2 Best Hotels in Whanganui National Park, North Island's West Coast

Roughly 30 miles upriver from Pipiriki, this private farm enclave can only be reached by jet boat or kayak. The remote location rewards with magnificent river and forest vistas. Accommodations range from fully catered lodge rooms to self-catering bunkrooms and cabins. Lodge owner Jo also runs jet boat tours upriver to the Bridge to Nowhere and provides jet boat shuttle services for hikers and mountain bikers within the national park. Canoe trips and rentals are also available.

Even just arriving here is an exceptional experience—whether by boat or the namesake Flying Fox, a cable car that carries you across to the remote, west bank of the Whanganui River. Once here, you can choose between a pair of two-bedroom cottages and the funky Glory Cart gypsy caravan. The former were hand-built using salvaged materials; inside, rug-covered floors, tie-dye throws, carved screens, and wood-burning stoves create a warm, cozy ambience. Distinctly eco-friendly, facilities here include wood- and gas-fired showers and solar lighting; moreover, the entire property is certified organic. Both self-catering and bed-and-breakfast options are available, and other meals can be provided (ask in advance). Glamping and camping facilities are available in the summer months. A little store carries a few products as well as home-grown produce. You can get to the Flying Fox from Whanganui on the Whanganui River Road Mail Tour; if you're driving, there's secure parking on the road side of the river.