TL;DR
Curio Bay, in the remote Catlins on the South Island's southeast coast, is one of New Zealand's most special overnight spots: a campground above a beach where rare yellow-eyed penguins come ashore at dusk, a 180-million-year-old petrified forest revealed at low tide, and Hector's dolphins in neighbouring Porpoise Bay. Camp at the Curio Bay Camping Ground (book ahead in summer), keep your distance from wildlife, and use a self-contained camper.
The Catlins is the New Zealand almost nobody makes time for — and Curio Bay is its quiet star. Camp on the headland here and you might watch a rare penguin waddle up the beach at dusk while dolphins surf the bay next door. It feels like the edge of the world, because it nearly is.
Curio Bay, in the Catlins on the South Island's southeast coast, has a clifftop campground above a beach famous for rare yellow-eyed penguins, a 180-million-year-old petrified forest exposed at low tide, and Hector's dolphins in adjoining Porpoise Bay. Stay at the Curio Bay Camping Ground — book ahead in summer — and always keep a respectful distance from the wildlife.
The campground
The Curio Bay Camping Ground sits right on the headland between the two bays, run by the local community trust. It's simple, but the location is extraordinary: you can walk to the penguin viewing area and the petrified forest in minutes. Book ahead over summer, and bring supplies — this is a remote corner with few services. A self-contained camper is ideal here.
Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho)
Curio Bay is one of the best mainland places to see the yellow-eyed penguin, one of the world's rarest. They come ashore in the late afternoon and evening to their nests in the bush above the beach. Watch quietly from the viewing area, stay well back, and never block their path to the sea — they're endangered and easily disturbed.
The petrified forest
At low tide the rock platform below the campground reveals a fossilised forest around 180 million years old — ancient tree stumps and logs turned to stone from the Jurassic era, when this was part of Gondwana. Check the tide times and wander out for a genuinely humbling look back in time.
Porpoise Bay and the Catlins
Next door, Porpoise Bay is home to rare Hector's dolphins, which often surf the waves close to shore in summer. The wider Catlins rewards slow travel — waterfalls, sea lions, lighthouses and empty roads. It's a highlight of the deep south, an easy detour on a South Island circuit. See our campers.
Frequently asked questions
For its rare wildlife and geology: yellow-eyed penguins come ashore here, Hector's dolphins surf neighbouring Porpoise Bay, and a 180-million-year-old petrified forest is exposed at low tide.
Yes. Curio Bay is one of the best mainland places to see the endangered yellow-eyed penguin, which comes ashore in the late afternoon and evening. Watch quietly from a distance and never block their path.
Watch penguins and Hector's dolphins, explore the petrified forest at low tide, and use it as a base for the wider Catlins — waterfalls, sea lions and lighthouses.
Yes, at the Curio Bay Camping Ground on the headland, run by a community trust. It's basic and remote, so book ahead in summer and arrive with supplies; a self-contained camper is ideal.
Written by the JustGoodCampers team
Family-owned camper rental in New Zealand. justgoodcampers.com
