Coastal Otago

Get Off State Highway 1

The number one thing to know about Coastal Otago is this: ditch SH1 whenever you can. The whole region rewards you for taking the coastal detours, and punishes you for staying on the main road. The run from Waihola down through Taieri Mouth to Brighton is a beaut. Quiet roads, fewer people, and Tunnel Beach is more easily accessed from this side too. Go early or late there to avoid the crowds.

Dunno's and the Peninsula

Dunedin has a good vibe. Stock up at the PaknSave, wander the Botanical Gardens, say gday to the parrots in the aviary, and maybe roll something down Baldwin Street for the story. But the peninsula is the star of the show. The drive out to the heads is a journey in itself, especially the last winding stretch into quirky coastal community country. Don't rush it. For wildlife, old internet advice about spotting Yellow-eyed penguins at public spots is out of date. A guided marine wildlife tour is now your best shot, and it's genuinely worth it. The promo code RANKERS gets you a discount on penguin watching, wildlife cruises, and the albatross centre out on the peninsula. The albatross colony is the only mainland one in the world, and on a windy day you'll often see them for free just from the carpark. The freedom camping at Harewood Reserve is a decent base out here too.

Katiki Point. 4pm. Be There.

Up at Moeraki, the boulders are fine but the real reason to stop is Katiki Point. There's thought to be less than 200 breeding pairs of Hoiho (Yellow-eyed Penguin) left in the world, and around 50 of them live here. Arrive between 4pm and 5:30pm and you're in with a genuine shot of watching them come ashore. Bring binoculars. The seal watching is excellent here too. The RANKERS promo code is worth using if you're doing any of the guided wildlife experiences earlier on the peninsula, so don't forget to grab it before you head out.

Oamaru and the North

Oamaru is one of the better towns in the South Island. The whitestone Victorian buildings, the Steampunk HQ, the Steampunk Playground with easy campervan parking right out front. The Little Blue Penguins come ashore en masse after dusk, and you do need to drive the foreshore with real care at night. Plan to stay over, either at one of the holiday parks nearby or the beachside camping options just south of town. Before all that, coming up from Dunedin, take the detour through Karitane and stop at the Puketeraki Lookout. It's a small diversion with big views.