The Okarito Trig Walk is the village's best short climb, rising through coastal forest to a viewpoint over the lagoon, the Tasman Sea, and, in clear weather, the snow peaks of the Southern Alps. It is not long, but the track is steep enough to feel earned.
Go early if the weather is clear. The West Coast can close in quickly, and the view is the whole reason to climb: lagoon channels below you, surf on the outer beach, and rainforest running inland toward the ice country.