
12 stops in the Catlins in New Zealand you don’t want to miss
The Catlins is a beautiful coastal nature reserve in the south of New Zealand. This area is mainly known for the many waterfalls, spotting marine animals and beautiful viewpoints. Below I tell you about the top 12 most beautiful places to stop in the Catlins. Since I drove this route from Invercargill to Dunedin, they are listed in order of how you encounter them on that route. Unfortunately, there are not many tours to this area, therefore I strongly recommend that you visit the Catlins with your own transport, read about how you can rent a car or camper in New Zealand.
1. Waipapa Lighthouse
The first place we stopped was at the Waipapa Lighthouse. We were immediately lucky because as soon as we got to the beach we saw a sea lion! He was on the beach and didn’t move much, but it was nice to see. We walked around the lighthouse and a bit along the beach. It’s a short walk to the lighthouse.
2. Slope Point
Our second stop in the Catlins was Slope Point, which is the most southern point in New Zealand. Here you will find a sign that indicates that it is the southernmost point, along with the coordinates. This is a very popular photo moment for Instagram. Besides the sign, the trees are another reason what makes this a cool stop. The wind blows extremely hard in Slope Point and that can be seen in the trees as they completely hang to one side! You also have a beautiful view over the coast.
3. Waipohatu Falls
The Waipohatu Falls consists of two waterfalls, the Upper Waipohatu Falls and the Lower Waipohatu Falls. To get here you have to do a slightly long and intensive hike. The hike takes 2 to 3 hours and it has a medium difficulty. You walk to the falls through beautiful native forests. If you want to enjoy nature but prefer not to walk that long, you can walk a shorter route, but unfortunately you will then not see the waterfalls themselves.
4. Curio Bay
Curio Bay is a small village in the Catlins. Here you can find many types of accommodation, from beach houses to motels and campsites. Visit the Curio Bay viewpoint for an amazing view over the bay. From there you can also spot the yellow-eyed penguins in the afternoon when they come back ashore. One bay away, in Purpoise Bay you can relax at the beach, go swimming and if you are lucky, see the native Hector dolphins. These dolphins are the smallest dolphin species in the world and can only be found in New Zealand.
5. McLean Falls
After Curio Bay we went to McLean Falls, the most visited waterfall in the Catlins. After 20 minutes of walking through native forests we arrived at the waterfall. It’s a beautiful cascade waterfall surrounded by mossy rocks. A very beautiful waterfall that does not take too much time to visit.
6. Cathedral Caves
Cathedral Cove is also a very popular stop in the Catlins. Unfortunately, these caves are not open all year round, they are only open in summer during low tide. When I went to the Catlins it was unfortunately closed, but it looks like a fantastic place. If you are in the Catlins and would like to go here, make sure to check with the tourist center first to make sure it is safe to visit.
7. Lake Wilkie
The walk to Lake Wilkie is very short, only 10 minutes. This lake is beautiful and is very still, which creates a cool reflection effect. Listen carefully to the birds, the Tui and the Bellbird can be heard here. Read more about native birds in New Zealand.
8. Florence Hill lookout
Florence Hill is another place with a breathtaking view of a bay. This stop is located along the main road so you can quickly stop here or decide to stay a little while to enjoy the view a little longer. There are also informative boards that explain the geography in this area.
9. Purakaunui Falls
The Purakaunui Falls, like the McLean Falls, are cascading waterfalls. Here too you can walk through native forests to the waterfall in about 20 minutes. This waterfall is frequently visited and you often see photos of it on social media. I completely understand why, it is a very beautiful, special waterfall!
10. Jacks Blowhole
This stop is different from the beautiful waterfalls and viewpoints. This walk takes you to a gigantic blowhole. It takes about 30 minutes to walk there and once you have arrived you can walk around the blowhole. The ideal time to go is during high tide because you will have the best chance of seeing the water spurt up. Unfortunately we were not here at high tide, but it was still very impressive to see!
11. Surat Bay/ Cannibal Bay
Surat Bay and Cannibal Bay are next to each other in the northern area of the Catlins. Both are beautiful beaches connected by a walking route. It is the ideal place to take a walk on the beach and get a breath of fresh air. These beaches are also known for the sea lions. This is the best place in the Catlins where you can see these beautiful animals, but certainly not the only one.
12. Nugget Point
Nugget Point was our last stop in the Catlins. This stop also has a beautiful lighthouse. The lighthouse is located on a platform from where you have a beautiful view over the coast and the “nuggets”. The nuggets are rocks in the water that look like golden nuggets. Walking to the lighthouse is easy and only 20 minutes. From the platform make sure you look down at the rocks, you can usually spot many seals. I do recommend that you bring binoculars to see them even better.
After our last stop in the Catlins, we continued on to Dunedin. Read more about Dunedin attractions and excursions here.