Kaikoura

Kaikoura is the Maori verb “to eat Crayfish” and this is inevitably something that everyone on  Kaikoura holidays end up doing. But the waters around Kaikoura offer much more than crayfish, and those on holiday in Kaikoura will be enthralled with the proliferation of wildlife which includes whales, dolphins, seals, penguins, shearwaters , petrels and albatross.
The landscape you will see on your holiday in Kaikoura is simply stunning and there are few places on earth where you can experience mountains so close to the sea. In the winter months, the mountains are covered with snow which simply adds to the dramatic landscape that you will see during your Kaikoura holiday. Kaikoura is located on the rugged East Coast of the South Island, midway between Christchurch and Picton. The stunning alpine/coastal scenery is not the only thing that make holidays to Kaikoura so special. Holidays in Kaikoura will provide relaxation, nature, art, history, culture, fine wine and delightful  cuisine.

Kaikoura is on State Highway 1, and you must pass through it if you are driving that route. Its is two hours drive north of Christchurch. Kaikoura is also on the Scenic rail line between Picton and Christchurch. There is one train, but it stops at Kaikoura twice. It leaves from Christchuch in the morning, stops at Kaikoura on the way up to Picton, and then it stops again at Kaikoura on it's way back to Christchurch.The train journey is fantastic with the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other, the train follows the coast for the last part of the journey into Kaikoura and you can often see fur seals lazing on the rocks.The station itself is on Whaleway Station Road (presumably named because Whale Watch Kaikoura operate out of the station).