awesome. Very cool, unique and welcoming. Everything was really clean and comfortable and the baking was just delightful. Heaps of amazing places to explore within by walking. Thanks for a fantastic stay. Can't wait to come again.
--Richelle from NZ on 18/12/09; 8:44:39 PM

Lovely atmosphere there, warm and cosy, our hosts made us feel welcome, even played cards together.
It's a wonderful place, stayed in the lodge and enjoyed a walk to the beach down the path, i want to tell others to check it out cos it is so unique!
--Debbie from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand on 14/7/09; 12:53:02 AM

Excellent hostel, a breath of fresh air among all the stuck up hostels around! Owner was easy going about letting us get in late, and kitchens and lounges didn't close at silly hours, so late comers could be accomodated.

Lisa the woman behind the desk was AWESOME! Always a smile on her face, no matter how rude the customer was being!

Thanks for everything, I'll be back someday!
--Jeff from Canada on 17/4/09; 2:45:11 PM

really awesome place - couldn't have been better!

i seriously envy those of you who get to live here all year round :)

will definitely be back!
--rob from new zealand on 20/1/09; 3:21:40 PM

Well, you guys are great and I really do miss your place so much! One day I'll be back and in the meantime I'm brewing some real beer back home :)

All my love,
Ben
--Ben & all the computers ;) from planet earth on 17/1/09; 12:56:59 PM

I spent my 2001 x-mas there and could have spent the rest of my stay there as well. What a wonderful place. I wish there was more pictures of the guest houses. Anyway I hope to someday be back a Te Nikau retreat.
--Tobey from Canada on 6/12/08; 7:40:14 AM

Hi Hamish,
Hi Lisa,

I also still remember the muffins...wasn´t there a french pastry chef at that time?
Hamish, how are your Kids? Long tim ago that I saw them and your house. Hope everyone is well ;-)

Greetings from cold, rainy Berlin,
Peter
--Peter C from Lisa - muffins on 4/10/08; 5:58:43 AM

Hello Hamish!

I meant to say hello ever since I said goodbye in 2000 ˆ now I finally do.

Travelling New Zealand certainly has changed my life ˆ and especially all those weeks that I spent out there in the rainforest. It was at your place when I decided that I will not go home to continue what I had started but to have my own hostel some day where I could try and make people feel as welcome as you do. I am not sure if I succeed with that, but I do have my own hostel in Kiel, Germany. I called it the „Peanuts Hostel‰ (because I love „The Peanuts‰) and I tell everyone who is coming to stay at my hostel that it was in NZ at the Te Nikau Retreat that I decided to have my own hostel some day.

Sometimes I am a bit sad that I will not make it back to Punakaiki for a while... I would love to sit by the beach and listen to the waves. But I have not only started a little hostel but also a little family what makes it difficult to travel that far. But as soon as Mathilda is old enough I‚ll buy her a backpack and send her to Te Nikau to meet you - first she has to learn how to walk though ;-)

A big hug to you and hello to all those out there who are lucky enough to go travelling and who are even luckier to have come across the wonderful Te Nikau Retreat!

Your former „artist in residence„,
Silke
--Silke from Germany on 14/7/08; 12:57:55 AM

Hi Lisa!!!(and hamish)

We met Lisa in 1999 whilst we were woofing and shes still there! Te Nikau has got to be somewhere special. still making those muffins and special german bread!! oh the memories!! by the way mel head says hello to lisa!! chow. Gill and Chris. x x x
--Gill and Chris from on 16/6/08; 8:52:01 AM

Although the weather was awful it was made all the better by Te Nikau Retreat, which is possibly one of the most magical places I have ever stayed in. A real gem in the West Coast. Will definitly return.
--Kris Darby from England on 21/5/08; 9:27:02 AM

Appreciated use of wheelbarrow. Especially the irishwoman wearing silly shoes. We loved the house,the bush, the beach, the fauna and the flora and will be back as soon as we can get there...

Regards, Jane Wilkinson.
--Jane & co. from nz on 30/4/08; 9:56:37 PM

Stayed at Weka on a very wet april day and night. Fanatastic place....would like to stay on a sunny day.
Martin
--Martin Dobbs from England on 26/4/08; 3:01:05 PM

Six of us spent the night on the mezzanine floor of Rata Lodge at Easter and loved it!! The walk through the bush to the beach is gorgeous!!

We all wished were were staying longer. I will be back :)

Thanks!!
--Amelia from NZ on 3/4/08; 1:28:27 PM

What a great time i ve had years and years ago while wooffing at Te Nikau. Hamish u still there ?!?
--Yogi bear from Holland on 28/2/08; 12:07:22 AM

I stayed here in 2003, since then i have never forgotten my stay there. I have told every single person i know about the place, and demand that they promise to visit it one day.

