Kaikoura Activity Highlights
Kaikoura | Regional Information | Activity Highlights | Scenic Highlights | History
Kaikoura is an eco-tourism adventure playground. Go whale watching, swim with the dolphins, or hike the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway and visit the seal colony.
Kaikoura Activity Highlights Overview
Kaikoura is a base for wildlife experiences of all kinds—it's also a great place to eat crayfish (in the Māori language kai means food, koura means crayfish).
Kaikoura's special talent is marine mammal encounters—whales, fur seals and dolphins live permanently in the coastal waters. Whale watching trips leave the town several times a day and the local seal colony is always entertaining. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and shops.
» Kaikoura Activities Directory
Send a Kaikoura related E-Postcard to your friends.
Get Close to Nature in Kaikoura
Photographer: Hiroshi Nameda
(hnamechan@hotmail.com)
A variety of rare marine mammals converge off the Kaikoura coast—sperm whales, New Zealand fur seals, dolphins and penguins.
There are many ways to get close to these marine mammals:
- Go whale watching by boat or air, all year round
- Swim with or observe dolphins on a dolphin encounter
- Experience seal swimming with a land-based or boat-based guided seal snorkelling tour
Kaikoura Birdlife
Kaikoura is not only home to marine mammals. Many species of birds colonise the shores of the Kaikoura coast also.
North of Kaikoura
Photographer: Graham Charles
(imagematters@clear.net.nz)
- Take a bird watching tour, to view seabirds, albatross, molly-mawks, petrels and many more
- Hike the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway—three hours return to visit a seal colony, limestone formations and a seabird colony
In Kaikoura Township
Don't bypass the Kaikoura township.
- Visit Fyffe House, a colonial whalers cottage
- Eat fresh seafood in one of Kaikoura's delightful waterfront restaurants
- Try for a hole-in-one at the Kaikoura Golf Club
Other Kaikoura Attractions
Don't be mistaken, there's even more to Kaikoura!
- Go surfing, or take some learn to surf lessons
- Fish for blue cod, sea perch, crayfish and much more
- Learn to fly at the Kaikoura Aero Club
- Visit the Kaikoura Winery
- Take a Māori tour and learn of our heritage and culture
- Raft the Clarence River
- Experience the incredible Southern Hemisphere Night Sky over New Zealand
Useful Kaikoura Links
To help plan your Kaikoura holiday choose from the main categories below
- Kaikoura Accommodation
- Kaikoura Tours
- Kaikoura Attractions and Activities
- Kaikoura Transport
- Kaikoura Cuisine and Dining
- Kaikoura Shopping
- Kaikoura Visitor Information
Send a Kaikoura related E-Postcard to your friends.
Kaikoura Region Information
Regional Information
Key information and facts about the Kaikoura region.
Activity Highlights
Major activities and attractions in the Kaikoura region.
Scenic Highlights
Major natural attractions in the Kaikoura region.
History
History of the Kaikoura region.
Kaikoura Tourism Operators
Choose from our accommodation, attractions, tours, transport or visitor information categories below to find a tourism operator in Kaikoura.
