What to see and do in Kaikoura

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Day 33-34: What to see and do in Kaikoura

In order to enjoy all the things we have marked in the list of things what to see and do in Kaikoura we woke up with incredible views of the massifs that surround the Kaikoura TOP 10 Holiday Park which will be our accommodation in Kaikoura for a couple of nights and we arrived last night after visiting the Banks Peninsula and Akaroa and spending a day getting to know things what to see and do in Christchurch essential.

The first thing we do is to review the weather forecast, as we have been practically doing throughout the entire trip to New Zealand in 36 days, to verify that today it seems that it will endure, so we decided to concentrate all the things that See and do in Kaikoura that we have planned and thus, ensure both and tomorrow, in case it rains, take it easy and enjoy our last day in New Zealand.
These changes of plans are possible, as we have been repeating throughout all the posts, when renting a motorhome in New Zealand, something that has allowed us at all times to have total freedom of movement and schedules, for us essential in a destination like New Zealand.
Remember that if you are interested in making a route through New Zealand by motorhome, we recommend you look at the Motorhome Republic page where you can see all the available motorhome options, prices and even make the reservation directly.


How to go to Christchurch to Kaikoura

Although we already commented yesterday at the end of the post, remember that go from Christchurch to Kaikoura it will not take you more than 2 and a half hours and a journey of about 180 kilometers, so if your route ends in Christchurch and you have a couple of days off, as has happened to us, this may be a perfect option to enjoy These last days and make it become one of the places to see in New Zealand essential, due to its incredible landscapes and its important variety of fauna, in a way, easy to observe.

Kaikoura

What to see and do in Kaikoura

The Maori legend tells that Kaikoura was formed after Maui, a demigod set foot on this piece of land, after fishing the North Island of New Zealand. Only for this reason and want to discover it, but if we also add that its name means kai (food) and koura (crayfish), you already have another great reason to think of this place as the perfect destination for
Finish any route through New Zealand.
In addition, the small town of Kaikoura is located in a privileged location, surrounded by the Kaikoura massif, which you can see snowing practically all year round, a view that is really impressive to be able to enjoy it in front of the sea.

Kaikoura in New Zealand

In addition to this, in Kaikoura you can see dolphins, whales, sea lions, penguins and even albatrosses with some ease. Although to be able to see some of them it is necessary to sign up for an organized excursion, which we will talk about later, others will be able to see them simply walking along the coast of one of the most charming towns in the country.

Kaikoura village

Although we would not dare to say that he has anything special, this small town, is special in itself and for that reason alone, it is worth a visit. With a main street, where most tourism-focused businesses are located, including the Tourist Office, we recommend you spend a couple of hours getting to know it and getting closer to the local life, so ingrained and close to the sea, to know a Little more of this town.
If the weather is good, a good option may be to go from the Kaikoura TOP 10 Holiday Park, about 200 meters from the center, to the Point Kean area, where you can see seals (we'll talk later about this place) located about 5, 5 kilometers, which you will travel along the coast and that will also allow you to know the town, as it travels along the main street of this.

Kaikoura Village

Beach in Kaikoura

Although it would not be what we would highlight most among the things to see and do in Kaikoura Yes, it is true that this area of ​​New Zealand has some beach that can be interesting if you want to take a bath or enjoy some rest time.
In this case you can enjoy the beach in front of Esplanade, which is the seafront and has several kilometers. If you want to surf, a good option may be Mangamaunu 15 kilometers away, known for being one of the best in the area.

Kaikoura Beach

Point Kean: seal colony

Point Kean is one of the must see places in Kaikoura and one of the reasons why many tourists come to this small town. Known for one of the best points in the area to see seals, this is one of the most visited points of the population, so we advise you to come soon, if you want to enjoy the place with tranquility.
As we mentioned earlier, you can get here after a walk of approximately 1 hour from the town of Kaikoura, which you can take advantage of to make a stop at the beach in the Esplanade area, although if you do not have much time, you can get up to here by car and leave it in the free parking lot enabled for it.

Point Kean, one of the places to see in Kaikoura

Once you have left the car, you should only go to the end of the peninsula to see how dozens of them enjoy this pleasant place. Remember that it is very important to follow the rules that you will find in the posters of the area, do not forget that they are wild animals, and of course not to approach within 20 meters, feed them, disturb them or get between them and the sea, since for them this is their escape if they are threatened.

Point kean

Kaikoura Peninsula Trail

From Point Kean you can start a path that will take you along the cliffs to South Bay, where you will enjoy unique views of the landscape that surrounds the town as well as being able to see colonies of sea lions, seagulls and even shearwaters.
Although this tour can also be done in reverse, we recommend you do it from Kaikoura to South Bay and once there, return along the same road or take the South Bay Track, which will take you back to the village area.