I loved it!, I still love it.
I remember the owner helping me push my van up and down the road trying to jump start it. And the evening when we were playing scrabble, the owner, his ex wife, their son and their son's girl friend run into the place, chasing after some chickens... Will never forget the randomness and the odd looks all around.
--Justin John McCabe from South Africa on 7/2/08; 5:54:35 AM

Hi,
I 'wooffed' at Te Nikau in 2000 (Hi Thom from switzerland, nice to see you've been back on the page too)... I had such a magic time there, walking between lodges in the bush, having chats by the fire, walking to the cave in the evening... I still get sentimental about it all sometimes so it's nice to see it's all still there!
All the best for you and yes, I will be back!!
Love
Elke
--Elke from Germany on 12/1/08; 12:30:49 PM

Oh how I miss Te Nikau...the luxury appartment (the pad) stoking the fire to keep us warm, baking the bread and muffins, cleaning the Rata (Lisa I hope it's still up to my standards!), morning wake up walks to the beach and watching the sun set (the best show on earth). The two cheeky Wekas (Open Beak and Broken Beak)..laughing so hard with Lisa theat my sides hurt and making lovely pies and cakes...It all seems like a dream now...
--Megan & Richard from England on 6/1/08; 11:33:26 PM

I had been in Te nikau ten years ago.
I remember white cat who called pinky. Is she there now?
--hiroshi from japan on 28/12/07; 8:45:32 PM

my lovely te nikau !!!!!
it´s been a while but i still remember this nice place which was my home for a month! i love to see all the pictures and remember the great woofing time with yous!

thank you so much for this perfect start in my nz-year!

i will remember you where ever i go and one nice sentence from hamish will be in my mind forever:

"don´t work, just create!"

:)

thanks and lovely greetings from germany!

lizzy
--Lizzy from Germany on 20/12/07; 3:21:51 AM

Thank's for these 2 weeks incredible in it magic place with people really really nice! never i forget this time with you!
thank's a lot of
charles
hamish i not forget for your post card with the eiffel towers
--charles or carlos for hamish;-) from france, françois on 21/10/07; 8:09:37 PM

I had a great time at Te Nikau Retreat, the surroundings are wonderful!
--Vicki from Catalonia on 1/10/07; 7:31:45 AM

Hey Lisa, ho Hamish!
Just came across your website now. I arrived back home on agust 4th from my world journey, now planning again to leave my hometown as soon as possible.
i was just thinking about all my experiences, the places i stayed and i found that the 10 days of wwoofing at te nikau was definitely a highlight of my new zealand trip! i loved the homely atmosphere, the dense forest and the incredible beach!
food was always great (except when i forgot to boil the potatoes once probably...), i loved the muffins and hanging out with hamish and lisa and stefan and louise and flora!
i will come back for sure when i get to NZ the next time (oh, i will!).
keep it cosy and small!
best wishes and greetings from eisenstadt, austria!
alex
--Alex from Austria on 3/9/07; 12:05:13 PM

Hi Tom,

could it be that we met at Te Nikau in 1999 ?
The muffins were backed by a french pastry chef who volunteered there ?

Peter
--Peter from Germany on 13/8/07; 6:03:23 AM

te nikau is awesome i luv to go there in the holidays and the home made chocolate is delicious!
--julia johnston from New Zealand on 5/7/07; 11:41:24 AM

My dad is the boss of Te Nikau Retreat his name is Hamish he is a nice dad
--Oliver Johnston from New Zealand on 21/4/07; 5:20:58 PM

I first found this place in 1999, can't remember how, it may have been recommended. I stayed in the Ruru lodge and awoke to the smell of fresh bread and muffins every morning. Came back in 2003 and stayed in the Rata lodge until me, my brother and his girlfriend switched to the Tui hut. Have a great memory of watching the waves crash onto the rocks at sunset with a glass of wine. We were all in agreement that this one one of our top New Zealand highlights! I'm back in the country again so will be there next month to show my girlfriend. I love this place!
--Tom from England on 23/3/07; 2:17:45 PM

Hi Hamish,
I just moved to Berlin and sitting around in my new flat and just typed te nikau in google and came across your marvelous new page. Do u still remember me ? I woofed at your place in 1999/2000. How are your children doing? Still missing the nice salami ;-)?
Hope to hear from u
Peter
--The Professor ;-) as u called me from Berlin-Germany on 2/1/07; 12:58:49 PM

by the way: my email: thomaswick@gmx.ch
hasta luego
--thom from Switzerland on 11/8/06; 10:30:10 AM

