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208 The Esplanade, Kaikoura, Christchurch-Canterbury, New Zealand
of people enjoy staying here
98 Opinions
Natural pools, Oahu Point, NZ
The cappuccino - too nice to be drunken LOL
NZ Fur seal at Goose Bay
The twins
Hi, I was wondering if anyone can tell me about whether Kaikoura is a decent destination the first week of May? I don't know what kind of activities are still available at that time of year, but I am interested in swimming w/ dolphins or seals or whale watching or something along those lines...
Activities in Kaikoura operate all year round, but there must be prime times for the whales to be in the area. Dolphins are in our coastal seas most of the year. You don't always see them though.
Anyway check out this site:
http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/
oh and sorry I forgot, check out the member tips on Kaikoura, you can access them here:
http://www.virtualtourist.com/vt/1cbc8e/
I'll be down there that week, too, in the South Island. I'm looking for photographic opportunities with the autumn colours.
Have fun,
kiwi.
Well in my opinion any time of year is way too cold to be swimming off the coast of the South Island of NZ! HOwever toughguys like Vin Diesel can deal with the cold which probably pumps them.
You do, however, get supplied with cold water wet suits, which are quite different to Calif wetsuits, and they do operate all year.
The dolphins tend to keep further out in the winter months, and come closer inshore during summer.
Another url to visit:
http://www.dolphin.co.nz/
May will indeed be cold in the water, so you need to consider that.
Hi,
Look at my travelpage under Kaikoura.You might find something interesting.Happy swimming with the dolphin!
Khoo88
from Picton to Invercargill, New Zealand has a longer Coastline then the USA...Discovery Channel say;s so :-))...and the State Highway 1 is one of the most scenic drives and right around Kaikoura exactly that....driving from Picton .stop in Kaikoura and go on to Christchurch
Ok, this is just for fun. But as the original intention of "General Tips" is to chat a bit about favourite things and fondest memories, this is surely one of them. And this is remarkable, as seagulls can be nasty, noisy and annoying birds, permanently screaming, squeaking, fighting and arguing about nearly everything. And they are absolutely weird when you want to feed ducks, flying into groups of greedy waddlies like stukkas in World War II.
But I love this photo out of a series I have taken of this red-billed gull at Point Kean on the Peninsula. So this red-billed gull sat on the sign over an information panel about New Zealand Fur Seals, as they are all over the place, and looked down at the sign. Either wondering if he could believe what was written there, or driven by the wish to make visitors believe he was a fur seal ;-) Or he thought: "If I will ever be stuffed and exhibited in a museum, I would at least be identified correctly."
The red-billed gulls BTW are abundant in New Zealand, and although they can be annoying, I think they are beautiful with their red bills and legs and the red ring around the eyes.
The black-billed gull is rather rare.
While waiting for the bus I headed over to the beach and sat down on the smooth rocks. I started listening to the waves on the beach and heard the most incredible sound. The waves would crash against the pebbles, which sounded normal. However, as the water receded it sounded like rain. Probably the best description would be hundreds of rain sticks going off at once. While you're in Kaikoura be sure to take a minute and listen to the waves crashing on the beach. It's unforgettable!
This café is also a Fudge Factory and famous for the latter. They produce 30 flavours of fudge on site, and you can free sample it. If you order a coffee, a little piece of fudge is served with it as a treat. As I am no big fudge fan this is enough for me.
So the fudge surely is not the reason why we always go back to this café for lunch on our weekend day trips, or just for coffee. (Unfortunately you cannot go there for dinner as it is only open until 4.30pm.) And it is not only for the friendly and fast service.
The food is just fabulous. Last time we were there on a Sunday, I had pan-seared fish with chips and green salads, and it was delicious. And you do not get such nice fish everywhere, as NZ is the land of the deep fried fish - and chips ;-) (Can't remember what hubby had, as it often takes me quite a while until I write my tips...)
The selection of divine cakes at the cabinet is wonderful, the cakes are mouthwatering, and the coffees are great.
Hubby discovered this café when he once had work to do nearby, and did not want to walk or drive back to the Esplanade. Since then it has become our first choice for lunch.
The location right on SH 1 surely is not perfect but do not have to imagine SH 1 as a highway where trucks would be thundering up and down incessantly. So it is no problem to sit in the outdoor area adjacent to the footpath. You have no sea view but a great view of the Kaikoura Ranges.
BTW More and more cafés and restaurants have been opening in the past few years along SH 1 (Beach Road), catering for the ever-growing number of tourists. What a sleepy place Kaikoura was when I was here the first time in 1991!
Open daily 7.30am – 4.30pm
Breakfast Menu from 8am to 12noon
Directions:
If you come from the north, it is on the left between Henry’s (bottle shop) and Harcourts (Real Estate Company), shortly before the BP petrol station.
From the south: Past the town centre turn-off on the right after the BP petrol station.
You easily recognise the café by the décor on the roof: a fishtail, a boat and attached crayfish basket.
Photo 2 shows the pan-seared fish with chips and salads.
On photo 3 you see a beautifully decorated cappuccino.
from Nelson, keep an eye out for the Sea Lions all sitting on the rocks. There are millions of them all over the rock. You can park up and take pictures. Here is a picture of the seals on the rock. Don't try and get too close to them, they will attack you. Don't forget this is there home. You wouldn't like it if someone was looking through your windows!
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Q: Nins Bin - Beverage selection "Anyone here knows what sort of drinks to they sell at Nins Bin (if any). Would not mind some beer or wine to go with my crayfish..."
A: "Can't tell, have never paid attention... But I can check it out when I go there next time, probably in Jan or early Feb. When will you travel?"
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Address: 208 The Esplanade, Kaikoura, Christchurch-Canterbury, New Zealand
