Curio Bay / Porpoise Bay in The Catlins
Curio Bay / Porpoise Bay in The Catlins is one of the most fascinating coastal destinations in the deep south, combining ancient history with unique wildlife encounters.
🌊 Why visit
Fossil forest: At Curio Bay Petrified Forest, you can walk among 180-million-year-old fossilised trees exposed at low tideDolphin encounters: Hector’s dolphin, one of the world’s rarest dolphins, is often seen in Porpoise BayPenguins: Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) sometimes come ashore at duskSafe swimming beach: Porpoise Bay offers one of the few swimmable beaches in the Catlins
📸 Highlights
Incredible mix of geology, wildlife, and coastal sceneryBest explored at low tide for the fossil forestSunrise and sunset bring dramatic colours and active wildlife
📍 Location
Around 1 hour 15 minutes from Invercargill
A key stop along the Catlins Scenic Route
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