Christchurch
New Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch combines the ambience and intimacy of a town with the amenities and vibrancy of a city. The willow-lined River Avon, the familiar sounding street names and the trade-mark gardens grant the place a very English feel, but the prime location between the Canterbury Hills and the Pacific Ocean and the vast opportunity for outdoor recreation that these present from ballooning to skiing, it is unmistakably New Zealand in essence. Home to about a dozen festivals each year as well as numerous cafes, bars, restaurants and world class attractions like the Antarctic Centre, Christchurch is serviced by an international airport making it extremely popular with overseas visitors.
Banks Peninsula & Akaroa
Once an island, the volcanic Banks Peninsula is cut through by deep, fiord-like inlets. An hour and a half drive from Christchurch, the peninsula offers gentle coastal walks and rolling hills and the pretty town of Akaroa. Originally a Maori stronghold, the place was later settled by French migrants and even today has a French flavour to it. This is a popular spot for swimming with the diminutive Hector’s dolphins but for the less energetic, there are harbour cruises and Akaroa has some excellent restaurants.
Kaikoura
This small, east coast town is known above all for its whale watching opportunities. It is without doubt the best place in the New Zealand to see the magnificent sperm whale and combined with good opportunities to swim with dusky dolphins as well as see seals and pelagic birds, has become a ‘must visit’ destination for wildlife enthusiasts. Situated about 2 hours north of Christchurch, Kaikoura possesses a dramatic coastline as the mountains meet the sea and some stunning surrounding scenery suitable for walking. With some excellent crayfish on offer and a good proximity to New Zealand’s top wineries, Kaikoura is becoming far more than the whale watching mecca that made it famous.
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Northland