What to do in the Catlins

A WILD AND UNTAMED PLACE TO EXPLORE

11 FEBRUARY 2024
Updated 7 May 2025

The Catlins is one of those places that grabs you by the soul and doesn’t let go. It’s raw, remote, and utterly unforgettable — a wild corner of New Zealand where nature still calls the shots. Think windswept cliffs, dense rainforest, endless coastline, and encounters with yellow-eyed penguins and sea lions just living their best lives.

Spanning the southern edges of Otago and Southland, the Catlins feels like a hidden world waiting to be uncovered. Iconic landmarks like Nugget Point Lighthouse rise above crashing waves, while moss-covered waterfalls tumble through lush native bush. Every twist in the road brings a new kind of magic — from eerie blowholes and petrified forests to beaches where you’ll often have the whole place to yourself.

This is not a place to rush. It’s a region that invites you to slow down, explore deeply, and reconnect with the wild beauty of Aotearoa. Whether you're chasing waterfalls, wandering windswept headlands, or simply soaking in the silence, the Catlins will leave you in awe. We have experienced many incredible sunrises and sunsets here and highly recommend you see as many as you can while you're here!

Visit One Of New Zealand's Most Beautiful Waterfalls

The McLean Falls has to be one of the most spectacular waterfalls in New Zealand! The walk to the waterfall is a 40-minute track through the forest, which is full of moss, twisted trees and birds. It's an easy enough track that is flat with few hills up to the McLean waterfall, where you can sit and watch the power of the water rush over the boulders or take some long exposure shots on your DSLR if you have one (this was one my first successful long exposure shots and I was stoked with how it turned out!).

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Hang Out With Seal Lions

Cannibal Bay is one of the best spots to see sea lions in the Catlins. It's beside the more popular Surat Bay, which is easier to get to for seal lion spotting, and the gravel road takes you to a secluded beach where *hopefully* you will spot some sea lions like we did! We had never seen any before visiting Cannibal Bay and it was amazing watching them playing, fighting and coming in from the ocean. You can find sea lions at many of the beaches along the Catlin coastline.

Always stay at least 20 metres away from sea lions and never try to approach them — they need their space to feel safe and can become aggressive if they feel threatened. And remember, never stand between a sea lion and the ocean — that’s their escape route.

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Visit An 150-Million Year Old Petrified Forest

Curio Bay is a magical place where time stands still because at low tide, the secrets of a 150-million-year-old petrified forest are unveiled and you can walk over it and touch it... how cool is that? Imagine running your fingers over ancient tree stumps from the Jurassic period!

It's a beautiful place with a rugged coastline and wildlife where, at different times of the year, you can spot yellow-eyed penguins, Hector's dolphins (the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world) and seals. It's a unique spot to visit and we recommend visting at low tide so you get a chance to walk amongst the petrified forest.

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Spend Sunrise At Nugget Point

This is a super popular spot to spend sunrise in the Catlins, as the sun comes up behind the famous lighthouse and looks so beautiful! Even on a foggy or cloudy morning when the sun doesn't want to come and say hello, the rugged coastline and nugget rocks are still a stunning sight. Sometimes you can spot Hector's dolphins and seals on the coastline below (usually you can hear the seals before you see them). It's a good excuse to get up early, get some early morning fresh air and the first light of the day on your face. It can be a super windy place, so take a jacket and hold onto your hats if the wind is blowing!

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Take Photos At The Purakaunui Falls

Another beautiful waterfall in the Catlins are the Purakaunui Falls, which are a beautiful multi-tiered waterfall with a large viewing platform only a few metres away. The track to the waterfalls is an easy walk through the forest and it's not too far from the carpark. We visited in winter, so there was plenty of water here which made for the perfect long exposure shot!

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Spy On Yellow-Eyed Penguins From A Hideout

Not far from the Nugget Point lighthouse is a hideout at Roaring Bay, purposely built for penguin watching! It's a small bunker with narrow windows, for watching yellow-eyed penguins come in early morning and late afternoon. Half of the windows are higher and the other half are lower down, so it means everyone gets a chance to see out the windows, no matter how tall you are. There are no chairs in there, so squatting to look out the window it is! The Catlins can get suuuuuper windy, so the hideout is just perfect to shelter out of the wind.

The beach is closed from 3pm to protect the little guys, so the hide out is the best place to see them from. They are one of the rarest and most endangered penguin species in the world and the colony at Roaring Bay is declining. We spent a long time waiting for them to come in from the sea but no luck! You won't see them every day, it's just luck of the draw and over the years, the penguin numbers are going down, so seeing them is becoming quite rare. In 2025 there were only 2 yellow-eyed penguins at Roaring Bay and no chicks hatched this year.

The hide out is quite high up from the beach, so you'll need a pair or binoculars or a long lense if you want to see the penguins up close, but you can still see them without one.

Visit The Crazy And Kookie Teapot Land

In the town of Owaka, there’s a quirky little spot called Teapotland – a backyard packed with of teapots in every style imaginable, from classic to completely bonkers. It’s one of those random Kiwi roadside spots that makes you smile. There’s a little path that winds through the yard so you can wander around and check them all out, plus a glass display case off to the side with even more.

I wouldn't go out of your way to visit here but if you're in Owaka and have the time, then you may enjoy looking at them all (or you may feel like it was a complete waste of time!).

Visit The (Not So) Incredible Niagara Falls

A surveyor in Niagara thought it would be hilarious to call the small waterfall along the Waikawa River in Niagara, the Niagara Falls. It's a very small waterfall, nothing to talk about really, and it's definitely not a must-do when visiting the Catlins but if you've got a sense of humour (pretty important) and some time, why not pass by and see the falls!

Unfortunately, the photos I took of Niagara Falls were lost when my HD crashed, but Google is your friend if you want to see what it looks like.

Get Views For Days At The Florence Hill Lookout

There is a beautiful lookout at Florence Hill, with sweeping views across Tautuku Bay. It's sign posted and there is plenty of parking here, plus it's on the main highway which makes it a quick 2-minute stop on your travels. Be warned though - it can be SUPER windy here, we could barely open our doors to get out and take a photo, so hold on tight to your car door (when you do manage to get it open) if the wind is blowing!

Experience The Most Reflective Lake In The Catlins

Discover the serene beauty of Lake Wilkie, one of the most reflective and peaceful spots in the Catlins. Just a short drive from Tautuku Bay, this ancient lake—formed over 13,000 years ago after the last ice age—offers a 30-minute return walk through lush native podocarp forest. Follow the gentle boardwalk as it winds past towering rimu, kahikatea, and southern rata, leading to a tranquil viewing platform where the lake's still surface mirrors the surrounding bush with striking clarity. It’s a haven for birdlife too, with tui, bellbirds, and fantails often making an appearance.

The best time to visit the lake is on a windless day so the lake is calm and offers the best reflections.