Southland Region

Top Attractions in Southland

Southland Essentials

Southland spans the southwestern corner of New Zealand, encompassing the glacier-carved wilderness of Fiordland National Park and the rugged coastline of the Catlins. This region features the world-renowned Milford Sound, the deep waters of Doubtful Sound, and the limestone Te Ana-au Glow-Worm Caves. Coastal highlights include Slope Point, the South Island's southernmost tip, and the 180-million-year-old petrified forest at Curio Bay. Further south, Stewart Island's Rakiura National Park offers a sanctuary for native birdlife and extensive hiking tracks.

Southland Essentials — Map

Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch,… / cc0

A

Milford Sound / Piopiotahi

Fjord featuring dramatic sheer rock faces, waterfalls, and unique marine life. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Thorney¿? / CC-BY-SA-3.0

B

Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park is a national park in the south-west corner of South Island of New Zealand.

Krzysztof Golik / CC BY-SA 4.0

C

Mirror Lakes

Mirror Lakes are a set of lakes lying north of Lake Te Anau and immediately to the west of the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound in New…

Travel & Shit / CC BY-SA 2.0

D

Doubtful Sound

The deepest and second-longest fjord in New Zealand, reaching depths of 421 meters. It features three distinct arms and is accessible via a boat trip across Lake Manapouri followed by a bus journey over Wilmot Pass.

MSeses / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Te Ana-au Glow-Worm Caves

The Te Ana-au caves are a culturally and ecologically important system of limestone caves on the western shore of Lake Te Anau, in the…

abu_9495 / CC BY 3.0

F

Slope Point

Slope Point is the southernmost point of the South Island of New Zealand.

Avenue / CC-BY-SA-3.0

G

Curio Bay

Curio Bay is a coastal embayment in the Southland District of New Zealand, best known as the site of a petrified forest some 180 million…

Pseudopanax / Public domain

H

Lake Manapouri

Lake Manapouri is located in the South Island of New Zealand. The lake is situated within the Fiordland National Park and the wider region…

Ingolfson / Public domain

I

Rakiura National Park

Rakiura National Park is a nature reserve park located on Stewart Island / Rakiura, New Zealand.

Mincos F / CC-BY-SA

J

The Chasm

A series of rock formations and potholes sculpted into the Cleddau River bed by the force of swirling water and debris over thousands of years.

Pseudopanax / Public domain

K

Hineteawa / Bowen Falls

The Bowen Falls, also known as Lady Bowen Falls, is a popular tourist attraction at Milford Sound, a fiord in New Zealand.

Bernard Spragg. NZ / CC0

L

Stirling Falls

A permanent 151-meter-high waterfall in Milford Sound, dropping from a hanging valley between the Lion and Copper Mountains.

Pavel Špindler / CC BY 3.0

M

Waipapa Point Lighthouse

A wooden lighthouse established in 1884 following the wreck of the SS Tararua. It marks a hazardous reef on the eastern entrance to Foveaux Strait.

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