The Catlins is a stretch of wild coast and rainforest in the far south-east of New Zealand's South Island, spread between Balclutha in Otago and Fortrose in Southland. It is a region, not an island, and most travellers see it from the Southern Scenic Route on the drive between Dunedin and Invercargill. The best things to do in the Catlins are short walks: to a lighthouse above sea stacks, to tiered waterfalls in podocarp forest, into sea caves that open only at low tide, and onto a rock shelf covered in fossilised tree stumps. Plan two days if you can; one rushed day covers half the list.
This guide ranks 12 Catlins stops in roughly the order you meet them driving north to south, with walking times, access rules, wildlife etiquette and the tide and season details that decide whether a stop works on the day you arrive. If the Catlins is part of a wider trip, start with our New Zealand travel page.
How we chose these stops: Our travel desk picked the sights that reward a detour on a Dunedin to Invercargill road trip, then checked walking times, access rules and fees against the Department of Conservation (DOC), regional tourism and site operators in October 2026. Each stop lists what it suits, how long it takes and the caveat most brochures leave out.
- Stops in this guide: 12
- Ideal time: 2 days
- Most walks: 10–40 min
- Cathedral Caves adult fee: NZ$15
Quick comparison of the top things to do in the Catlins
Most Catlins stops are short walks, from 10 to 20 minutes return at Nugget Point lighthouse to about 20 minutes each way to Purakaunui Falls. Timing matters for three: Nugget Point at sunrise, the Roaring Bay penguin hide in late afternoon, and Cathedral Caves at low tide. Use this table to sort the stops; tide-dependent sights need planning before you leave Owaka or Papatowai.
| # | Stop | Area | Walk / time | Timing matters? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nugget Point lighthouse | Kaka Point | 10–20 min return | Sunrise light | Views, photography |
| 2 | Roaring Bay penguin hide | Nugget Point road | About 20 min return | Late afternoon | Yellow-eyed penguins |
| 3 | Tunnel Hill | Near Owaka | Short walk | No | Rail history |
| 4 | Jack's Blowhole | Jack's Bay | Farmland walk | Rough seas | Coastal drama |
| 5 | Purakaunui Falls | Catlins Forest Park | About 20 min each way | No | Classic waterfall |
| 6 | Tautuku Bay lookouts | South of Papatowai | Roadside | Clear days | Panoramas |
| 7 | Cathedral Caves | Waipati Beach | 1 km track + beach | Tide only | Sea caves |
| 8 | McLean Falls | Chaslands | 20–40 min return | No | Forest walk |
| 9 | Curio Bay petrified forest | Curio Bay | Rock shelf | Low tide | Fossils, penguins |
| 10 | Porpoise Bay | Curio Bay | Beach | Summer | Hector's dolphins |
| 11 | Slope Point | Haldane | Farm walk | Farm access rules | South Island's tip |
| 12 | Waipapa Point lighthouse | Otara | Short walk | No | Sea lions, shipwreck story |
12 best things to do in the Catlins: full guide
Our editor’s pick in the Catlins is Nugget Point lighthouse near Kaka Point, with its wave-cut rock stacks and fur seals below. Next come yellow-eyed penguins at Roaring Bay, Purakaunui and McLean falls, Cathedral Caves at low tide, the Curio Bay petrified forest, Hector’s dolphins at Porpoise Bay, and Slope Point, the South Island’s southernmost tip.
Nugget Point (Tokata) lighthouse
Our editor's pick, Nugget Point near Kaka Point is the image people carry home from the Catlins: a white lighthouse on a narrow ridge, with a scatter of wave-cut rock stacks (the "nuggets") running out into the Pacific below. The short track from the end of the road follows the ridge with steep drops on both sides, and DOC rates it at 10 to 20 minutes return. Records date the lighthouse to 1869–1870, which makes it one of the older lights on the New Zealand coast.
Below the cliffs you will often see New Zealand fur seals hauled out on the rocks, and sea birds working the swell. Sunrise is the photographers' slot, because the light comes straight in from the sea and lights up the stacks. The ridge is exposed, so the wind can be fierce even on a sunny day. Stay on the formed track: signs warn of unstable cliffs, and the edges are crumbly.
