Is Cathedral Caves Worth Visiting? Pros, Cons & Alternative

Is Cathedral Caves worth visiting? Yes, if you’re close to the Catlins. No, if it means driving hours out of your way just for this one spot.

I read a lot of mixed reviews about Cathedral Caves before we went. Some people said it was amazing, others said it was overrated. After visiting it during our 3-week South Island campervan trip with our family, I think both sides have a point.

I found the caves actually really impressive to walk through. The forest walk to get there is beautiful. But it is a 1-hour stop, not really a destination to spend a day. And the tide-dependent access makes planning a bit tricky.

Living in Seoul, we talked to quite a few people who had visited the South Island before us. Nobody specifically mentioned Cathedral Caves. It was more of a “let’s stop here since we are driving through the Catlins anyway” kind of decision.

If you want a more impressive cave and cliff that doesn’t depend on specific tide schedules, Tunnel Beach near Dunedin is the better option and probably easier to fit into your itinerary.

4 Pros: Why It’s Worth It

1. the Caves Are Awesome

Cathedral Caves (It’s actually just 1 cave) is a large cave formation on the Catlins coast. It’s a big, kind of dramatic sight, and I understand why they are called Cathedral Caves. It is dark, echoey, and feels like standing inside a natural cathedral.

We walked around inside for about 20 minutes, took some photos, and explored the cave. It is one of those things where you walk in and think, yeah, this is actually pretty cool. Not life-changing, but definitely cool.

2. the Forest Walk to Get There

The walk through the forest to the beach is really nice. You walk about 15 minutes downhill through a beautiful forest to reach the beach, and then the caves are right there after a short walk over the beach. The forest is dense, green, and feels kind of jungle-like.

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3. It’s Easy to Combine with Other Attractions

If you are driving through the Catlins back to Dunedin (or the other way around), Cathedral Caves is on the route. You can combine it with other stops like:

Purakaunui Falls

A beautiful walk through a forest that almost feels like a tropical rainforest, with a really stunning waterfall at the end. I really loved this one.

The walk starts right from the parking and is only about 15 minutes, flat and easy, through really dense green forest with moss and ferns everywhere. It feels like a jungle instead of New Zealand. The waterfall itself is not huge, but it has this nice three-tier shape that makes it look different from other waterfalls.

We were there for maybe 40 minutes in total. Nmore ot crowded, friendly, so no reason to skip it if you are driving through the Catlins anyway.

Florence Hill Lookout

A really nice viewing point, worth a quick stop. It is right on the main road when you are driving through the Catlins, so you don’t even need to make a detour for it. You just pull into the small parking area, walk like 30 seconds to the lookout, and then you get this really wide view over Tautuku Bay with the long white beach and the forest going all the way down to the coast.

Nugget Point

Although this one is actually not that close by, I would really recommend that you add this to your itinerary anyway. It is on the northern end of the Catlins, so you kind of have to plan around it a bit. But honestly, it was one of my favorite stops on the whole South Island.

You park at the top, walk about 10 minutes along a narrow cliff path, and then you end up at this old lighthouse with a huge view over the ocean and these rocky islands sticking out of the water (the “nuggets”). It really feels like standing at the edge of the world. We saw seals in the water below, and there were fur seal pups on the rocks too.

The walk itself is easy, even with a toddler in the carrier. Just watch out for the wind because it can be really strong up there. Plus, the drop on both sides of the path is steep, so just hold onto your kid’s hand if they are walking.

We went in the late afternoon, and it was really beautiful:

4. It Is Not Crowded Inside

Even though there was a line of campervans at the gate waiting for it to open, the beach and caves were not crowded once inside. At first, I thought, ” Oh, it’s going to be really crowded…, but it was totally fine. People spread out on the beach, and the cave is big enough that you don’t feel like you are at a super touristy site.

5 Cons: Why It Might Not Be Worth It

1. You Can Only Visit During Low Tide

This is the biggest catch. If the tide is high, the caves are flooded, and you cannot get in. The access gate is locked outside the low-tide time. So you need to check the tide times before you go and plan your whole driving schedule around them.

On a road trip where you are already driving between campsites, and nap schedules (if you have a toddler), adding something like tide-dependent timing to the mix is a bit of a nuisance…

2. There Can Be a Line at the Gate

When we arrived, there was already a line of campervans waiting in front of the gate, even tho we were there 30 minutes before opening. You can only drive up to the parking area when it opens, which is tied to the tide schedule.

We had to wait for a while before we could go in, and the area where you ned to wait is a bit tricky, it’s right on the road where some campers line up. One campervan tried to turn around and almost drove down the steep hill…! There is a bit more space 50 meters away from the entrance, but others might cut you off in line. It’s a bit of a hassle, and personally, I don’t think it really makes sense not to open the entrance to the parking space and just handle the tickets when entering the trail.

3. the Walk Back up Is All Uphill

The walk down to the caves is easy, but what goes down must come up. The 15 minute walk back up through the forest is all uphill. With a toddler on my back in the hiking carrier, I definitely felt it. Without kids, it is very easy. But with a 14kg child on your back, it is noticeable.

4. It Is Not Spectacular Enough for a Long Detour

If you are not already in the Catlins, I would not drive hours to see Cathedral Caves specifically. It is a nice stop, not a destination. Spending 30 minutes inside is not worth a multi-hour detour when there are more impressive things to see on the South Island.

5. Entrance Fee

There is an entrance fee. If I remember it correctly, it’s 10 dollars per person, no matter the age, but I could be wrong. Just make sure to bring cash, although I remember we were able to pay with a credit card, just in case it doesn’t work.

Where to Camp Near the Cave

Cathedral Caves is in the Catlins, so your options are DOC campsites and freedom camping. There are no hotels or holiday parks nearby.

The closest spot we stayed at was Purakaunui Bay campsite, which was my number-one camping spot for the entire trip! A coastal DOC site right on the beach. You could visit Cathedral Caves and then drive back up to Dunedin, which is what we did.

This is where Purakaunui Bay campsite is, I really recommend staying there!

Location + Practical Info

Here’s some practical info for a smooth trip to the caves:

1. Official Cathedral Caves website, including up-to-date opening times.
2. Bring sturdy hiking shoes; the trail can be a bit wet, steep, and slippery.
3. At some point on the beach, you have to walk through very shallow water, so your socks could get wet. Please keep that in mind.
4. There’s a toilet in the parking lot
5. Bring a camera, of course!

Best Time to Visit

The key factor is not the season but the tide. You can only visit during low tide, regardless of what time of year it is.

In summer (December to February), the longer daylight hours give you more low tide windows to work with, plus the weather is warmer for the walk. We visited in late January, and the conditions were fine.

Winter would work too, but it would be colder, the days shorter, and the forest walk would be muddy and dark. Probably not ideal.

Check tide times the day before and plan your route around them. That is the single most important piece of advice for Cathedral Caves.

Honest Verdict & Alternative

Yes, definitely as a stop when you’re in the Catlins. Not as a standalone destination worth a long detour.

If you are already in the Catlins, add it to your list with Purakaunui Falls, Florence Hill Lookout, and Nugget Point if you are planning your route and wondering if the Catlins is worth it specifically for Cathedral Caves… no. Go to the Catlins for Purakaunui Bay, Nugget Point, and the wild coastline.

Cathedral Caves Alternative

Tunnel Beach near Dunedin is a more impressive and more accessible alternative. It does not depend on tide times, so you can go whenever you want. The walk through the narrow tunnel onto a secluded beach surrounded by cliffs was a real highlight of our trip along the east coast.

Cathedral Caves are cool. Tunnel Beach is something else entirely. If you can only do one, do Tunnel Beach. If you have time for both, they are different enough to both be worth it. Cathedral Caves is in the remote Catlins, and Tunnel Beach is 15 minutes from Dunedin, so they’re not close to each other. But if you’re driving along the East Coast, you’ll most likely drive past one of them.

What I liked about Tunnel Beach is that there are several things to see and do: the gigantic T-shaped cliff, seals, the narrow tunnel, and the secluded beach with cool rock formations. Cathedral Caves is just a cave with a nice forest stroll.