Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony

Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony

125 Rankers Reviews

1 Penguin Watching

Maps

Details

Feature Value Info

Organisation

Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony

Commercial organisation

Location

South IslandCoastal OtagoOamaru

Categories

  • Activity__penguin_watchingPenguin Watching

Directions

To Office

Reviews

    • Successful but a little bit commercial.
    • If you want to see penguins, come here.
    • I loved it!
    • Paid a small fee towards conservation.
    • Very sweet, but too touristy.
    Rating Count Percentage
    10/10 28
    22%
    9/10 30
    24%
    8/10 19
    15%
    7/10 15
    12%
    6/10 8
    6%
    5/10 9
    7%
    4/10 9
    7%
    3/10 2
    2%
    2/10 3
    2%
    1/10 2
    2%
  • 5.0/5

    If you want to see penguins, come here.

    The Albatross Centre in Otago offered a similar experience but for double the price. This area in Oamaru let us see over 300 penguins coming ashore. This was a spectacle to see. I would do the night viewing and pay the extra, you won't be disappointed!!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    Jasmine Rogers's avatar

    Jasmine Rogers

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Too cool to be blue!

    No pictures are allowed.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    BELGIUM
    Dries's avatar

    Dries

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Be there after 3pm and have enough time there, when you are patient you will see a lot of penguins on the beach - awesome and free.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    GERMANY
    Sophie's avatar

    Sophie

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Nice to see the birds in their own habitat.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2017

    NETHERLANDS
    Dina Schurer's avatar

    Dina Schurer

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Nice to see the birds!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2017

    NETHERLANDS
    J P  Schurer's avatar

    J P Schurer

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    The set up was very comfortable for the guest and the penguins appeared to be very uninterrupted by the observations.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in October 2016

    UNITED STATES
    Nicholas Strozza's avatar

    Nicholas Strozza

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    We had waited hours to see two yellow eyed penguins in the distance earlier so decided to pay to see them instead.

    Saw 70 or so come ashore!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in March 2016

    Jill Stebbing's avatar

    Jill Stebbing

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Very nice short trip, we only saw two penguins because we were too early.

    Best time to go is 5pm.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2016

    Lothen's avatar

    Lothen

    Customer

  • 1.0/5

    You hardly see the penguins.

    Too far away.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2015

    GERMANY
    Philipp's avatar

    Philipp

    Customer

  • 2.0/5

    We were in New Zealand 12 years ago and had a beautiful experience with the Blue Penguins and it was beautiful.

    Now when we came with our daughter it was made into a business and the cost of it was around $80.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2014

    DENMARK
    Lars Borgaa's avatar

    Lars Borgaa

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Nice to see the birds!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2017

    NETHERLANDS
    J P  Schurer's avatar

    J P Schurer

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Nice to see the birds in their own habitat.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2017

    NETHERLANDS
    Dina Schurer's avatar

    Dina Schurer

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Too cool to be blue!

    No pictures are allowed.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    BELGIUM
    Dries's avatar

    Dries

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Be there after 3pm and have enough time there, when you are patient you will see a lot of penguins on the beach - awesome and free.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    GERMANY
    Sophie's avatar

    Sophie

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    The set up was very comfortable for the guest and the penguins appeared to be very uninterrupted by the observations.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in October 2016

    UNITED STATES
    Nicholas Strozza's avatar

    Nicholas Strozza

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    If you want to see penguins, come here.

    The Albatross Centre in Otago offered a similar experience but for double the price. This area in Oamaru let us see over 300 penguins coming ashore. This was a spectacle to see. I would do the night viewing and pay the extra, you won't be disappointed!!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    Jasmine Rogers's avatar

    Jasmine Rogers

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Very nice short trip, we only saw two penguins because we were too early.

    Best time to go is 5pm.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2016

    Lothen's avatar

    Lothen

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    We had waited hours to see two yellow eyed penguins in the distance earlier so decided to pay to see them instead.

