Kaikoura Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
town in New Zealand
About Kaikoura
Kaikoura lies on a coastal plain and a peninsula between high mountains and the Pacific Ocean. In places along this coast the mountains drop almost straight into the sea, with barely enough flat land for a single railway line, two-lane road and rocky beach, and even then some short tunnels are needed on corners. The steepness of the mountains reflects the underwater geography, with the deep-water Hikurangi Trench and the continental shelf edge lying just offshore south of the peninsula. This makes the ocean around Kaikoura rich in sea life, attracting seals, whales (and humans) to the area to partake in the bounty of the sea. The town has a similar charm to an east coast USA beach town, with a hodgepodge of signs trying to grab tourists' attention. At the edges of the town, the more rela
Top Attractions in Kaikoura
Explore the best things to see and do in Kaikoura:
- ★Dive Kaikoura
- ★Dolphin Encounter
- ★Fyffe House
- ★Kaikoura Kayaks
- ★Kaikoura Museum
- ★Kaikoura Wilderness Walks
- ★Mt Fyffe and the Seaward Kaikōura Range
- ★Peninsula Walkway
Where to Eat in Kaikoura
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Allure Cafe
- 🍴Beach House Cafe
- 🍴Black Rabbit Pizza
- 🍴Cods and Crayfish
- 🍴Coopers Catch
- 🍴Hislops Wholefoods Café
Where to Stay in Kaikoura
- 🏨Alpine-Pacific Holiday Park
- 🏨Dusky Lodge & Backpackers
- 🏨Hapuku Lodge
- 🏨Kaikoura Top 10 Holiday Park
- 🏨Lazy Shag Backpackers
- 🏨The Fairways
Kaikoura Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: