Cathedral Caves

Signposted off SH92 is this special place for a picnic or a walk. Don’t miss this example of nature’s magnificence!

Gates to the private road are open approximately 2 hours either side of low tide. Fee collected at the carpark.

Be prepared to get wettish feet, sometimes even at low tide, or take your shoes off and have the pleasure of strolling barefoot along the beautiful, golden sand beach to the caves. On a sunny day, it’s a great place for a swim and picnic lunch, if the tide’s right. From the carpark there’s a 15 minute steep walk down to the beach through native bush, sprinkled with ferns and pongas.

The caves, testimony to the power of water which has shaped them, look almost hand-carved inside - like the great cathedrals which inspired their name. They rise some 30 metres high and join about 30 metres into the cliff. The smaller of the two gives a greater feeling of height, because it’s narrower.