Hi hamish, hi don,
is it still you guys running the place. remember me? i was woofing with u guys in 2000/2001 for several months. how is good old gary doing? im working for a swiss touroperator in dominican republic, as their representative on spot. hope i will make it back to the coast at some stage. would be just great to hear fom you guys and to know that you are still alive. i can see, that the business has become really prfessional. remember, i introduced the excel-form to take booking. so it seems that you dragged yourselves into the 21st century....still miss my time on the coast a lot. looking forward to hearing from you,
as ever, and greetings from dominican republic,
thom
--thom from Switzerland on 11/8/06; 10:28:11 AM

This is the best place that I have stayed in ...missing the trees already
--Grant from new zealand on 22/7/06; 1:10:09 PM

Hey Lisa..one year is gone since I made woofing in this amazing place.Many times I think about this time and the creative energy in my mind to build mirror walls in the sunshine...i still care all this in my heart..Ham, I hope this nice piece of wood you gave to me is still waiting..?
I will come back..that's for sure!
Kisses Elmar
--Elmar from Germany on 26/5/06; 6:31:23 AM

Hi Lisa, Just want to say what a great time i had at the Retreat. You gave me such a warm welcome i felt right at home. You really have thought about everything a traveller would need and all those little touches go a long way it really is a home away from home. Good luck with your house, all the best. Nick
--nick mathews from Canada on 19/5/06; 3:42:19 PM

Hi folks,

I spent 2 weeks in 1998 WOOFing at Te Nikau Retreat, making beds, cleaning, cooking etc. I was a young medical student who did not feel the need to pursue his studies to vigorously, then.
Since I was surfing the web and looked up NZ sites, I came across your page and got sentimental. I am definitively planning on coming back to NZ for some time, this time with my little family, no more student but Pediatrician and curious to see NZ again. Hope to find the "Retreat" as good as ever.
Some mor pictures of the surroundings and scenes from the hostel life would be great.

Catch' ya later, all the best from Germany

Michael
--Michael from Germany on 13/4/06; 10:31:41 AM

hello from the end of the world!!!
...playing around on the computer here in ushuaia, southamerica...must mean i miss te nikau...
hope you had a very merry x-mas and a good start into 2006.
if all goes well, i will be back in punakaiki this year to see you all and cook my great pasta for you!!! :)
clod :)
--clod from all over the place... on 9/1/06; 3:08:40 AM

Hello Hamish,

is it still you, who is running this wonderful peace of earth?

I'd like to be back, to split the wood and bake the bread!

See you soon (hope so),

Smiling Phil
--Phil from Germania on 26/11/05; 1:06:48 PM

Hey Hamish,,
Was checking out the website and am very impressed!! TE Nikau has come on a long way since I was last there... winter 2000 (6 weeks)!
Heading back to NZ next year so will definitely be popping in for a stay.. Te Nikau has always been the highlight of my 3 months on the South Island and I frequently dream about returning.. looks like it happening at last!
Bevan.
--Bevan from Ireland on 17/10/05; 10:50:48 PM

I spent some wonderful days in 99 at the Te Nikau Retreat an promised I will return... after some trips to Alaska and Canada we are planning to fly to NZ in spring 2007. Of course we will spend some days at the Retreat and we are happy to see you guys again!
--Achim from Germany on 6/10/05; 9:54:45 PM

Hiya Lisa, Hamish & Flora

It all looks great - will have to find time to come visit you all.
Hope the cappucinos' are as good their as they are in here.
--Sharon from Cobden - New Zealand on 9/9/05; 4:17:12 PM

Hi Lisa, hi Hamish

WOW, congratulations - really nice website!!! Hope you guys remember me....eam i was a wwoofer in February, stayed for a month i believe.
Well, i tell you, as things are pretty annoying here in Germany i sometimes (in moments of despair) think of coming over again and wwoof at your place for 6 months or so....

I really rally miss you guys and the place.
By the way lisa how was the rugby, enjoyed it ?! I´m sure you did :)
ok, much love and take care of yourself

Love, PAula

P.S.: How is your back, Hamish?!
--Paula from Germany on 3/8/05; 8:27:00 PM

Welcoming people, lovely surroundings - a slice of paradise. Thank you for your hospitality.
--Natasha from New Zealand on 25/7/05; 10:32:19 AM

New Zealand is going to beat the Lions Lisa, Sorry but it's true oh and hi Hamish.
--Simon Kirkwood from The place of the long white cloud on 23/6/05; 11:17:25 PM

accom looks great, I'll def be staying when I visit the coast
--simon from Aotearoa on 15/6/05; 1:16:44 PM

Your hostel looks lovely, we will definately be staying with you hopefully! By the way Leon - it works!!!
--Pauline from Uk on 1/2/05; 2:34:25 PM

two, two, two...
--Leon from New Zealand on 20/10/04; 10:28:17 AM

testing guestbook
--Leon from NZ on 20/10/04; 10:27:49 AM