Views from the Kaikoura Peninsula Trail

This trail is about 3.5 kilometers and will not take you more than an hour (one way), although we recommend you have some more time to take photos and stops to enjoy the impressive landscape and one of the things to see in Kaikoura more recommended

Kaikoura Peninsula Trail

If you use Google Maps or Maps, you will see me that there is a path that goes along the beach, down the cliffs. Although we did not do it and we did not see that there was a ban, we do not believe that it is very successful to do so since we saw that there are seals and sea lions and there is very little space in some areas, for what we believe, it can be dangerous.

Kaikoura viewpoints

Another thing you can't stop do in Kaikoura is to approach a couple of viewpoints, to enjoy the views of the area from the heights.
The first one is very close to the cemetery, we advise you to go by car although it is not more than 5 minutes from the town center, leave the motorhome in the free parking and enjoy the architecture of the town, the two bays and the massif at the bottom.

Kaikoura Viewpoint

The second is not a viewpoint as such, but you will go on the way to the one mentioned above and it is right next to the cemetery. If you look to the right, you will have unique views of the bay.

More practical information to prepare your trip to New Zealand

- 10 essential tips for traveling to New Zealand
- 10 essential places to see in New Zealand
- The best travel insurance for New Zealand

Where to eat?

Although there is a wide variety of places to eat in Kaikoura, we want to highlight two in which we are especially comfortable and that, in addition, we liked very much:
- Kaikoura Seafood BBQ: Located very close to Point Kean, the Kaikoura Seafood BBQ is one of the places you cannot miss if you want to try the magnificent and well-known Kaikoura lobster.
Although it has several tables located next to the road, this kind of kiosk also serves you in the motorhome if you feel like it or it's raining, as for example it happened to us.
They have a variety of specialties and within them, we order a lobster for two, fried lobster (which is a kind of lobster omelette) and scallops for 89NZD. Highly recommended!

Kaikoura Seafood BBQ

- Beach House Café: Located right in front of the Kaikoura TOP 10 Holiday Park, the Beach House Café, is a cafeteria-restaurant is highly recommended for breakfast and lunch and even for work since they have very fast Wi-Fi and a service, attention and very nice atmosphere.
We had breakfast twice and again we went to snack and we can only recommend it.

Lobster in Kaikoura Seafood BBQ

Where to sleep?

Although in Kaikoura there are countless places where you can stay, we leave you what are our recommendations:

  • In case you want to stay in a hotel, we recommend you choose the most central area of ​​Kaikoura, in order to move without the need for a vehicle. Find here the best hotels in Kaikoura.
  • If you take a motorhome, as was our case, the best option is to stay at the Kaikoura TOP 10 Holiday Park, a campsite with all the amenities, where you can stay in an area with electricity for 35NZD.
    Also, even if it seems that it is far from the center of Kaikoura, you will be less than 3 minutes from the main street of Akaroa.

How many days do I need to see Kaikoura?

Although we would recommend you have a couple of days to get to know the area and enjoy it with some peace of mind, if you have a day and have a vehicle, our proposal is:
- Park in the downtown area of ​​the town
- Visit the town and make a piece of Esplanade, to see the beach area
- Approach by car / motorhome to Point Kean (park there)
- Visit Point Kean
- Make the Kaikoura Peninsula Trail (round trip)
- Eat at Kaikoura Seafood BBQ
- Take the car / motorhome and go to the recommended viewpoints.

In case you have a couple of days, we recommend you to divide the visits into two parts and thus be able to enjoy the area more, taking a few hours of relaxation on the beach or in some viewpoint or restaurant of the town.
As we mentioned before, this area is highly recommended to end your trip if you do not want to stay in Christchurch or have an extra day or two and want to end the trip in a quiet area but with many things to see and do.

Excursions

In addition to all things to do in Kaikoura As we mentioned before, we leave you a selection of different options that can be a complement to fully enjoy one of the most incredible places in New Zealand or get here from other parts of the country if you do not want or do not have your own vehicle.

Whale Watching Cruise
Kaikoura day trip and whale watching cruise from Christchurch
30-minute helicopter tour to see whales
More excursions in Kaikoura here

Coast

We leave you a map with the locations of all the things to see and do in Kaikoura, one of the areas you cannot miss in New Zealand.

Day 35-36: Best photos of New Zealand and flight from Christchurch to Barcelona

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Video: TOP 5 things to do in Kaikoura New Zealand Hidden Gem (March 2024).