The road in from Kaka Point is narrow and winding for the last section, with a small car park at the end. Arrive before about 9am in summer to get a park and have the track to yourself.
- Area: Off Nugget Point Road, south of Kaka Point
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: 30–45 min including photos
- Nearest village: Kaka Point, a short drive north
Come for sunrise photography, and bring a windproof layer even in January.
Roaring Bay penguin hide
On the Nugget Point road, a signposted side track leads to a small hide above Roaring Bay, one of the few places on the mainland where you can watch hoiho, the yellow-eyed penguin, come ashore in the evening. They return from fishing in the late afternoon and early evening, then waddle up the beach to nest in the coastal scrub. DOC lists the walk at about 20 minutes return.
Hoiho are endangered and easily stressed, and a single person on the sand can stop a bird from reaching its chick. The rule is simple: watch from the hide only, and do not go down to the beach after 3pm. Keep voices low, no flash, and be patient; on some evenings no penguins come in at all. Binoculars help, because the birds land at the far end of the beach.
- Area: Roaring Bay, Nugget Point road
- Cost: Free
- Best time: Late afternoon to dusk
- What you see: Yellow-eyed penguins landing
Wildlife lovers can pair it with Nugget Point in a single afternoon and stay until dusk.
Tunnel Hill historic railway tunnel
About 5 km north-east of Owaka on the Owaka Highway, a free and easy track through bush reaches a disused railway tunnel cut by hand in the 1890s for the old Catlins River branch line. It is roughly 250 metres long, brick-lined and completely dark in the middle, so bring a torch or use your phone light.
It takes a few minutes to walk through and back, and kids love it. The floor can be damp and muddy after rain, so wear shoes you do not mind getting dirty. It is the easiest leg-stretch on the route and a good reason to stop before you reach Owaka for supplies.
- Area: Owaka Highway, near Owaka
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: 15–20 min
- Bring: A torch
Families and anyone dodging a shower will get the most from it. Owaka is your last good fuel and grocery stop for a while.
Jack's Blowhole
South of Owaka, Jack's Blowhole is a deep collapsed sea cave that sits well inland in a paddock above Jack's Bay. The sea surges in through an underground channel and booms up into the hole, which is fenced. The walk crosses private farmland on a marked track, and you will share it with sheep.
The blowhole is unimpressive on a calm day and spectacular when a big southerly swell is running, so check the sea before you commit the time. Gates on farm tracks should be left as you find them.
- Area: Jack's Bay, south of Owaka
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: About 1 hour return
- Go when: Heavy swell
This one rewards walkers who like coastal drama. On a flat-calm day, skip it and spend the time at Purakaunui instead.
Purakaunui Falls
The most photographed falls in the region, Purakaunui in Catlins Forest Park is the Catlins waterfall on postcards: a three-tiered cascade dropping over broad rock steps inside native forest. An easy track of about 20 minutes each way winds through beech and podocarp trees to a viewing platform at the base. The walk is gentle by local standards and suits most fitness levels.
The falls run strongest after rain, which in the Catlins is often. In a dry spell the flow thins out, though the setting stays pretty. Sandflies are common, so carry repellent. The access road is gravel for part of the way; go slowly and watch for logging trucks.
- Area: Purakaunui Falls Road, inland of Owaka
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: About 45 min
- Best time: After rain
First-time visitors should put it high on the list. Morning light reaches the falls before tour groups do.
Tautuku Bay and Florence Hill lookout
Just south of Papatowai, the main road climbs over Florence Hill, and a roadside viewpoint opens a panorama of the long golden curve of Tautuku Bay, backed by dense forest that runs right to the dunes. The view takes in a huge sweep of the Catlins and needs nothing more than a pull-over.
Below the lookout, short tracks lead through the forest to the beach and the Tautuku estuary boardwalk, a quiet spot for birdlife. On a clear late afternoon the light falls across the whole bay; in fog, keep driving and try again on your way back.
- Area: Southern Scenic Route, south of Papatowai
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: 10 min (longer with beach walk)
- Best for: Wide-angle photos
Treat it as a fast scenic stop. Papatowai has a small store and café nearby.
