waterfall
Purakaunui Falls
Three-tiered waterfall in the Catlins reached by a 10-minute bush walk from a car park on the Southern Scenic Route.
8 km · about 15 min drive
OceaniaNew ZealandOtago
Papatowai
Otago, New Zealand · Oceania
About Papatowai
Papatowai is worth a stop: 50 minutes from Balclutha, 9km from Cathedral Caves.
Papatowai is in Otago, New Zealand, with about 6,600 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Balclutha, about 42 km away.
Papatowai (Māori: Papatōwai) is a small settlement in the Catlins ward of the Clutha District of the southeastern South Island of New Zealand. The settlement is situated half-way between the cities of Dunedin and Invercargill, on the Pacific coast close to the mouth of the Tahakopa River. There is a permanentRead more
population of around 40 people, but with most of the houses in the town being holiday homes (locally known as "cribs") the population rises significantly during holiday seasons, particularly around New Year's Day and Easter.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "tōwai tree flat" for Papatōwai.
Papatowai is surrounded by native podocarp forest and there are numerous walks in the area to waterfalls, and sand beaches in addition to bushwalks. There is also a walk to an archaeological site where it is possible to see middens left by early Māori inhabitants of the area. In the past, the bones of moa have also been found here. In addition to its scenery, Papatowai is home to the Lost Gypsy Gallery, which attracts international visitors.
The Papatowai Challenge, a 15.5-kilometre (9.6 mi) bush and beach run and walk, has been held annually since 1998, usually on the first weekend in March. It attracts between 300 and 400 people each year. Peake’s Kitchen, a food truck at a local store, was the "supreme winner" in a nationwide hamburger competition in 2025.
Papatowai is also known for its big wave surfing.
Where to Stay in Papatowai
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Papatowai?
Within an hour or so of Papatowai: Purakaunui Falls (8 km), Cathedral Caves (9 km), Nugget Point Lighthouse (29 km), Slope Point (38 km).
Are there any good drives near Papatowai?
The nearest famous roads are Baldwin Street.
Where is Papatowai?
Papatowai is in Otago, New Zealand, about 42 km from Balclutha.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 6,593
- Continent
- Oceania
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Otago
- Timezone
- Pacific/Auckland
- Coordinates
- -46.5607, 169.4707
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in New Zealand
Many rural bridges are single-lane. Give way as signed.
Full driving guide for New ZealandTags
Worth the detour from Papatowai
4 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Cathedral Caves
Two of the world's largest sea caves, 30 metres high and joined at the back into a 200-metre passage, on Waipati Beach in the Catlins. Accessible only around low tide, October to April.
9 km · about 15 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Nugget Point Lighthouse
A wave-battered headland in the Catlins where an 1870 lighthouse overlooks jagged sea-stack 'nuggets', fur seals and penguins: reached by a scenic coastal road and short clifftop walk.
29 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Slope Point
The southernmost point of New Zealand's South Island, marked by a battered AA signpost, where the roaring forties have bent the macrocarpa trees permanently sideways.
38 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Papatowai
- 29 kmNugget Point LighthouseA wave-battered headland in the Catlins where an 1870 lighthouse overlooks jagged sea-stack 'nuggets', fur seals and penguins: reached by a scenic coastal road and short clifftop walk.
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