Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → The Catlins → Nugget Point

Location: The Catlins, South Island, New Zealand

Time Required: 30 minutes

Red Tape/Notes: Come between 5 and 6pm if you’re looking for penguins.

What’s Nearby?: Moeraki Boulders, Jack’s Blowhole, Purakaunui Falls

The lighthouse at Nugget Point is apparently on every tourist’s “must see and photograph” list. And for some reason, I didn’t take a picture of the lighthouse (google search it and you’ll find about 6.7 billion pictures that other people have taken). Perhaps I was frustrated by the vast quantity of people in the way, or maybe I was just feeling rebellious. Whether you’re a rebel like I am or not, expect crowds. It’s still very scenic, so it’s worth the trip anyway. It’s called Nugget Point because of the adorable rock nuggets in the water. At least, I think that’s why they named it that. It’s what I would have done. And regardless, there are adorable rock nuggets. Also adorable penguins if you’re here at the right time – try coming in late afternoon, when the Yellow-eyed Penguins return to their nests. There’s a hide building above the bay where you can look for them. You can also hang out for sunset, to get nice sunset shots of the nuggets.

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → The Catlins → Nugget Point