The beautiful East Coast on the South Island of New Zealand is home to some stunningly scenic locations. Commonly overlooked and skipped in favour of the Wild West Coast, our advice is don’t leave the East Coast off your list. Not sure what there is to do? Be sure to add a few of these must see spots on the East Coast of the South Island to your New Zealand road trip itinerary!

Okay so the East doesn’t have the epic mountains and glaciers like the Wild West but it’s absolutely beautiful in it’s own way. Lush forest, waterfalls, beaches and incredible wildlife are just a few of the reasons the East Coast of the South Island is worth visiting. Aside from the beautiful nature spots along the coast, the East Coast has some really cool quirky towns, perfect if you’re after a city fix! We highly recommend taking the time to explore the diverse coastline whether you’re a traveller or a local. If you’re unsure what to do on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand be sure to add a few of these places to your list for some inspiration! Hope this helps!

Top 12 places to visit on the East Coast of New Zealand’s South Island

1. Kaikoura

Now I know we just said that the West Coast is the go to place in the South Island for mountains, but if you need to get your snow-capped mountain fix, Mount Fyffe in Kaikoura has you covered. Sitting between the jagged Kaikoura Ranges and the sea, the town of Kaikoura is a popular spot for people travelling along the East Coast. The beaches are strewn with seabirds and colonies of fur seals, and out in the ocean you'll find dolphins, sperm whales and the tastiest crayfish you can get! Stop in Kaikoura to stay, eat and play, you might even come across the hidden waterfall pool full of seal pups.

2. Gore Bay

Even though Gore Bay is a signed turn off on the state highway 1, it still gets missed by most! 21km off the main road (it’s only a little out of the way) and you’ll find yourself in a little town with a beach, a bunch of holiday homes and not much else. We absolutely loved the peace and quiet here and enjoyed some fish and chips on the beach whilst watching some surfers try and catch some waves. The main draw card bringing the occasional tourist to Gore Bay would be the Cathedral Cliffs. A beautiful view over the ocean with the cliffs in the foreground. Definitely well worth a stop and a walk on the what feels like an isolated beach. Tip: Visit in the afternoon when the light is hitting the Cathedral Cliffs.

3. Pegasus Bay

The stretch of coastline just north of Christchurch including Leithfield, Waikuku, Woodend, Spencer Park and Waimari Beaches. These have long been the go to spots for Christchurch families to spend a day by the ocean, and have hosted many a bonfires on cold winters nights. The sand stretches as far as the eye can see, and along with the accompanying pine forests, are a great place to explore on a day trip from Christchurch.

4. Christchurch

We have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Christchurch. With Goose growing up in Christchurch in the same house till his 20's, and Ellen spending her teenage years here, we think we've spent too much time in this city to give it a fair review! In all honesty though, it's a beautiful place with tonnes to do - take a stroll through Hagley Park in blossom season, fly down the Port Hills on your bike, or visit one of the hundreds of awesome new venues for a feed and a brew. We have to mention the sunrises and sunsets here too, scenes like the photo above are a weekly occurrence!

Canterbury skies are commonly referred to as “the painters skies” and we can see why!

5. Banks Peninsula

Over the Port Hills, to the East of Christchurch sits Banks Peninsula. An outcrop of volcanic mountains and endless bays and coves. Baby Goose made some of the best memories at the family bach in Little Akaloa, and we spent a lot of our teenage years cruising around to every little bay. If you're like us and find driving on a beach next level, Okains Bay has got you covered!

The main draw card to Banks Peninsula is the small French settlement of Akaroa, widely known for is great food, beautiful harbour and dolphin watching. This area isn’t talked about as much as it should be and in our opinion is one of the best places to visit in the South Island.

6. Oamaru

A 3 hour drive South of Christchurch takes you to the interesting little town of Oamaru. Usually a pit stop for people making the trip to Dunedin, we reckon Oamaru is a place worth exploring! The first thing you'll notice is all the old 'whitestone' buildings. These are all made of local limestone or Oamaru Stone. Don't miss the Steam Punk Museum if you're into weird and wacky attractions, this place is sure to entertain the young and trip out the old!

7. Moeraki Boulders

An hour North of Dunedin is the little seaside village of Moeraki. This is the best spot to rent a little holiday house and spend a long weekend staring out over the ocean. Moeraki is famous for it's large circular boulders strewn across the beach, we love getting up bright and early to shoot the rocks at sunrise. While you’re in the area, head a few minutes north to Hampden and get yourself New Zealand's best (and most expensive) fish and chips! Trust us, they're what fish and chips are meant to taste like. *proceeds to do the “Mwah” noise with fingers to lips haha!

8. Dunedin

PARTY!!! hahaha. Nah, there's a lot more to Dunedin than the riotous student lifestyle (Google Dunedin students if you're not from NZ). The town itself is made up of beautiful old buildings sitting amongst the hills and the harbour, which are remnants of an extinct volcano. Even though Dunedin is a main city, there are plenty of places nearby to get into nature. We love the Nicols Creek waterfall and glow worms, and the St Clair and Tunnel Beaches!

9. Brighton

Travelling South along the coast from Dunedin takes you past some stunning scenes. If your travels are taking you south, we highly recommend adding in a night at Brighton Beach. Stay in the free camp if you’re self contained at the domain and explore the beach. Wake up to watch the sunrise out of the sea and maybe even spy a penguin or two!

10. The Catlins Forest Park

We're basically at the bottom of the world down here! But why would you want to come aallll the way down here? Well the Catlins area is basically a New Zealand post card. With wild lush forests, seaside cliffs and old lighthouses, there's a picture around every corner. Of course we need to mention the waterfalls as well. . . It's waterfall heaven. Conveniently, we have a write up on those here.

11. Nugget Point

A photographers and wild life lovers oasis! This headland on the Otago Coast has it all. There's the usual seabird suspects perching on the rocky cliffs, below a colony of plump fur seals, and even a small gathering of yellow-eyed penguins to the south. We were drawn there for the 150 year old lighthouse sitting on the edge of the world. Get here for a sunrise and you'll thanks us for sure!

12. Slope Point

You've come this far, why not visit the southern most point of the South Island?! It's pretty crazy to think that you're closer to the south pole than the equator here, but when you feel those winds, and feel them you will, it makes complete sense! Even the poor trees don't stand a chance against the winds that pound the coastline, they're a sight to see.

We hope you enjoy your travels on the East Coast and this blog has given you a few ideas of where to go. Stay safe and as always…

Toitu Te Whenua // Leave The Land Undisturbed

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Where to next?

Now you’re at the bottom of the country we recommend heading West either to Milford Sound or the super popular Queenstown.