New Zealand Camping - South Island:
Catlins (Porpoise Bay & Curio Bay)

New Zealand Camping -Catlins (Porpoise Bay)

ADDRESS / TEL / GPS coordinates:

Curio Bay Headland

601 Curio Bay Road

13km south of State Highway 92 (via Waikawa)

Catlins Coast

Southland

South Island

New Zealand

46.6622S 169.1059E

WHAT MAKES IT REAL?

LOCATION...

Catlins Camping (Curio Bay) - view from actual campsite!

This South Island camp ground is awesome!!!!!

In my mind you cannot get more wild (& therefore totally real) than a heavily pregnant sea lion deciding to spend the night in front of your camper van, on the headland above the crashing waves. You could actually see the pup moving inside her. We felt so incredibly privileged.

The DOC guide told us that the sea lion feels really at home in the campground, but she would disappear to some secret place, just before she gave birth, which she did. Good luck mama!

Curio Bay Camping - sharing our campsite with a sea lion!

What else does this fabulous corner of New Zealand have to offer?..

Try hector’s dolphins (one of the smallest and rarest dolphins) - a pod of around 20 live in the bay, and are apparently the only dolphins in the world that come so close to the beach and humans without being enticed by food. You may well be lucky enough to get one or more of these wonderful creatures coming over to check you out. It didn't happen to us unfortunately, but friends of ours had them surfing along side them (not jealous at all!)

Or how about the rare yellow-eyed penguins - these fabulous little guys live on a beach about 200 metres from the campground. There is also a 180 million year old fossilised forest on this beach.

The beach on the north side of the headland/campground...Porpoise Bay (where the dolphins live...funnily enough) is beautiful. Good surf here too. If you fancy a lesson, a surf school operates out of the camping store/cafe.

We just loved it here.

PRICE:

Unpowered campsite: $16 per campsite for 2 adults

Powered campsite: $26 per campsite for 2 adults

SIZE:

23 powered campsites

75 unpowered campsites

4 static caravans

OPENING TIMES:

All year

HOW TO BOOK:

First come first served or reserve a campsite by calling (03) 246 8897 or email valwhyte@hotmail.com

NUMBER OF NIGHTS YOU CAN STAY:

Unknown

New Zealand Camping -Catlins (between Curio Bay & Porpoise Bay) - campsites tucked in between the reeds

FACILITIES:

• Powered sites
• Grass floor campsites/pitches
• Toilets
• Sinks
• Showers (coin operated)
• Drinking water
• Laundry (coin operated)
• Campers kitchen
• Camping shop/cafe/information (sells hot food)

Note: No campfires

PETS ALLOWED?

No

ROAD SURFACE:

Tarmac

ROAD SURFACE IN CAMPGROUND:

Gravel

ACTIVITIES:

• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Swimming
• Surfing
• Beach
• Boating
• Fishing
• Wildlife viewing (Hector’s Dolphins, New Zealand Sea Lions and Yellow-eyed Penguins)
• Scenic drive (Southern Scenic Route)

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