Sandymount Recreation Reserve, Dunedin

Short walks in the Sandymount Recreation Reserve put you face to face with some of Dunedin’s best coastal views. One takes you up to the top of Sandymount for an awesome view over Allans Beach and Hoopers Inlet and the other to a slightly less elevated lookout. The longer track to Lovers Leap and the … Read more

Smails Beach, Dunedin

Smails Beach, located a short distance from Dunedin’s city centre, is one of over 25 beaches in Dunedin that are worth visiting. You’ll get some great views of the beach from the road leading to it (and from the Karetai Road Track) and there lots of other beaches, walks and viewpoints nearby. Wondering why you … Read more

Nugget Point Lighthouse, The Catlins

Nugget Point Lighthouse, a minimalist little building looming over a surreal clump of rocks scattered in the Pacific Ocean, is one of the top places to see in the Catlins. Scenery on the South Island’s east coast doesn’t get much more dramatic than this — don’t miss it if you’re road-tripping around New Zealand. Nugget … Read more

Tomahawk Beach, Dunedin

Tomahawk Beach is at the city-end of the Otago Peninsula and is part of a glistening coastline which features some of New Zealand’s best beaches. St Clair is far more famous, but there is heaps to see at Tomahawk Beach and I reckon it’s a good option for people who love exploring.  Tomahawk Beach Dunedin’s … Read more

The Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin

Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin, New Zealand

Looking for something to do on a rainy day in Dunedin? Look no further than the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. An impressive range of exhibits take you from pre-European times through to the gold boom and even offers a glimpse into life in New Zealand in the 70s, 80s and 90s. The museum covers Otago (a … Read more

Mitchell’s Cottage, Central Otago

Why go to Mitchell’s Cottage? The barren earth and extreme shifts in temperature made Central Otago a tough place to survive. They didn’t have heat pumps and under floor heating back in the late 1800s / early 1900s, a fact I learned on my recent visit to Mitchell’s Cottage. This century old house on a … Read more

St Clair / St Kilda Beach, Dunedin

This beach, split into three sections (St Clair Beach, Middle Beach and St Kilda Beach) is one of the best inner-city beaches in New Zealand. Dunedin, and its surrounds, is home to so many great beaches and this one is the easiest to access, making it ideal for people who are short on time (and … Read more

Tunnel Beach, Dunedin

Tunnel Beach, surrounded by sandstone cliffs and part of a wonderfully rugged coastline, is one of Dunedin’s most iconic sights. The steps leading to the beach were commissioned by William Cargill way back in 1870s, creating a private paradise for his family to enjoy. These days it’s open to everyone, as long as they can … Read more

Butchers Dam and Flat Top Hill, Central Otago

Hiking above Butchers Dam at Flat Top Hill, Alexandra, New Zealand

Why go to Butchers Dam / Flat Top Hill? The Flat Top Hill Natural Reserve is home to a series of easy, off the beaten path hiking trails close to Alexandra which take in some awesome views over the Roxburgh Gorge and Butchers Dam. If you’re travelling through Central Otago I highly recommend a visit. Butchers Dam … Read more