You may not believe me, but south of the Octagon, north of Knox, and uphill beyond the Bog, a world of possibilities awaits the curious adventurer. This column plans on taking you, young grasshopper, and you, older student who needs to get out more, on a weekly armchair tour of greater Dunedin’s highlights. Pretty pictures with salty filters will make all excursions look 1) fun and 2) hipster.
This week we head over the hills and (somewhat) far away to sexy and secluded Sandfly Bay, on the Otago Peninsula’s eastern coast.
Home to a giant sand dune that’s excellent on the way down and something of a tax on the way up, Sandfly Bay is popular with surfers, smelly sea lions, and backpack-sporting tourists. But on a typical noncommittally cloudy Dunedin day, you’re likely to find the place more or less deserted.
Once down on the beach, observe the wave-bitten headlands at each end, head up into the tussock-covered smaller sand dunes, and check out the trail of rocks sticking out of the surf. The biggest one is Lion’s Head Rock, which does indeed look vaguely like a lion’s head made out of rock. Enjoy.
Do: frolic down the sand dune.
Don’t: swim, unless you like frozen extremities and negotiating deadly rips.
Eat: a picnic, Sandfly Bay ain’t got no Two-Four.
