Curio Bay Cliffs
Curio Bay Cliffs things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Catlins is generally very beautiful. But if you are after spotting the rare Yellow-Eyed Penguins (Hoiho), this is your best bet. They come back to the shore towards late evening after a day of food-gathering at the sea. And this time is the best bet to spot them. There is a Upper Viewing deck just a short walk from the Car Park. The sea is very rough here. So please do not be adventurous. This is also the place to watch a pre-historic 180 million year old Jurassic fossil forest up-close. This fossilized forest gets exposed at low tide. And you can walk into it and see and touch and feel the petrified tree trunks yourself. Walking options from the car park: - Walk from car park to Petrified Forest – 5 minutes. - Living Forest Walkway - 15 minutes return. Curio Bay is 7 km from Waikawa on the “Southern Scenic Route". Porpoise Bay is close and a place to unwind by calm seas unlike the very rough Curio Bay. If you are very lucky you may also spot Hector's Dolphins and Fur Seals
Sabyasachi Banerjee
50
Dolphin alert! The Hector dolphins were here cruising in the bay, early April. You can usually see them in the morning. Visitors to Curio Bay during the summer and autumn can often see Hector's dolphins surfing in the waves. Along with yellow-eyed penguins, fur seals and sea lions are also known to visit at Curio Bay. Many geologists have evidence that Earth is ancient but cannot give an actual date. Sir Ernest Rutherford, New Zealand's only Nobel prize winner, in 1905 suggests that using radioactive elements with long half-lives, such as uranium, you could determine and work out the ages of rocks and hence the age of the Earth. Curio Bay is also of international significance for its Petrified Forest dating back to the Jurassic period. The tree fossils you see here are similar to Kauri and Matai trees, are estimated to be 170 million years old. The petrified forest has remnants of the tree stumps, covered in an ancient lava flow.
W R Edwards
00
Even in a cloudy day, this is a majestic place to visit no only due to be one of the best places to meet pinguins, but also because of its nature beauty with amazing cliffs and beachs. Renting a place to camp is possible, so anyone can enjoy for a full weekend all this amazing place that can be much beautiful also during the night with a clear sky. If anyone is going to spend a weekend, recommend to take your own provisions because is a remote area, being possible to eat in the restaurant on the cliffs. Also there is a museum about all the region inside of the restaurant and a surfing school for anyone desiring to learn surfing or maybe just rent some equipments.
Luis Ganontrox Fidalgo
00
I loved Curio Bay as there is so much to explore. At sunset the cliff edge comes alive. Watch the sunset on top of the hill or on the rocks. When its high tide its even more spectacular with the waves crashing against the rocks. The water is so clear and a beautiful colour too. The campsite was brilliant. You don't get a view as each site is surrounded by Flax but its great for both privacy and protection on windy days. There is another surprise if you walk to the other side....but you got to visit to see it. No spoilers here but you won't regret a visit to Curio Bay thats for sure. I LOVED it. Well worth staying here!..
Kendra Brown
00
Pretty basic camp site in a fabulous location. Your pitch, powered or not, smoking the flax plants which provide shelter from the wind. Washing and other facilities are provided in a large portacabin. While limited the washing sinks and showers are clean. $1 gets you 5 minutes of hot water which, while common, is pretty tight. Book in at the reception building at the entrance to the site. Also is a restaurant where the food is very good. Apparently the site is under new management so hopefully facilities will improve moving forward.
Graham Newell
00
Amazing spot to come and look at wildlife!! You can often see the rare and endangered Hector's Dolphin's swimming off the coast and if you are really lucky you might see a Yellow Eyed Penguin. But be sure you keep more than 50 meters from them as they are very wary of humans. Make sure you don't get in their way or between them and the ocean. They are critically endangered and there isn't many of them left!!!
Damian Hancock
00
Nearby Attractions Of Curio Bay Cliffs
Petrified Forest Curio Bay
Living Forest walkway

Petrified Forest Curio Bay
4.5
(425)
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Living Forest walkway
4.0
(8)
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Nearby Restaurants Of Curio Bay Cliffs
Tumu Toka CurioScape

Tumu Toka CurioScape
4.0
(221)
$$
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Basic Info
Address
Waikawa-Curio Bay Road, Southland Region 9884, New Zealand
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Website
southlandnz.com
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Overview
4.7
(228 reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
adventure
scenic
family friendly
pet friendly
Description
Curio Bay is a coastal embayment in the Southland District of New Zealand, best known as the site of a petrified forest some 180 million years old. It also hosts a yellow-eyed penguin colony, arguably the rarest of penguin species, with approximately 1600 breeding pairs in the extant population.
attractions: Petrified Forest Curio Bay, Living Forest walkway, restaurants: Tumu Toka CurioScape

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