The Catlins

Self-drive is the main way visitors get around. The main route into and through the Catlins is the Southern Scenic Route from Balclutha on the Otago side and from Invercargill on the Southland side. Petrol is available at Owaka and Papatowai in the North Catlins, and Tokanui and Fortrose in the South Catlins.
The Bottom Bus is the only public transport. It runs from Dunedin through the Catlins to Invercargill (not the other way) on M, Tu, Th, Sa, Su, departing about 8am and arriving about 7pm. It's a hop-on hop-off service, so you can spend nights in the Catlins and catch the bus again another day. It stops at Nugget Point, Surat Bay/Cannibal Bay, Owaka, a forest & waterfall walk, and Curio Bay. Cost is $225 (adult).

• Curio Bay and Porpoise Bay

  address: Waikawa-Curio Bay Rd
  This whole area is called "Curio Bay", but includes the long sandy enclosed Porpoise Bay, and the small rocky Curio Bay that directly faces the open ocean. On the road running along Porpoise Bay, there are houses and accommodation and several access points onto the beach. To see most of the attractions, continue to the end of the beach where the road ends in a T intersection. Left takes you to the camping ground, the beach store, beach access and cliff-top lookout. Porpoise Bay has a resident population of the endangered Hector's dolphin, and the delight is that in summer and autumn they can often be seen easily from the beach as they swim in or just beyond the surf. Turning right at the T intersection takes you to the Curio Bay car park, interpretive panels and a walk down to the rocks. Here are fossilized logs and tree stumps from a forest that stood in the Jurassic period 180 million years ago. It is one of the best examples of a Jurassic fossil forest in the world. You can walk around the fossils when the tide is out. The second attraction in this small bay is endangered yellow-eyed penguins that nest here and can be seen returning from the sea in the late afternoon and early evening and walking up the rocks or just standing around. Also in these bays, fur seals can sometimes be seen, usually on rocky shore, and the larger sea lions, usually on sandy shore.

• Florence Hill Lookouts

  address: Chaslands Highway
  After passing through the village of Papatowai heading west, the road runs up Florence Hill, where there are two parking spots with great views of the coast. The second one is even better than the first, as it has great views of Tautuku Bay and Tautuku Peninsula, where there was once a whaling station, plus information boards.

• Nugget Point

  address: The Nuggets Rd
  A spectacular sea scene with a lighthouse (built 1869–70) and the Nuggets (a group of rocky islets), which can be viewed from the lighthouse (a 10–20 min return walk from the end carpark). If you look down from the walk, well below near sea level are breeding colonies of royal spoonbill birds and fur seals. Sea lions come here, and sometimes elephant seals in summer. Roaring Bay (20 min return) can be accessed from a carpark before the main one. Yellow-eyed penguins come ashore in the bay in the late afternoon. There is a hide from which you can view them – avoid going on to the beach in the late afternoon. There is a picnic area and toilets near the end carpark.

• Owaka Museum & Catlins Information Centre

  phone: +64 3 415-8323 (Museum), +64 3 415-8371 (Information Centre)
  address: 10 Campbell St, Owaka

• Slope PointThis is the most southerly point of the South Island, and has dramatically wind-sculpted trees. An unsealed road runs off the Curio Bay-Haldane Rd, taking you six km to the parking site for a marked walk across private farmland to the Slope Point light. On a rare still day it can be absolutely stunning here. The walkway is closed for lambing in Oct and Nov.

• Surat Bay

  address: Newhaven Rd, New Haven
  Drive to New Haven, then walk over a bridge crossing a small creek and follow the poled route through the dunes to Surat Bay. Usually there is a colony of New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) on the beach or in the dunes. The walk is 20–30 mins return. You can also walk to the end of the bay and over to Cannibal Bay, or you can drive to Cannibal Bay.

• Tunnel Hill

  address: Owaka Highway
  Walk through a 250 m disused brick-lined railway tunnel that was dug by hand in the 1890s. It is now an historic reserve. Taking a torch is recommended.

• Waikawa Museum & Information Centre

  address: 604 Niagara Waikawa Highway
  Local history, accommodation bookings, Internet. A handy stop between the main highway and Curio Bay.

• Waipapa PointThe still-active lighthouse was built in 1884 in response to the wreck of the SS Tararua here in 1881, country's worst civilian shipwreck. Sea lions come ashore on the beach here.

• Cathedral Caves Walk

  address: 214 Pratt Rd
  30 minutes walk each way. Open two hours each side of low tide from late Oct to May. Temporarily closed due to a large waterhole inside the caves as of Dec 2015.
• Catlins River walk. Absolutely beautiful and costs nothing except the fuel to get to Tawanui camping-group from where the five-hour walk starts. You really need a car at the other end (The Wisp) so that you don't have a ten-hour tramp! Swap keys at the half-way point and meet back at Owaka. If you're lucky you might see a mohua (yellowhead), a rare and beautiful little native bird. You will certainly see some tomtits which, clinging to tree-trunks look for all the world like black and white butterflies. The bed of the river in places is sheer rock which gives it a unique look. There are some scary wire bridges but no-one has fallen in off one as far as we know.

