WEST COAST: GREYMOUTH

Serpentine Beach is a rugged West Coast beach where you can go fishing, or just go fossicking for coloured stone that have been naturally polished.

We visited the beach after being told in the Coast Honey Centre about the coloured gem stones that could be found there.

The road runs parallel to the beach and it's easy enough to find somewhere to park. A couple of other vans were also there.

We spent a very enjoyable hour or so hunting through the pebbles for coloured stones. We didn't find any greenstone, but it was very relaxing, at least until I got caught by a wave that filled up my shoes with salt water. 

There are no signs forbidding overnight parkng, and this would be a nice spot to catch the sunset and go to sleep to the sound of the waves.