Okarito is a small beachside village situated on the West Coast of the South Island. With only 35 permanent residents along with a number of holiday homes and a campsite, it is the home of NZ's largest unmodified wetland, a coastal lagoon stretching over a 12km area.

At the foothills of the Southern Alps, the lagoon is fed by 4 creeks and the Okarito River and is home to many native bird species including the rare kotuku and Okarito brown kiwi.

Hire some kayaks, enjoy an eco-tour, or take the magnificent Three Mile Track along the beach at low tide which takes about 3 hours return.

Products and specialities

Beach
Lagoon
Eco-tourism
Kayaking

Reviews

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Okarito Lagoon is huge unmodifed wetland, and I love it! The coastal lagoon is home to an amazing number of bird species which I thoroughly enjoy watching in their natural habitat. There are kayak and eco-tours to partake in too!

Okarito Lagoon is New Zealand’s largest unmodified wetland. Pretty cool, right? Take some binoculars with you so you can spot some rare wading birds and other wildlife, even kiwi! There are some tours you can partake in to like eco and kayak tours.