• Catlins Wildlife Trackers

  phone: +64 3 415-8613
  address: 744 Catlins Valley Rd
  Two-day, three-night small group eco-tours to see and learn about The Catlins rainforest and coast. Subantarctic penguins and marine mammals are seen. Tours are fully catered in comfortable home-stay accommodation and home-cooked meals. Tours are personalised and guided by hosts Fergus and Mary Sutherland who have 20 years experience in hosting visitors to the Catlins and are well qualified with Masters degrees and conservation credentials.

• McLean Falls Walk

  address: Rewcastle Rd
  A beautiful nature's garden leads to the highest of the local waterfalls. 40 minutes return.

• Purakaunui Falls Walk

  address: Purakaunui Falls Rd
  A 10-minute walk each way through primeval forest to the 20m, three-tiered falls. The walk through the forest alone is worth the trip.

• Waipohatu Forest WalksClose to the turnoff for Slope Point, Waipohatu offers a sheltered contrast to the wild coast. There are two walks: a 1-km walk of wheelchair standard, with diverse ferns, podocarps and broad-leaved trees; the other a 3-hour adventure to two hidden waterfalls.

In a sparsely populated rural area, outstanding dining options are few and far between. Two that may stand out from the rest are Niagara Falls and Whistling Frog.

• Catlins Cafe

  phone: +64 3 415-8040
  address: 3 Main Rd, Owaka

• Lumberjack Bar & Cafe

  phone: +64 3 415-8747
  address: 3 Saunders St, Owaka

• Niagara Falls Cafe/Gallery

  phone: +64 3 246-8577
  address: 256 Niagara Waikawa Rd, Niagara
  Quality food and service in an informal friendly setting. They use local ingredients where possible, growing their own vegetables and catching whitebait.

• The Point Cafe & Bar

  phone: +64 3 412-8800
  address: 58 Esplanade, Kaka Point
  The blue cod is recommended; also the chowder. This is the only restaurant in Kaka Point – the other option in the village is takeaways.

• Stirling Tides Food and Fuel

  address: 5 Moray Terrace, Fortrose
  Right on the Fortrose waterfront, looking over the Mataura estuary.

• Whistling Frog Cafe & Bar

  phone: +64 3 415-8338
  address: Rewcastle Rd, Chaslands
  Breakfast through to dinner. The wood-fired pizzas are only served 4:30–6pm. Fully licensed bar with craft beers – McLean Falls Ale and Whistling Frog Golden Lager.

North Catlins

• Catlins Mohua Park

  phone: +64 3 415-8613
  address: 744 Catlins Valley Rd
  Set deep in the heart of The Catlins, Mohua Park offers luxury self-catering accommodation in a tranquil natural setting. Eco-friendly solar design cottages all have great views and access to a private native forest reserve. Mohua Park is within walking distance of the Catlins River for trout fishing and the Catlins River Track for bush walking. Within 20 min drive is the wildlife-rich Catlins coast.

• Hilltop Accommodation

  phone: +64 3 415-8028
  address: 77 Tahakopa Valley Rd, Papatowai
  Two refurbished character farm cottages, set against native forest and with spectacular sea and valley views. En suite, double, twin and bunks.

• Kaka Point Camping Ground

  phone: +64 3 412-8801
  address: 34 Tarata St, Kaka Point
  Camping sites and two cabins, with native forest around it. Bellbirds and tuis provide a dawn chorus. There are tracks through the forest reserve that start nearby.

• Newhaven Holiday Park

  address: 324 Newhaven Rd, New Haven
  Sea lions come to adjacent Surat Bay.

• Pounawea Accommodation Centre and Keswick Camping Ground

  address: 43 Park Lane, Pounawea
  Located right on the estuary of the Owaka River and the Catlins River.

• Surat Bay Lodge

  address: 19 Surat Bay Rd, New Haven
  Hostel on the Catlins Estuary, next to Surat Bay. Sea lions come here, sometimes right outside the hostel.

• Whistling Frog Resort

  address: 29 Rewcastle Rd
  Has a range of accommodation from tent sites through cabins to cottages. Also known as the "McLean Falls Holiday Park" and "Catlins Kiwi Holiday Park". See the "Eat" section above for the Whistling Frog Cafe & Bar, which is next door. Further along the road is the McLean Falls Walk.

South Catlins

• Curio Bay Holiday Park

  address: 601 Waikawa-Curio Bay Rd
  Camp amongst the flax bushes on a small peninsula between Curio Bay and Porpoise Bay and close to the beach. You may see the endangered yellow-eyed penguins and Hector's dolphins, and also sea lions. Has a shop with groceries and hot food. Facilities very basic, so not for the delicate.

• The Garden House near Fortrose

  phone: +64 3 246-9526
  Holiday home set in large garden on coastal farming property, everything supplied, just bring your food and wine.

• Lazy Dolphin Lodge

  phone: +64 3 246-8579
  address: 529 Waikawa-Curio Bay Rd
  Almost right on the Porpoise Bay beach.

Cellphone reception has been non-existent in much of the Catlins, but cell towers have been added in a few places in 2013–15.

• Invercargill
• Mataura
• Milton
• Stewart Island