Best known for its whale watching, you'll also find some great kai moana (seafood) in this small artsy ocean town. Check out the seal colony, swim with dolphins, eat some crayfish, and enjoy the beautiful coastline.
Highlights
Spot a whale - whether by air or boat, it's a must do,
Spot a dolphin - by kayak or boat, or swim in amongst them,
Spot a seal - there's HEAPS along the coastline, you'd do well to not spot one!
Do the walkway - follow the Kaikoura Penninsula
for amazing views and an awesome coastal feel
Eat some greasies - Kaiks is known as one of the best spots on NZ.
Check out Dusky Lodge for a great place to rest your head. It has well priced accommodation of all shapes and sizes... read more -->
Kaikoura Coastal Campground.
If you'd rather
pitch your tent, there's some good options along the coast just
South (about 15mins drive) of Kaikoura.
These spots are owned by Ngai Tahu but operated by a small outfit
based out of Goose Bay. Stop in to the Kaikoura Coastal
Campground office at Goose Bay to get (really cheap!) tickets
for any of 5 campgrounds scattered along a short stretch
of the coast.
3 of the 5 campgrounds are very simple with only a spot to picth
your tent, toilet and camp-fire-place. However, your fee gets
you access to the (basic) facilities (showers, kitchen, coin-operated
laundry) at either Goose Bay or Boat Harbour campgrounds.
While they are near the road, the campgrounds are right
on the coast (so close in fact, that when Southern GOOT
Girl Kate pulled in to one she found a seal hanging out
amongst the tent sites!) meaning you can go to sleep with the
waves and wake up to the sun-rise. Wicked.
Fees are $8-10/person/night for a tent site. Goose Bay also
has simple cabins for hire ($30-single; $40-double; $16-extra
person) which have a little oven, stove and jug. Find the office
at Goose Bay, just South of Kaikoura. Ph: (03) 319 5348 or email:
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EAT/DRINK
The
Black Rabbit Gourmet Pizza Shop - with an amazing range
of affordable gourmet pizzas and other yum stuff! GOOT Passport
Holders get 10% off!
Fish 'n' Chips: Being a coastal town, Kaiks makes good use
of their easy access to the ocean to produce some of the freshest
fish in the country. Naturally, then, Kaiks also does some
of the best greasies (fish 'n' chips) around.
Local word on the street is that Hine's Fish 'n' Chip shop
is the best. Find Hine on the corner of the main road (Westend)
and Churchill Street.
The Sonic: A great place for a beer by the sea. Located
right on the ocean, their food is a little more pricey compared
to other options around town, but their location gives you
amazing views over the sea and up the coastline towards the
Kaikoura mountains. A great spot for a drink at the end of
the day.
They're at 70 Westend.
If you'd rather cook your own kai, pick up some supplies
at Cod's and Crayfish. They are a fresh fish outlet with
a range of seafood. Find Cod's and Crayfish at 81 Beach Road.
Whales
are pretty much what put Kaikoura on the map in recent times.
There is a massive ditch (the Hikorangi Trench, which gets up
to 2000meters deep in some spots) just off the coast of Kaiks.
This (along with a few other factors) means that there is ample
food supply for the big creatures to feast upon, which, in turn,
means they like to hang out there making spotting a whale pretty
much guaranteed.
Whale Watch Kaikoura offer boat tours and they'll refund you
80% if you don't spot a whale! You're bound to see other wildlife
too, dolphins, sea birds, seals.
A trip with them lasts around 2 & 1/2 hours and costs $140.
While this may seem like a lot of money, whale watching is an
amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Call 0800 655 121 to book. www.whalewatch.co.nz
They are located at The Whaleway Station in the centre of town,
you can't miss it.
Seal Kayaking:
This trip will get you up close and personal
with these furry, cheeky creatures.
Kaikoura Kayaks offer seal tours but also kayaking lessons,
kayak fishing trips and solo kayak hire.
Half day seal tours cost $85, Check out www.kaikourakayak.co.nz
for info or call 0800 452 456.
Dolphin Encounter:
You can either swim with or watch these beautiful
creatures as part of a dolphin encounter.
Trips are 3 & 1/2 hours and cost $80 to watch or $150
to swim. Swimming equipment is provided.
Check out www.dolphin.co.nz
for more info or call 0800 733 365
Peninsula Walkway:
A great way to experience the beauty, ruggedness
and amongst-the-elements feel of the Kaikoura coastline is to
take a trip around the new penninsula walkway.
