Cape Farewell

• Puponga
• Landmarks & Hotspots

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Cape Farewell is the northernmost point of the South Island, and the dramatically sculpted quartz sandstone cliffs that plummet vertically into the wild waters below can be observed from a hilltop viewing platform overlooking the bay.

The rocky headland has been eroded over many years forming the iconic archway in the Cape Farewell rockscape, and it is the gradual erosion of these cliffs that have been carried east along the seabed to form Farewell Spit.

The waves that hammer the coast are a playground for seals, and you’ll often see them basking on the rocks at the base of the cliff.

The clifftop walk begins at the Triangle Flat carpark and climbs steadily to the historic Pillar Point lighthouse, before continuing along the hilltops over undulating farmland to Cape Farewell, and then on further to Wharariki Beach. It can be extremely windy in this exposed area, so it is recommended you stay a safe distance from the cliff edge. If you’re short on time, you can drive to the Cape Farewell carpark and walk 5 minutes to the viewing platform instead.

Photo credit: Farewell Spit Tours.