The Catlins is one the place I wish to go, because

The Catlins the most nature place in NZ.
It’s the a good place to spot Aurora.
However, no public transport service to here, I only can come here by driving myself

We pass by Invercargill after coming from Queenstown,

Invercargill is the most southern City in the World. Almost every place crown with southern most name, for example the southern most Starbuck.
It’s a historical city with a lot story to tell.
Lastly, it also a great place to fill up your supply for The Catlins.

*For Driver, the price of petrol increased with south latitude.
Mean Invercargill have a second most expensive petrol price.
And the Top is Queenstown

Without any experience and information form i-site, we went through quite a lot extra route:

• Wrong timing to watch sunset at Bluff, we actually watching moon-rise
  
• Jack Blowhole is actually nothing related to Blowhole.
  
• Waipapa Point is a normal lighthouse with aggressive sealion.
• There is no sealion at Surat Bay during high-tide/afternoon.
  But there is a boot tree here.
• 

 

There are also some interesting point over here:

Slope Point, The southern most point for NZ south island.
The signboard will make your photo much more precious.
Moreover, here have the classic Catlins Scene

Nugget Point with a amazing geographical structure, a special lighthouse and a cliff walkway.
There is a DOC house for you the watch yellow eyed penguin too.

3pm during winter is the best timing to reach here. 1 hour at the lighthouse and walkway then 4pm is penguin time.

Beside that, There a quite a lot lookout or rest point along the journey, eg : Florence Hill Lookout，Mclean Fall，Gemstone Beach (With real Gem!)，Purakaunui Fall (The most printed postcard waterfall photo)

*For Gemstone beach, low tide will be better for Gem finding.

Lastly, I think the most amazing place over here is Curio Bay

Curio Bay a bay with 180 million years old
But I think the most attractive point is the penguin experience.
By compare to Otago Peninsular, 200m (Free) and Oamaru, 100m. The penguin distance limit over here is only 10m!
Mean you can look at the penguin with amazing close up distance.

When we reach the bay, we come into a special rock area.
All of them are 180M years old.
Then we turn left, we saw a lot white print on the rock, the penguin poop.
Looked behind, there are a lot hole on the cliff, there are penguin home.

For now, we’re at the penguin daily route.
We find a great rock to stay and waiting them to come back.
According my friend, if you hide good enough, the penguin will though you’re stone and pass by you.

But if they noticed you, they’ll stay as far as possible or stay in sea
If the penguin not yet come home after the timing, means they saw you on the route and don’t want come back.
Now, you must stay further a bit for them to come back.

I think the Curio Bay is the best place to spot penguin with it cost-free, free seating, and amazing close-up distance.

Beside that, we’re the only customer during the night we stay in the BBH，Lazy Dolphin, and the host went back another home
During the night, we felt like own the whole beach resort.
I really like the comfortable bed and wonderful sun rise scene over here.
According to host, people even surf with dolphin just below the BBH during Summer.
Felt regarding again not coming during Summer!.

After all, If you coming The Catlins, you must come Curio Bay during Summer!