Dunedin - Manapouri

Travel day and things to do differently

After a good breakfast at Larnach Castle - buffet + English breakfast - we toured the estate. Some rooms were very elaborately decorated and the view from the top of the tower was fantastic.

Departure towards Manapouri. Many stops were planned here. And it must be said: don't waste your time on mediocre beaches by taking long walks to viewpoints that are disappointing! Saving 1 hour in Dunedin could have meant 2 more waterfalls in the Catlins... Oh well. Tunnel Beach is unfortunately closed.

Nugget Point is definitely worth a visit, and on the way, you should also stop to observe some sea lions or seals. It's a bit off the route and will cost an hour of your time.

Things were getting tight for waterfalls and Cathedral Caves.

Next stop: Horseshoe Falls and Matai Falls, a 2-in-1 special, only a 2-minute walk apart. A nice path through the rainforest, the times indicated on the signs apply to a leisurely stroll. Here we saved good time, which would help us at the next stop.

At the turnoff to the Cathedral Cave, there's a sign with opening times. We arrived just in time for the last minute of entry. The cave is only accessible during low tide, so you'll need to plan ahead. It worked out. The path to the beach is a beautiful downhill trail through the rainforest. You can also jog it, which takes about 5 minutes to get to the bottom. After that, it’s just another 5 minutes across the beach, and you’re there... The advantage of being late: you can take photos without other people around. Unfortunately, the return trip took a bit longer. 12 minutes uphill in the rainforest earned us a thumbs up from the ticket clerk. Our target time for Manapouri was 7 PM, which we unfortunately missed narrowly.

The accommodation has a great view of the lake. Manapouri is very quiet but a good starting point if you want to fish, hike, or visit Doubtful Sound.