Kaikoura, New ZealandKaikoura - Regional Information

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Fur seals lounge on rocks just metres from shore, dusky and hector's dolphins frolic in the sea, while a few kilometres out, giant sperm whales haunt the depths.

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Kaikoura Overview

Kaikoura, New Zealand
Kaikoura, New Zealand

Situated about halfway between Christchurch and Picton on the east coast of the South Island, Kaikoura is where the mountains almost reach the sea.

A branch of the Southern Alps, the Seaward Kaikoura Range rises almost directly out of the ocean in places and many of its peaks are snow-capped for most of the year. The highest mountain in the range is Manakau at 2610 metres, and the most imaginatively-named is Mount Horrible.

This unique combination of ocean and mountains offers stunning coastal alpine scenery and a host of eco-tourism activities including whale watching, dolphin swimming and seal snorkelling. Walk the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway and discover seal and bird colonies along the coast.

Image Source: Tourism New Zealand. Fur seal in Kaikoura, New Zealand
Fur Seal, Kaikoura
Photographer: Jason Hosking
(www.jasonhosking.com)

Kaikoura is quite small, with only a resident population of approximately 3,600 in the township and rural areas (2006 Census). In Maori, Kaikoura literally means 'to eat crayfish', and this is a big delicacy here.

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  • Kaikoura - known for its crayfish

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