The region south of Dunedin is home to the Catlins Forest Park and the south coast of New Zealand. It’s definitely not as popular as the Remarkables and Queenstown. There are giant trees, ferns, and shades of green you’ve never even imagined. There are rolling hills, waterfalls, and the most beautiful and empty coasts. You can find Yellow-Eyed Penguins (although we didn’t on our visit) and all kinds of wildlife.
This southernmost part of the island is often left off itineraries, but we think that’s unfortunate. The usual path is direct to Queenstown, missing the southern coast and the Catlins altogether. I’m glad we decided to visit this remote part of the country. We saw only a few camper vans in this region and no tour buses whatsoever.
We are sharing a few of our favorite stops on this section of our road trip, but there are so many other places that were either closed, or we didn’t get a chance to stop this time.
How to Explore the Catlins
The Catlins region covers about 730 square miles (1,900 square km.) It’s a triangle shape at the southern edge of New Zealand’s South Island.
This region of New Zealand is best explored via car or camper van. Make sure to top off your fuel tank whenever possible because there are very few places to fill up. There isn’t much public transportation available in this area. Dunedin is the closest international airport.
Plan to spend a couple of days exploring. You can cruise through faster, but you will want the chance to explore and hike. The pace is slower in this region and it’s the perfect place to enjoy the coastal scenery.
Best Spots to Explore in the Catlins and Southern New Zealand
1. Nugget Point
Located just outside the wonderful little town of Kaka Point, there is a lighthouse up on a cliff. This lighthouse is less than 1 km to walk out to and once you are there, you overlook a group of rocks which are the namesake for the lighthouse. The water here was such a beautiful color blue and the beaches were completely empty. If you are there near sunset, you have a great chance to see the rare yellow penguins swim ashore from the Roaring Bay lookout spot.
2. Purakaunui Falls in Catlins Forest Park
The McLean Falls were closed when we were there due to a rockslide, so this was our backup plan. It was a short hike to get to the falls on a path filled with ferns and shades of green we had never seen before. We actually tagged it as “Ferngully” because it’s what we imagined that place would look like – although neither of us have seen the movie. It’s the perfect place to stop for a picnic lunch and short walk to stretch your legs.
3. Curio Bay
This was one of our favorite stops. Not only is there a beautiful shoreline to take in, but they also have a petrified forest and a living forest to walk through and learn about the history of the region. This is also a hot spot for the rare yellow penguins. You can also kayak or surf in this area and they have rentals available. Even though the sun was out, I could only imagine how cold the waters flowing from Antartica are this time of year.
4. Slope Point
Many visitors crowd around the sign in Bluff taking pictures and sharing stories that they are at the southernmost point on the South Island, but they are misinformed. It is actually located at Slope Point. You just walk about 10 minutes through farmland along the path to the one simple sign telling you the distance to the equator and the South Pole. Another great and quick stop with beautiful views and a good leg stretch.
5. Waipapa Point
We didn’t stay here long, but it was definitely a place to remember. We saw our first Sea Lion in the wild. They are so much bigger than I imagined. We didn’t take any good photos because we didn’t have the camera with us and phones wouldn’t have captured it. The lighthouse is cool and the coastal views here are wonderful as well, but the highlight for us was the Sea Lion up close and personal.
Where to Stay in the Catlins
We stayed at the Whistling Frog Resort, which is right in the middle of the Catlins. Our food there was some of the best we’ve had on the trip. They use local ingredients and change up the menu often. The people running it were so friendly. Our cabin was tiny and cold, but we were close to the bathrooms, and they had heated blankets on the bed, so we were cozy.
If we return, we want to go to the Cathedral Cave (you can only go during low tide), see the Yellow Penguins, and visit McLean Falls.
If you are going to New Zealand, consider adding the Catlins to your South Island itinerary. Most things are closed in the winter, but the temps are still above zero, and they rarely get snow. It’s such a beautiful area.
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