Kaikoura is a small coastal town 180 kilometres north of Christchurch, squeezed between the Kaikoura Ranges and the Pacific Ocean. It is New Zealand's best whale-watching destination, with sperm whales present year-round and migratory humpbacks and southern right whales appearing seasonally. Whale Watch Kaikōura, the Ngāi Tahu-owned tour company, runs boat tours with a money-back guarantee if no whale is sighted — a confidence that the local marine abundance justifies. Dusky dolphins, New Zealand fur seals, and an extraordinary concentration of seabirds (albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters) share the waters.
The town was severely damaged by a major earthquake in November 2016, which closed the main coastal highway and rail line for over a year. Both have been repaired and the town has largely recovered. The road north from Kaikoura, hugging the coast with the sea on one side and mountains rising almost vertically on the other, is one of the most dramatic coastal drives in New Zealand. The seal colony at Point Kean, a ten-minute walk from the town centre, is one of the most accessible in the South Island; the animals lounge on the rocks in large numbers and require only a sensible distance.