Kaikoura

The picturesque coastal town of Kaikoura is all about adventure on or near the sea. Watch whales, snorkel with seals or tuck into a plate of crayfish.

Kaikoura is a base for wildlife experiences of all kinds – it’s also a great place to eat crayfish (in the Maori language kai means food, koura means crayfish). The environment is truly spectacular – the village is caught between the rugged Seaward Kaikoura Range and the Pacific Ocean. In winter the mountains are covered with snow, adding to the drama of the landscape.

Kaikoura’s special talent is marine mammal encounters – whales, fur seals and dolphins live permanently in the coastal waters. Whale watching trips leave the town several times a day and the local seal colony is always entertaining. There are plenty of cafés, restaurants and shops to explore.

Consider these must do activities while in Kaikoura

• Go whale-watching by boat or air at any time of the year.
• Meet the local dolphins on a dolphin encounter.
• Experience seal swimming with the playful New Zealand fur seals in the shallow waters of the beautiful Kaikoura Peninsula.
• Take a bird watching tour to view seabirds, albatross, molly-mawks, petrels and many more.
• Hike the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway - three hours return to visit a seal colony, limestone formations and a seabird colony.
• Visit Fyffe House, a colonial whaler's cottage.
• Eat fresh seafood in one of Kaikoura's delightful waterfront restaurants.

Functional facts: Approx. population 3600, i-SITE Visitor Centre, train station.