On a Sunday morning late in August, I'm driving along the Kaikoura Coast, transfixed by the sight of a soft mist hanging over an ocean that's as flat and shiny as a fifty cent coin. It's an otherworldly atmosphere that makes it easy to imagine behemoth whales surfacing offshore and seals and dolphins cavorting in the kelp forests. Here in Kaikoura, the remarkable landscape of snow-capped mountains soaring above a rugged coastline is mirrored by an equally remarkable seascape of stupendously deep underwater trenches. The trenches, together with a mix of warm ocean currents from the north and cool currents from the south, result in a remarkable abundance of sea life, from microscopic phytoplankton all the way up the food chain to crayfish, seals, dolphins, sharks and Sperm Whales. Once, while exploring the Kaikoura countryside by quad bike with Glenstrae Farm 4 Wheeler Adventures, a group of us stood on the cliff tops above the ocean and watched dozens of Dusky Dolphins leaping from the water, and on any day of the year you can pull your car over at a waterfront rest area and see Fur Seals lounging on the rocks just metres away. Join a whale-watching cruise to get close to the region's largest inhabitants or go sea kayaking to explore the coast from the watery side. Kaikoura is a wildlife paradise and an absolute must-see for visitors seeking a real New Zealand eco-experience.
destination-nz.com
Exploring the Kaikoura Coast
Authors
-
Jeff the Kiwi – Advisor (213)
Jeff is the fluffiest and cuddliest member of the travel team. His flightless nature means Jeff has to use his feet, just like the rest of us, to expl... -
Michelle Berridge – Editor (129)
Michelle Berridge is our on-the-road correspondent. Passionate about travel and insatiably curious, some would say she’s a typical Sagittarius. She’d ... -
Special Guests – Writers (40)
Of course there’s more to the destination-nz.com team than our editors and the famous advisor Jeff the Kiwi. Everyone in the team, from web designers ...
Recent Comments
-
Wrap up – It’s Wintertime!
Travel19... Actually I love to travel in Winter as it is the season of freshness, cheers and pleasant environment everywhere. I enjoyed the winter tour in New Ze -
Forsyth Barr Stadium Ready for Rugby World Cup
Adventurefuse... We are also excited about the rugby world cup and we are facilitating a link between those of us who are attending the Rugby World Cup and would like -
Early Bird Ski Pass Sale Extended
chaseone... That's good news that they have extended the early bird Season Pass sale, as I can imagine a lot of people, that would normally have been on the ball -
New hot pools for Franz Josef Village on the West Coast
Michelle Berridge – Editor... If you're in New Zealand you can freephone 0800 044 044. If you're overseas, email info@glacierhotpools.co.nz. For more information click -
Sweet Escape in Arrowtown
Michelle Berridge – Editor... There are no flights directly into Arrowtown - you'll need to fly into Queenstown (which is, by the way, a magnificent place to fly into with its lake
new zealand photo gallery
Michelle Berridge is our on-the-road correspondent. Passionate about travel and insatiably curious, some would say she’s a typical Sagittarius. She’d say she’s a somewhat philosophical hedonist in search of truth, beauty and a sublime glass of wine.