Cathedral Caves (Waipati Beach)
Seasonal, paid and tide-dependent, Cathedral Caves are a pair of huge sea caves joined inside the cliffs at the northern end of Waipati Beach, about 15 km south of Papatowai and 2 km off the highway. The site sits on Māori freehold land run by a trust, which keeps a private access road with a gate. From the car park a 1 km track drops through coastal forest to the beach, then you walk along the sand to the cave mouths.
You can only enter around low tide, and only when sea conditions are safe, so the gate opening hours change every day. The operator publishes the times online and closes the site when the swell is too big; in late October 2026 it was shut for two days because of unsafe seas. Fees as of October 2026 are NZ$15 for adults, NZ$2 for children aged 5 to 14 and free for under-fives, payable by card only. DOC lists the walk as open from late October to May, so check before planning a trip around it.
Inside, the main chamber rises around 30 metres and echoes with every wave. Wear shoes that can get wet, and leave enough time to be back up the track before the tide turns.
- Area: Waipati Beach, off the Southern Scenic Route
- Fee: NZ$15 adult, card only (Oct 2026)
- Open: Around low tide, late Oct to May
- Walk: 1 km track plus beach
For many people this is the most memorable stop in the Catlins, so plan your whole day around the published opening window.
McLean Falls
Taller and more powerful than Purakaunui, McLean Falls on the Tautuku River at Chaslands is the waterfall many visitors rate the best in the Catlins. Guides measure the main drop at about 22 metres, followed by a series of cascades. The moderate track from the car park climbs gently through rainforest of tree ferns and podocarps, with a short rocky scramble near the top; allow 20 to 40 minutes return depending on pace.
The falls are a short drive from Cathedral Caves, so pair them when the tide window leaves you waiting. Steps near the top get slippery, and the spray soaks the upper viewing area in high flow.
- Area: Rewcastle Road, Chaslands
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: 40 min–1 hour
- Track: Mostly easy, rocky at the end
Go here for a waterfall with real power, ideally while you wait for the tide at Cathedral Caves.
Curio Bay petrified forest
Around 180 million years ago, in the Jurassic period, a forest stood at Curio Bay, and today a flat rock platform at the edge of the sea is studded with its fossilised stumps and fallen logs. Volcanic ash buried the trees and turned them to stone, and the sea has since stripped back the rock to reveal them. You can walk among the stumps at low tide; at high tide much of the shelf is under water.
Curio Bay is also a hoiho nesting site. In the evening penguins come ashore across the rock platform. Signs ask visitors to keep well back and never block a bird's path to its nest; stand still and let them pass. The Curio Bay Heritage Centre nearby explains the geology and has a café.
- Area: Curio Bay, Southland
- Cost: Free
- Best time: Low tide; dusk for penguins
- Stay: Campground and holiday homes nearby
Geology fans should check the tide chart the night before so they arrive when the shelf is exposed.
Porpoise Bay and Hector's dolphins
On the other side of the Curio Bay headland lies Porpoise Bay, a sweeping sandy beach where, in the warmer months, a small resident pod of Hector's dolphins often feeds and surfs in the waves close to shore. Hector's are among the smallest dolphins in the world, with a rounded dorsal fin often compared to a Mickey Mouse ear.
Watch from the sand or wade in the shallows and let the dolphins approach on their own terms. Do not chase or touch them. Sightings are most common in summer and early autumn and far less likely in winter. The beach is also one of the few calm, surfable spots in the region, and good for swimming.
- Area: Porpoise Bay, Curio Bay
- Cost: Free
- Best time: Summer, calm mornings
- Also: Beginner surf on small days
A summer beach afternoon is the best use of it. Stay at Curio Bay and watch for dolphins at breakfast.
Slope Point
Windswept Slope Point near Haldane is the southernmost point of the South Island, further south than the better-known signpost at Bluff. Reach it by turning off onto about 6 km of gravel from the Curio Bay to Haldane road, then walking a marked route across sheep farmland to a small beacon and a yellow signpost with distances to the Equator and the South Pole.
The trees on the way in are bent almost horizontal by the prevailing wind, which tells you what to expect at the point. The walk takes about 20 minutes each way. The route crosses a working sheep farm, so stick to the marked path and follow any closure notices posted at the car park.
