A beautiful, windswept beach in the lower South Island. If you know what to search for, you might find semi-precious stones such as garnet, jasper, quartz, and nephrite. Pounamu and other more precious stones can also be occasionally seen. Flecks of gold are also possible

The Māori name for Gemstone Beach in New Zealand is Aropaki Beach. The name Aropaki is said to mean "bright expanse". Visit at low tide so you can explore for treasures and make sure to check out the crazy house inside the cliff!

Best time to visit is mid to low tide. Stones on the beach can vary with differing tides & seasons. Check tides here: https://www.onnaturesedge.co.nz/tuatapere/weather/

Expect a short walk from an unsealed parking area, no toilets or shops, and patchy phone coverage, so wear sturdy shoes, bring a bag for finds and warm, waterproof layers. Watch the surf and unstable cliff edges, and if you plan to take stones home check local rules and avoid removing fossils or anything that might be culturally important. Leave the place tidy and take photos if you want to remember the best pieces.

When the tide is low enough, you can walk to Monkey Island, a small island off the coast. If all this exploring has gotten you hungry, then Orepuki Beach Café is the place to go for a delicious 'paddock-to-plate' meal. This wee gem won the New Zealand Café of the Year award, which is a great achievement, especially in such a small town!

Reviews:

"We visited on a warm clear day with views of the mountains and ocean. I could have spent hours here, combing for cool pebbles. We found loads of jasper and a garnet." - Brad, Google

"On a lovely fine day, this beach is an absolute pleasure to visit. I would recommend if you are travelling in a motorhome that you get there early, and a low tide. The parking area is rather small and not well developed. If you are looking to collect 'gems' don't expect that they will be just laying around; you do actually need to go on a 'treasure' hunt. Hunting or not hunting this is a beautiful beach for a quiet walk but not a boring one." - Heather, Google

Handy sites:

https://southlandnz.com/places-to-visit/western-southland/orepuki/

https://www.tripideas.nz/place/gemstone-beach

https://southlandnz.com/listing/gemstone-beach/331/

Photo credit: M N Scott, google reviews