Things to Do in Kaikoura: Our Personal Tips & Highlights

What do you need to know about Kaikoura?

Kaikoura is a beautiful, small town on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

Most visitors come here because you can watch seals, dolphins, and whales in the wild — and that was our main reason too.

But Kaikoura is also just stunning scenically: on one side you have the sea, and on the other, snow-capped mountains — the Kaikoura Ranges — rise up dramatically.

Beyond that, we simply loved the vibe here. There are lots of cool hipster cafés, boutiques with handmade products, and lovely beaches for a swim.

Where is Kaikoura in New Zealand?

Kaikoura is located in the northeast of the South Island.

From Picton in the Marlborough Sounds — where the ferry from New Zealand’s North Island arrives — it’s about two hours by car.

Our tip: The last stretch of Highway 1 from Picton to Kaikoura was one of the most beautiful roads we drove in all of New Zealand. Take your time, stop for photos, and bring something for a picnic.

To help you get your bearings, we’ve put together a map showing the most important places in Kaikoura and the town’s location within New Zealand.

Is Kaikoura worth it on your New Zealand road trip?

Most of the top highlights on New Zealand’s South Island that nearly every traveler wants to see are on the west side.

The classic road trip route starts in Picton (where the ferry from Wellington arrives), runs along the west coast to Queenstown, and ends in Christchurch. It’s a route we’d happily recommend ourselves!

If you want to include Kaikoura, the most practical option is a side trip from Picton — drive down, explore, then head back the same way. Plan for at least two full days. Is it worth it?

Absolutely! We loved Kaikoura for its scenery, its atmosphere, and its wildlife — the marine life experiences here are genuinely one of a kind.

Things to do in Kaikoura: our top 6 picks

Now for the fun part. Here are our six favorite activities and things to do in Kaikoura!

Go on a whale watching tour

Kaikoura is one of the best places in all of New Zealand for watching whales in the wild. Certain ocean currents converge along this coastline, bringing an abundance of fish and food — essentially an all-you-can-eat buffet for whales.

Tours run year-round, at all times of day. The only thing that changes is which species you’ll see. Sperm whales are present year-round, while orcas are only spotted between June and July and humpback whales from December through March.

Alongside whales, you’ll also regularly encounter seals, albatrosses, and the rare Hector’s dolphins.

Unlike many other countries, animals in New Zealand are never fed by tour operators — it’s important for conservation, so that whales don’t lose the ability to fend for themselves. That means if no whales show up, you’re out of luck, though most operators will offer you a second trip. It’s extremely rare not to see any whales at all.

Our tip: In addition to boat-based tours, Kaikoura also offers whale watching by helicopter. We especially recommend this if you’re prone to seasickness — the boats can get tossed around quite a bit depending on the swell.

Book your whale watching boat tour in Kaikoura

Or book the whale watching helicopter tour

Watch dolphins

Besides whales, you can also spot dolphins in Kaikoura. Unlike whales, dolphins are usually super playful and come right up close to the boats.

And it can get even more up-close than that: in Kaikoura you can actually swim with dolphins in the open ocean. Whether they show up is entirely up to the dolphins, of course — but we’re surely not the only ones for whom this is a lifelong dream, right?

Alternatively, there are regular boat trips and kayak tours for dolphin watching. On both, you have a great chance of spotting other wildlife too — seals, cormorants, and more.

Book a half-day kayak tour in Kaikoura

Or book the boat tour with the option to swim with dolphins

Walk to the seal colony

The seal colony was one of our personal highlights in Kaikoura — and the best part is that it’s completely free to visit, no tour needed.

You’ll find the seals along the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway, a path that runs around the very tip of the peninsula. It’s not a loop — walking one way takes about an hour.

We started from the northern end, where there’s a large parking lot. After just ten minutes, we spotted our first seals. It’s incredible how huge and chunky some of them are! We also saw a few adorable baby seals.

Just make sure to keep a few meters of distance and never block their path to the water. As relaxed as they look, they can get genuinely aggressive if they feel threatened.

Apart from the seals, the landscape itself makes the walk well worth it — rugged sandstone cliffs, swaying grasses, and a wild, churning sea.

Surfing in Kaikoura

Along with Westport, Kaikoura is the ultimate surfer’s town and one of our favorite stops on New Zealand’s South Island.

We had to give it a go ourselves and scored some seriously great waves at the spot Mangamanu. Seals even showed up and swam right alongside us — honestly one of the coolest moments of the whole trip.

We also watched surfers at Peketa Beach at the spot Kahutara. The wave gets very steep, so it’s better suited to experienced surfers — but just watching was spectacular.

If you’re a complete beginner or not yet confident in the water, the local surf schools in Kaikoura have you covered. They rent boards and offer lessons.

Hike the Kaikoura Coast Track

For serious hikers, we have one more special recommendation: the Kaikoura Coast Track.

This is a two-day hike near Kaikoura — around four to six hours of walking each day, with no extreme elevation gains.

The best way to do it is to book through the official Kaikoura Coast Track website. The trail crosses private farmland, so you need a permit — which is included in the tour price, along with overnight accommodation, meals, and luggage transport. So it’s all totally sorted!

The track winds past rugged cliffs, secluded beaches, and seemingly endless pastureland. With a bit of luck, you might cross paths with seals or spot dolphins from the shore.

Eat fish and chips

Kiwis love fish and chips — it’s practically a staple food in New Zealand.

You get a big piece of battered fish served with fries (regular or sweet potato) and tartar sauce, the whole thing wrapped in paper and eaten with your fingers. Simple, satisfying, and delicious.

Fish and chips are especially good in Kaikoura because the town sits right on the water, meaning there’s always plenty of fresh fish available.

We had our first serving at Cods & Crayfish Kaikoura — one of the most iconic spots on the entire South Island for fish and chips. In theory, you can walk straight to the beach and eat there. Unfortunately it was pouring rain when we visited, but we’d still go back in a heartbeat.

Where to stay in Kaikoura

Not everywhere in New Zealand will you find hip boutique hotels, especially in the more remote areas. But Kaikoura has some genuinely lovely places to stay — stylish, modern, and usually with sea and mountain views to boot.

Our hotel recommendations for Kaikoura:
Sudima Kaikoura — super modern, with a pool and huge ocean-view windows in the rooms

Panorama Motel — lovely, cozy, and affordable, right on the beach

Nikau Lodge — a bright, cheerful beach house with a large garden

Practical tips for your Kaikoura travel guide

Here are answers to the most common questions about visiting Kaikoura.

What makes Kaikoura special?

Kaikoura is one of the best places in New Zealand to see marine wildlife in their natural habitat — seals, multiple species of dolphins and whales, little blue penguins, and albatrosses.

We’re normally not big fans of wildlife tours. But New Zealanders have a deep connection to nature, and animal welfare is taken really seriously here. The animals only show up when they feel like it and are never disturbed. That makes all the difference.

How many days should you plan for Kaikoura?

If you’re making a side trip from Picton (as most road-trippers do), plan for at least two full days.

There are plenty of spots to explore, you’ll almost certainly want to join at least one tour, and honestly — sometimes you just want to sit on the beach for a while.

When is the best time to visit Kaikoura?

You can visit Kaikoura year-round — the same logic applies as for the best time to visit New Zealand in general.

That said, some whale species are only found offshore at certain times of year. Orcas are only spotted from June to July, and humpback whales only between December and March. Sperm whales and dolphins, however, are around all year.

Do you have any more Kaikoura tips?

Those were our experiences and top picks for what to do in Kaikoura, New Zealand. Have you ever been to this coastal town? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!