This track will take you all the way round the
penninsula that sticks out at Kaiks. The full trip takes around
3 & 1/2 hours but you can walk a bit and head back if you
like.
There are great views up and down the coastline with heaps
of spots to view wildlife especially seals. The track is littered
with info panels (they're not borning ones!) which explain about
geology, local Maori history, wildlife etc. To get to the start
of the track, head down the main road (westend) and just keep
following the road (i.e: Esplanade-Avoca-Fyffe Quay).
If you want extra info on the walkway you can pick up a brochure
at the info. centre for $2 or check out the DoC website.
Stomp up Mount Fyffe:
Mount Fyffe is a key feature of the Kaikoura westward
skyline. It's a good slog up the hill - from pretty much sea-level
to 1602meters above. It'll take you around 8 hours return or
there's a hut to stay at if you want to make it an overnighter,
or if you want a shorter trip (5 hours return to the hut).
Though it's a slog, you'll be rewarded with amazing views, possibly
to the North Island and Banks Penninsula (South) if it's a clear
day. Info sheets (only 50 cents!) and hut tickets ($5) can be
bought from the info. centre. Or, if you've got a Backcountry
Hut Pass, that'll do for this hut.
If you've got big enough calves, and break pads on your bike,
you can also mountain bike the track. To get there, head down
Ludstone Rd, from in town, then turn right onto Mount Fyffe
Rd, then left onto Postmans Rd, then right onto Chapmans Rd.
You'll find a carpark from which follow the 4wheel drive track
all the way to the summit. Simple as!
Maori Leap Cave:
A recommended mission (good for a wet day) is to go
on a tour of this 2 million+ year old cave which takes
you into a world of stalactities and stalagmites. Tours are
around 40minutes long and cover how the cave was formed and
found. The cave is open all year round with 6 tours a day. Tickets
are $12.
Book at Caves Restaurant, just South of Kaiks (03-319 5023),
or at the info centre.
Surf:
Kaikoura gets some good waves when the swell is right. Ask locals
about their favourite spots and the best tides for each.
Seafest:
If you enjoy eating kai moana (seafood) and it fits
into your schedule, head to Seafest. Held on the first Saturday
in October every year it offers heaps of food, fun and undoubetdly
fish! See www.seafest.co.nz
for more info.
If you want to go swimming in Kaiks, pick your spot carefully
(ask locals) - kaiks is a pretty rugged coastline which gets
some sizeable swells and also undertows.
OUT AT NIGHT:
Local knowledge suggests these places for music
and good times -
The Strawberry Tree - Located at 21 Westend
The Pier Hotel - Best for a summer, afternoon beer... Located
at 1 Avoca Street
NORTH:
Travel North on Highway 1 towards Blenheim.
There is another seal colony along the way..
If you are going on to Nelson Blenheim, the fastest route to get there is inland via Renwick (Highway 6) and onto Havelock. However the drive via Picton (Highway 1) is more scenic.
On route to Nelson from Blenheim, stop off at Pelorus Bridge. It's a nice spot to stop for a break. There's also nice walks, a picturesque river which is great for swimming and jumping into from the rocks (always check the water you're jumping into first :), a café and a serviced DOC camping ground.
SOUTH:
Head South on Highway One towards Christchurch for the coastal
views and rolling landscape, or head inland on Highway 70,
just South if Kaiks, for a different view.
Do a 'drive-by' through South Bay (Just after the
100km zone, South of Kaiks) to get a feel for the quiet
fishing life of Kaikoura.
At Waipara (approx 130km's South of Kaiks) there's
a few good wineries for you to sample a local drop or
two and purchase a bottle or two...
WEST: The best way to head West is to go South (go figure...) to the Highway 70 turn off and follow that till you meet Highway 7. Turn Right here and it'll take you inland, over the beautiful Lewis Pass. After that you can head North or South at Springs Junction.
EAST: Only if you're a good swimmer...
For more info:
A good pre-trip website is www.kaikoura.co.nz
- pick out the bits you need.
The Kaikoura Information Centre is located on Westend, head
South through town and it's at the end of the carpark on the
left.
You can book tours etc. through the info. centre.
Kaikoura is really nice. It has a quaint atmosphere. We did kayaking to see seals and went to a quiz night at the Whaler, which was really fun. We did drinking contest in between rounds and they provide the beer.