- Area: Slope Point Road, Haldane
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: About 45 min
- Access: Marked route over private farmland
It is a geography milestone worth ticking off. Hold onto your hat and keep children well back from the cliffs.
Waipapa Point lighthouse
The wooden lighthouse at Waipapa Point, near Otara at the western end of the Catlins coast, was built in 1884, after the SS Tararua struck the reef here in 1881 with the loss of 131 lives, New Zealand's worst civilian shipwreck. A short walk leads from the car park to the light, and a separate path heads to the graves of some of the victims.
New Zealand sea lions regularly haul out on the beach below. They look sleepy and can move fast, so keep a wide distance and never get between a sea lion and the sea. From here it is less than an hour to Invercargill.
- Area: Waipapa Point Road, Otara
- Cost: Free
- Time needed: 30–45 min
- Wildlife: Sea lions, fur seals
End the drive here. Late afternoon light suits the white lighthouse.
How to plan a Catlins road trip: direction, days and where to stay
Two days is the sweet spot for the Catlins. Drive the Southern Scenic Route from Dunedin, stop at Nugget Point and Roaring Bay on day one, sleep near Owaka or Papatowai, and spend day two on the waterfalls, Cathedral Caves and Curio Bay before finishing at Waipapa Point and Invercargill. Reversing the route works just as well. A single day from Dunedin is possible but forces you to pick five or six stops and miss the evening penguin hours.
Accommodation is spread thinly: holiday homes, motels and backpackers in Owaka, small lodges around Papatowai, and a campground plus holiday rentals at Curio Bay. Book in summer; rooms near Curio Bay sell out first. Our hotel search covers Dunedin and Invercargill if you would rather base yourself in a city at either end.
Fuel and groceries are limited. Fill up in Balclutha or Owaka heading south, or Invercargill heading north. Mobile coverage drops out in the forest stretches, so download offline maps and the tide table before you leave town.
Getting to the Catlins from Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown
Dunedin Airport and Invercargill Airport are the closest airports, both served by domestic flights from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Most international visitors fly into Auckland, Christchurch or Queenstown and connect or drive from there. There is no regular public transport through the Catlins, so a rental car or campervan is the practical choice; a few operators run guided day trips from Dunedin. Compare routes on our flights page.
Entry requirements for New Zealand depend on your passport. Many visitors need either a visa or an electronic travel authority (NZeTA) before they fly, so check Immigration New Zealand's official website well before booking.
Between Dunedin and Invercargill, the Southern Scenic Route through the Catlins covers roughly 250 to 270 km and needs at least three and a half hours of driving without stops, against about two and a half hours on the direct State Highway 1. From Dunedin, follow SH1 for about 80 km to Balclutha, then turn south on the road to Owaka. The main road through the Catlins is sealed, but several side roads to beaches and walks are gravel, so drive them slowly. Coming from Queenstown, Invercargill is the natural entry point at the western end.
Tips for visiting the Catlins
Read the tide table before anything else, because Cathedral Caves and the Curio Bay fossil forest both depend on low tide. Then give penguins space and stay off Roaring Bay beach after 3pm, pack sandfly repellent, carry a waterproof and warm layer even in midsummer, drive the gravel side roads slowly, and fill up with fuel in Owaka.
- Read the tide table first. Cathedral Caves and the Curio Bay fossil forest both depend on low tide. Fix those two times, then build the rest of the day around them.
- Give penguins space. Stay off Roaring Bay beach after 3pm, keep well back from hoiho at Curio Bay, and never use a flash.
- Pack repellent. Sandflies are relentless at the waterfalls and beaches. Repellent and long sleeves make forest walks far more pleasant.
- Dress for four seasons. Southerly fronts arrive fast. A waterproof jacket and warm layer belong in the car even in midsummer.
- Drive gravel slowly. Side roads to Purakaunui, Slope Point and Cathedral Caves are partly unsealed. Check your rental terms for gravel use.
- Fill up early. Owaka has the main services; beyond it, shops are small and close early outside summer.
If you are looking for a slower, romantic version of the South Island, our New Zealand honeymoon guide covers Queenstown, Fiordland and other regions that pair well with a night or two in the Catlins.
Planning a trip to New Zealand? Read our New Zealand travel guide or search flights.
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