    Saw 70 or so come ashore!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in March 2016

    Jill Stebbing's avatar

    Jill Stebbing

    Customer

  • 1.0/5

    You hardly see the penguins.

    Too far away.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2015

    GERMANY
    Philipp's avatar

    Philipp

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Expensive but awesome to see.

    Too bad you couldn't get closer or take photos. I understand why though.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2016

    CANADA
    Lea Watterson's avatar

    Lea Watterson

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    You can see some penguins and if you are lucky some seals.

    But it was very cold and you have to wait.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2015

    GERMANY
    James Esele's avatar

    James Esele

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Very good view of the penguins, we could see them struggling to get on the beach and meeting their 'mates'.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2014

    FRANCE
    Fanny DeBon's avatar

    Fanny DeBon

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    We could see penguins at night or early in the morning near the port and on the beach - AMAZING!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2014

    FRANCE
    Hubert's avatar

    Hubert

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    You wait on the wharf behind the fence and see the landing of the penguins.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in March 2015

    GERMANY
    Christoph's avatar

    Christoph

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Wait till 10pm and you will see a lot of penguins crossing the road!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in March 2015

  • 3.5/5

    Staff helpful and informative and good to see lots of penguins.

    However it was quite pricey and not being allowed to take photos was a shame, although I understand some people accidentally leave the flash on and scare the penguins which explains ban,.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2014

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Kiernan Matthew's avatar

    Kiernan Matthew

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Very cheap to see penguins.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2014

    FRANCE
    Alexis Redor's avatar

    Alexis Redor

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Yes it is a bit pricey, but the experience of >150 penguins (in Oamaru), walking 2 metres past us to their burrows was incredible.

    If you can, pay extras for the premium tickets to be closest to the action.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2014

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Henrik Suefke's avatar

    Henrik Suefke

    Customer

  • 2.0/5

    We were in New Zealand 12 years ago and had a beautiful experience with the Blue Penguins and it was beautiful.

    Now when we came with our daughter it was made into a business and the cost of it was around $80.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2014

    DENMARK
    Lars Borgaa's avatar

    Lars Borgaa

    Customer

  • 1.0/5

    We saw only one!

    Waste of time. If you want to see them for free, go to the Catlins.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2014

    ISRAEL
    Sagi's avatar

    Sagi

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    First class, magical experience.

    Saw penguins close up and chance to walk via the resting sites.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2013

    Lorraine Walker's avatar

    Lorraine Walker

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Delightful experience watching them heading to their nesting boxes from the sea.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2013

    Michael Walker's avatar

    Michael Walker

    Customer

  • 2.0/5

    Very expensive and it is a tourist attraction.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in March 2013

    FRANCE
    Glenn Surzur's avatar

    Glenn Surzur

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Couldn't wait to get there and watch 168 little bues finish their daily fishing and come home.

    Great!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2013

    UNITED STATES
    Jim Woodruff's avatar

    Jim Woodruff

    Customer

  • 2.0/5

    We found it a very expensive turisty setting.

    But we were there beginning of April and only saw 20-25 penguins, so I am not sure how many you will find if you go to some of the other locations around town?? A few people had told us that the penguins would be everywhere, also in the parking area. That is not the case this time og year.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in April 2013

  • 5.0/5

    Very enjoyable visit - so nice to see creatures in the 'wild' behaving in a normal manner for them.

    Hope our visit fees help to preserve these endangered birds.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2013

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Michael  Nolan's avatar

    Michael Nolan

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    See and experience penguins at old Oamaru without paying for a tour.

    Saw lots walking around streets, well worth it.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in December 2012

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Liam Day's avatar

    Liam Day

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Fantastic!

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2013

    DENMARK
    Lis Bon's avatar

    Lis Bon

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Very interesting, good and a lot of information.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2012

    NETHERLANDS
    Marjo Cousijn's avatar

    Marjo Cousijn

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Very good.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in November 2012

    NETHERLANDS
    C Schaap's avatar

    C Schaap

    Customer