Canterbury's appeal lies in its dramatic contrasts. The flat coastal plains give way abruptly to the Southern Alps; the ocean is never far east; and the Mackenzie Basin in the southwest is some of the most austere and beautiful high-country landscape in the Pacific.
The region's key experiences: the TranzAlpine train journey over the Main Divide, walking in Arthur's Pass National Park, whale-watching at Kaikoura, stargazing at Lake Tekapo, glaciers and high peaks at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, and the French-heritage harbour town of Akaroa.
The region's main city, Christchurch, has its own separate page.