Cannibal Bay is one of several remote, beautiful gold-to-white sand beaches in the Catlins. Head north out of Owaka for 3.7 km on the Southern Scenic Route, then southeast on 8 km gravel Cannibal Bay Road. This road has a good surface but is narrow and windy in places with fabulous views, so take care. The drive takes about 20 minutes.
There is a toilet by the car park but no other services. Look out for the nearby fine examples of Catlins wind-bent trees! It is a short walk through the dunes to the very picturesque bay. To the immediate left are high hills and cliffs, with accessible rock pools and piles of kelp as the tide retreats. To the right is the 1 km long beach with False Islet at the southern end. The islet has a face shape viewed from the northern end of the beach. Watch out for pakake (sea lions) on and near the beach, and remember to keep a reasonable distance. At least 10 metres is recommended.
If you walk to the south end of the beach, you will find a marked easy track through the dunes behind False Islet that connects Cannibal Bay to Surat Bay, an even better place to spot pakake. Be mindful that pakake will also crawl into the dunes! Less scary, the extensive dunes are filled with yellow lupin flowers in summer.
The name Cannibal Bay is odd. A surveyor in the 1800s found burnt human remains, but there is no history of cannibalism in the area.
You can return to Owaka the way you came or continue northwest on Cannibal Bay Road to Ahuriri Flat Road, then back to Owaka or Kaka Point and Nugget Point. This route is short but very scenic, including spectacular views back to the bay.
