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Oceania : New Zealand : South Island : Otago

Otago

Otago is one of the original 6 provinces of New Zealand. Its hilly country and sheltered valleys gives the province a variety of climates and some spectacular scenery.

Regions

Cities

Other destinations

Understand

The name Otago is an anglicisation of the Maori placename Otakou as heard in the local dialect. Otakou means red earth.

Get in

Get around

See

  • The Southern Lakes.
  • The Mountains.
  • The Rivers.
  • The tiny towns and villages, some now abandoned.
    • The stone architecture of many of the pioneers' structures.
    • Abandoned goldfields
  • Moeraki Boulders - peculiar round rocks on the beach near the fishing settlement of Moeraki, about halfway between Oamaru and Dunedin, about 20 km north of Palmerston.

Do

  • Goldpanning
  • Skiing
  • Adventure tourism

Eat

Moeraki Restaurant & Bar - touristy cafe at the stairs to the beach to the Moeraki Boulders. Good view of sea.

Fluer's Place - located in the Moeraki village away from SH1. Fresh seafood.

Fish Inn, in Waikouiti - fish & chips shop on SH1. Good fish in light fluffy batter.

Drink

  • Evansdale Cheese Factory(Waikouaiti), Hawksbury Village State Highway 1(Watch for the signs.), ☎ 4658 101, [1]. 10 --4. A small cheese factory with a shop where you can sample and buy cheese. Open 7 days. 

Stay safe

Unlike the more northerly parts of New Zealand, Otago often gets snow in winter. Many of the roads become icy in winter, so chains should be carried and used when called for.

Get out

This page was last edited at 05:59, on 1 October 2008 by Wikitravel user Shaund. Based on work by Ryan Holliday, Nick Roux, Stacy Hall, Colin Jensen and Ian Kirk, Wikitravel user(s) Xinhin, WindHorse, Rosella, Nankai, Huttite, Hkpatv, Nurg and Akubra and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.