Curio Bay Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

The petrified forest at Curio Bay. It's just a small town with one attraction. Here you can see the forest at low tide. In the evening you can spot some yellow eyed penguins. There is also a very nice beach.
The petrified forest at Curio Bay. It's just a small town with one attraction. Here you can see the forest at low tide. In the evening you can spot some yellow eyed penguins. There is also a very nice beach.
Curio Bay, The Catlins
Curio Bay is on the other side of Porpoise Bay in the Catlins. It's home to seals and yellow eyed penguins and one of the oldest petrified forests in the world. it is just incredible.

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Curio Bay Salt House Motel

Curio Bay Salt House Motel

3 out of 5
517 Waikawa-Curio Bay Rd Curio Bay
The price is £95 per night from 10 Mar to 11 Mar
£95
10 Mar - 11 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this beach guesthouse in Curio Bay. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a beach locale. Popular attractions Curio Bay Beach and Curio Bay Petrified Forest ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (362 reviews)
Clean room with a beautiful view and very helpful manager

Reviewed on 27 Feb 2026

Curio Bay Salt House Motel
Cosy, comfortable cabin in the heart of The Catlins

Cosy, comfortable cabin in the heart of The Catlins

RD2 Owaka Otago
The price is £88 per night from 1 Apr to 2 Apr
£88
1 Apr - 2 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this cabin in Tahakopa. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a garden. Popular attractions McLean Falls and Matai Falls are located nearby.
8.8/10 Excellent! (5 reviews)
The property was just lovely. Yard and gardens were immaculate and Ray was very nice and pleasant to deal with. It was fine for one nice, but very dated and rather inconvenient to have the bedroom, fridge and "kitchen" & bathroom in 3 separate rooms-you had to go outside to go between them. A moderate ...

Reviewed on 11 Feb 2026

Cosy, comfortable cabin in the heart of The Catlins
Cosy, Comfortable, Rustic Cabin In The Absolute Heart Of The Catlins

Cosy, Comfortable, Rustic Cabin In The Absolute Heart Of The Catlins

Tahakopa Otago
The price is £88 per night from 1 Apr to 2 Apr
£88
1 Apr - 2 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this cabin in Tahakopa. Enjoy patios and in-room fireplaces. Popular attractions McLean Falls and Matai Falls are located nearby.
8.6/10 Excellent! (11 reviews)
Very welcoming host and cool little room and deck area. Great location, close to lots of the Caitlin sights and beaches.

Reviewed on 25 Feb 2026

Cosy, Comfortable, Rustic Cabin In The Absolute Heart Of The Catlins
See all 13 properties in Curio Bay
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Cosy, comfortable cabin in the heart of The Catlins

Cosy, comfortable cabin in the heart of The Catlins

RD2 Owaka Otago
Stay at this cabin in Tahakopa. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a garden. Popular attractions McLean Falls and Matai Falls are located nearby.
8.8/10 Excellent! (5 reviews)
The property was just lovely. Yard and gardens were immaculate and Ray was very nice and pleasant to deal with. It was fine for one nice, but very dated and rather inconvenient to have the bedroom, fridge and "kitchen" & bathroom in 3 separate rooms-you had to go outside to go between them. A moderate ...

Reviewed on 11 Feb 2026

Cosy, comfortable cabin in the heart of The Catlins
Cosy, Comfortable, Rustic Cabin In The Absolute Heart Of The Catlins

Cosy, Comfortable, Rustic Cabin In The Absolute Heart Of The Catlins

Tahakopa Otago
Stay at this cabin in Tahakopa. Enjoy patios and in-room fireplaces. Popular attractions McLean Falls and Matai Falls are located nearby.
8.6/10 Excellent! (11 reviews)
Very welcoming host and cool little room and deck area. Great location, close to lots of the Caitlin sights and beaches.

Reviewed on 25 Feb 2026

Cosy, Comfortable, Rustic Cabin In The Absolute Heart Of The Catlins
Tram Track Retreat accommodation in Papatowai, The Catlins

Tram Track Retreat accommodation in Papatowai, The Catlins

Papatowai Otago
Stay at this cabin in Papatowai. Popular attractions Matai Falls and Purakaunui Falls are located nearby.
Tram Track Retreat accommodation in Papatowai, The Catlins
See all properties in Curio Bay
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Curio Bay Petrified Forest

Explore the great outdoors at Curio Bay Petrified Forest, a lovely green space in Curio Bay. Stroll along the beaches or visit the monuments while you're in the area.

Curio Bay Petrified Forest

Things to do

Nugget Point

Invercargill to Dunedin via the Catlins Small Group 1 Way Tour

£110
per adult
Invercargill to Dunedin via the Catlins Small Group 1 Way Tour
See all activities in Curio Bay

Reviews of Curio Bay

5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
4
5 - Excellent 100%
4 - Good
0
4 - Good 0%
3 - Okay
0
3 - Okay 0%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Hector’s dolphins swimming in the surf!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Watching the dolphins surfing from our veranda was something we won’t forget

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

We saw the yellow eyed penguins in the evening, swam and surfed with dolphins, walked on the beautiful beaches, enjoyed visiting the petrified forest

Cities near Curio Bay

Upper McLean Falls; the reward at the end of the short walk through the rain forest in the Catlins on the south island of New Zealand. #nature

Catlins Forest Park

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