Head up to the Okarito Trig for an awesome view over the coastline (and Southern Alps if the clouds allow it), kayak in the lagoon or explore the beaches and coastline on the coastal track - there’s heaps to keep you busy for a day or more. Hiking trails and the chance to see Ōkārito kiwi (a subspecies only found in this area of the West Coast) are the main reasons to visit Okarito, a small village close to Franz Josef on the West Coast. There are walks of all lengths starting in or near St Arnaud - we loved the Whiskey Falls, St Arnaud Range and Mount Robert Circuit tracks. The most photographed spot in town is definitely the main pier, although there are couple of other piers to keep an eye out for (including the one on the way to Whisky Falls). St Arnaud is a small village in Nelson Lakes National Park, right by Lake Rotoiti. Papatowai is also home to the Lost Gypsy Gallery / Cafe, a surreal collection of machines, automata and other creative works, many of which you can interact with. READ MORE: 23 of the Best Things to Do in the Catlins There’s a beach right in town, a camping ground (with a shop that sells ice creams) and it’s close to some of the Catlins top sights including McLean Falls and Tautuku Bay. The Catlins is far more famous for its scenery (cliffs, beaches, waterfalls) and wildlife than its towns and villages, but there are some interesting settlements to visit. There’s accommodation there too, a great place to spend a few nights if you’re keen for somewhere peaceful. There’s not much going on in the village (I’m pretty sure there isn’t even a shop there these days) but it’s worth doing a day trip as the drive is stunning. Located down a long, winding gravel road, French Pass is both a village and a body of water between the mainland and D’Urville Island, Marlborough Sounds. Sights nearby include the Blue Pools, Haast Pass lookout track and several waterfalls. A cool place to stay if you’re not in a rush to get to Haast. It’s a tiny village with a restaurant / café as well as some accommodation. The drive from Wanaka to the West Coast is a journey through the wilderness of Mount Aspiring National Park, with Makarora the only real settlement between Lake Hāwea and Haast. READ MORE: The Scenic Drive to Mount Cook You can (just) see the village in the photo below, which was taken from the Red Tarns Track after heavy snow. Most people skip through on their way to the Hooker Valley Track or Tasman Glacier, but it’d be a good place to stay if you wanted to explore Aoraki Mount Cook National Park without having to drive back and forth between Twizel. Mount Cook Village only features a visitor centre and a few hotels / motels. We’ve now covered 36 cities, towns and villages in the South Island! Top 12 Small Towns | Top 12 Cities (and Big Towns) Mt Cook Village Some of them appeared on our Top 12 Small Towns list until we decided to do this post. Note: These villages all have populations under 300 (most are far smaller). Our top 12 villages in the south island are tiny settlements with barely a shop in sight - the main reason to visit them is that they’re close to some of the South Island’s best scenery. Those contain towns and cities that have multiple places to eat, drink and sleep - places you’re likely to spend a night or two. If you’re a fan of this blog you might have already seen our Top 12 Cities / Top 12 Towns in the South Island posts.
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