The most beautiful natural sites to discover South Island

Chasm/Lover's Leap loop is a pretty one-hour loop on a hill with a beautiful view of the surroundings, through sheep fields. Two beautiful views of the cliffs: The Chasm and Lover's Leap. For adventurers, a gentle path leads to Sandfly Bay through the dunes.

A small road leads you to the outskirts of this park, unfortunately no walking path to prolong the show but the detour are worth the same. The mountains and colours of the lake make it one of the most beautiful in the country. In summer, several activities are organized by the Lake Mahinapua Yacht Club.

Not far from Owaka, 200 m from the sea, is the Jack's Blowhole, a 55 m deep cave which, when the sea is strong, pulls water like a geyser.

Penguin Place is a private reserve connected to Penguin Place Lodge that is dedicated to the preservation and protection of yellow-eyed penguins (habitat restoration, research, care, rehabilitation, predator control). Also known as the antipodean penguin, it is the rarest penguin in the world. This sanctuary has become a must for those who enjoy the company of these penguins. You will discover their life thanks to competent guides and especially passionate about these animals. The 90 minute visit includes only small groups of fifteen people.

Set in the hills 30 minutes from Motueka, Ngarua Cave is an interesting stop-off point for discovering a cave with beautiful limestone formations. The three-quarter-hour visit reveals a wealth of beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, and even a moa skeleton! The view over Tasman Bay and the surrounding karst landscape is sublime. You can stay in the small café for a pleasant break. There's also a souvenir store with items made by local artists.

The Oparara basin is the starting point for a few trails, including that of the Limestone Arch (74 m), the highest arch in Autralasia. From the parking lot, the circuit is easy in 15 minutes.

A limestone cave that preserves the bones of some extinct bird species, such as the Moa or the Haast Eagle (the largest eagle in the world).

In addition to enjoying a beautiful sunset over the bay where the colors change every minute, trust the Pukekura Blue Penguins team to observe the world's smallest penguins, also called pygmy penguins (Kororā in Maori)! Before leaving to meet these local stars on Pilots Beach (Takiharuru in Maori), you will be treated to a very interesting history and geography lesson about New Zealand.

Along the road, some trails lead to small, refreshing waterfalls such as Barrs Falls and Purakaunui Falls.

Cannibal Bay was named after Dr. James Hector discovered human bones in the dunes. Today it's mostly a perfect spot for a lunch break.

Place of accommodation for some B & B, camping and backpackers, Surat bay has a huge white sand beach which often houses some sea lions that come here to take the sun and take a nap. Don't close too close, because these animals remain very fast on the ground.

Starting from Duntroon and the center, Vanished World is of archaeological interest. With full signage to guide independent tourists, it is an exciting self-guided tour with maps and explanations (booklet available at Vanished World). The most interesting sites are undoubtedly Elephant Rocks, where erosion has sculpted eloquent shapes in the limestone, and Earthquake, witness to a huge upheaval.