Located on the main road between Christchurch and Picton, Kaikoura sees a steady stream of road tripping tourists stopping off at its beaches and cafés. Stick around a little longer and you can see whales, dolphins, one of New Zealand’s best coastal walks and more. Looking for the best things to in Kaikoura? We can help with that!
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Whale / Dolphin Watching
Seeing whales in the calm waters off the Kaikoura coastline is one of the main drawcards for tourists. If you’re keen to see whales this is the best places to do it in New Zealand. You can also do dolphin tours and you may see dolphins on the whale watching tours like we did (but no whales).
We did a tour a couple of years ago and conditions (extremely cloudy) meant we didn’t get to see any. Whale Watch Kaikoura is good about refunds / rebooking — if you’re really keen to see whales maybe plan for an extra night in Kaikoura in case of cancellations. Some friends of ours (cheers Dhane and Jojo) gave me a photo to use from their trip — can’t wait to see these whales for ourselves!
Kaikoura Beach
The main beach in Kaikoura sits just in front of town — an easy stroll over from the cafes, bars, restaurants and shops of the main street. It’s a rough beach consisting of big stones — not the easiest place to walk! It’s very scenic though, with snow-capped (in winter) mountains looming over the rugged coastline.
Other Beaches in Kaikoura
There are some other beach areas around the Kaikoura Esplanade — it’s a great place for a stroll (especially at sunrise).
South Bay is a short drive (or long walk) from downtown Kaikoura and is a good place to go if you’re looking for some beach time. It’s a bit more sheltered and sandy than Kaikoura Beach but still kinda rough compared to some of the South Island’s better beaches. It’s also one end of the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway.
READ MORE: Where Are the Best Beaches in Kaikoura?
Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway
Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway is one of our favourite coastal walks in the South Island, offering up awesome views of this unique place. This coastline was severely impacted by the 2016 earthquake, which apparently you can see the effects of around Point Kean (I’m not sure what to look for though).
It should take around three hours (return) to do this walk, starting at either Point Kean (where you’ll find a seal colony) or South Bay.
Seal Colonies
There’s a seal colony at Point Kean — you can drive to the car park and walk along the rocks to see them. You’ll also see some along the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway.
There used to be a waterfall you could visit with seal pups playing in the pools, but the 2016 earthquake ruined that. If driving north from Kaikoura you’ll see another big seal colony at Ohau Point, around 20 minutes from town.
Kaikoura Lookout
Head to Kaikoura Lookout for an awesome view over the bay. We went there to watch the sunrise and it was pretty good — I reckon if you hit this place in perfect light you’d get some impressive photos (not sure when that would be though). We also went to Kaikoura Lookout around lunchtime and the light was good for shots toward the south (still not great though — can’t wait to get better photos of this place!).
Hang Out in Town
The main shopping / dining street in Kaikoura is compact and great for an aimless walk. Check out the museum, galleries and boutique shops and be tempted by the solid variety of food. It’s a nice place to hang out for a bit and maybe grab some souvenirs. We found a cool painting in one of the galleries but I just found out that place shut recently.
North of Kaikoura
There’s a beautiful black sand beach north of Kaikoura which stretches most of the way to the Canterbury / Marlborough border. The Store is a good place to stop if you want to eat before reaching Blenheim or Picton.
READ MORE: Driving From Christchurch to Picton: Best Places to Stop
The Hills
I went looking for an easy walk in the hills and decided on the Fyfe-Palmer Track. It didn’t take long and there were some decent views from near the car park. Mount Fyffe is an eight hour round trip hike to the top. I’ll get to this hike one day (if you’ve done it let us know what it’s like in the comments below).
Try the Local Seafood
Nin’s Bin, 20 minutes north of Kaikoura, is one of the South Island’s most famous seafood spots. For a small fortune (but way cheaper than the restaurants I’m sure) you can feast on freshly caught crayfish tails and other delicacies. There’s also Karaka Lobster just up the road — let us know if you’ve tried it!
Other Things to Do in Kaikoura
Other things to do in Kaikoura include golf, whale watching flights, fishing charters and more.
Where to Stay in Kaikoura
There’s a good range of accommodation in Kaikoura, with freedom camping (just south of town), hotels, motels and hostels spread throughout Kaikoura. We wanted to stay close to the beach, choosing Sierra Beachfront Motel on a recent trip (a solid motel with a good location by the Esplanade). Check out some of the other places to stay in Kaikoura.
Where to Eat
The main tourist area of Kaikoura is full of restaurants, cafés and bars. There are also some food trucks and takeaway places around. You’ll probably want to try some seafood — Nin’s Bin is a good place to do it but most restaurants will have seafood on the menu. For a unique (in New Zealand) experience try Bernie’s Diner — it’s a classic American-style diner with heaps of old memorabilia and an attached museum.
Are you planning a trip to Kaikoura? Let us know in the comments below!
Jon Algie
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