Kaikōura

South Island · Nature lovers · Photographers · Wildlife enthusiasts

Kaikōura is one of the only places on earth where a mountain range and a deep ocean trench converge so close to shore, the Kaikōura Peninsula juts into the Pacific with the Seaward Kaikōura Range rising directly behind it, snow-capped for most of the year. This geography creates upwellings of nutrient-rich water that support an extraordinary concentration of marine life: sperm whales that can be reliably seen year-round, dusky dolphins in their thousands, New Zealand fur seals sprawled on coastal rocks minutes from the town centre.

A whale-watching flight by light aircraft or helicopter is one of the great wildlife encounters on earth, spotting a 20-metre sperm whale from above, breathing at the surface before sounding, tail rising out of the water as it dives. Swimming with the seals, dolphin-watching cruises, and the recently rebuilt coastal walkway (the 2016 earthquake reshaped the landscape and created new reef flats) add further dimensions. Kaikōura's crayfish, locally caught, locally cooked, sold from roadside shacks, is among New Zealand's simplest and finest eating.