There are some excellent places to visit in the Catlins, but part of the beauty of the area is stumbling upon spectacular views and unbelievable natural sights as you explore the remote corners of the south.
Nugget Point Lighthouse could easily be the most iconic lighthouse in New Zealand, and the chances are that you may have seen a photograph of it, without even realizing it.
Just to the south of Nugget Point, you can find the wide and beautiful Cannibal Bay, that these days is a much more attractive a place to visit than the name might suggest.
The Catlins are quite literally full of waterfalls, many of them spectacular, but if you have time to see just one, then make sure you call in at McClean Falls.
As well as enjoying sweeping vistas from the top of the cliffs, the coast here is the site of a fossilized forest, and you’ll encounter millennia-old tree trunks amongst the rocks.