Driving through Dunedin!
During our scenic road trip on our final 2 days, we stopped by many towns, landmarks and heritage precincts from Queenstown to Dunedin & from Dunedin to Christchurch.
Day 8:
📍Queenstown
📍Cromwell
📍Roxburgh
📍Milton
📍Dunedin (Visit steepest street in the world🌎)
📍Royal Albatross Centre (Penguin Parade)
Day 9:
📍Moeraki Boulder Beach
📍Oamaru
📍Jack’s Point Lighthouse
📍Ashburton
📍Christchurch
Yummy food we had in our final 2 days in South Island
🥯 Beam Me Up Bagel (Dunedin)
🍨 Patti’s & Cream (Dunedin)
⛪️ Church Pub (Pub Platter🍗)
PENGUIN PARADE 🐧
If you have been elsewhere to watch little blue penguins at night (phototaking is often strictly prohibited🚫), I assure you that it’s a much better experience in South Island, New Zealand. Here, they allow phototaking as long as there are no flashes to scare the penguins and there were so many penguins!! There’s a viewing platform overlooking the beach, and around 5pm, you’ll see little cute blue penguins returning from the sea after a whole day of hunting and scurrying up the beach towards us.
We paid about SGD$41 per person on Pelago. Despite it being a 36 mins drive from Dunedin, it was so worth for the number of penguins we spotted. Really a wonderful and unforgettable experience!
MOERAKI BOULDERS
We spent some time here as well admiring the clusters of boulders on a long beach.🏝️ They were perfectly round, and some were even broken. They reminded me of the Pokemon Emerald game on our gameboy that you need “strength” to move it. 🤭 There’s a cafe above the beach selling food and souvenirs, and also to our delight a farm, where you can buy animal food to feed them with.
LyLo
We chose this as our final accommodation because it was a 14-min walk away from the airport & the most budget accommodations nearby before our 6am flight. There was even an anytime fitness gym nearby! 😆😆
In total, I budgeted $3000 for a 9D8N adventure and spent $2800 instead. It might have cost more if our skydiving didn’t cancel. 😆
Overall, New Zealand’s South Island🇳🇿 reads like an epic fantasy novel. Just a a world of magic, myths and untamed natural beauty. Can’t wait to be back! 🤩
During this scenic road trip from Dunedin to Christchurch, be sure to explore some of the quaint small town cafes that offer a truly local experience. Places like the Cromwell Seed & Grain Store and D.A Jolly & Song Bakery in Cromwell provide delightful treats and a warm atmosphere—perfect for a mid-journey rest. Along the route, you’ll encounter the incredible Otago Peninsula, home to the Royal Albatross Centre where you can witness majestic seabirds and enjoy the famous Penguin Parade. It’s a unique wildlife experience that highlights the natural beauty of the area. On the way to Christchurch, consider stopping at the Moeraki Boulders—a fascinating beach dotted with large, nearly perfect spherical stones. Nearby, a small animal farm offers a charming spot to feed friendly animals, adding a fun diversion for the whole family. If you’re seeking accommodation near the airport before an early flight, LyLo offers budget-friendly options within a short walking distance. Plus, having an anytime fitness gym nearby is an added bonus for staying active. This journey showcases the magic and mythology woven into New Zealand’s South Island landscapes. From steep city streets to coastal lighthouses and delicious local cuisine like beam me up bagels and Patti’s & Cream desserts, there’s so much to savor and photograph along this picturesque road trip.
