- Kaikōura is a small town situated on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, located 2 hours and 30 minutes’ drive from Christchurch’s CBD.
- Kaikōura is served by the Coastal Pacific long-distance passenger train, which connects the town with Christchurch to the south, Picton and the Cook Strait ferries to the north
- The Kaikōura Peninsula extends into the sea south of the town, and the resulting upwelling currents bring an abundance of marine life from the depths of the nearby Hikurangi Trench. The town owes its origin to this effect, since it developed as a centre for the whaling industry. The name Kaikōura means ‘meal of crayfish’ (kai – food/meal, kōura – crayfish) and the crayfish industry still plays a role in the economy of the region.
- Kaikōura has now become a popular tourist destination, mainly for whale watching (the sperm whale watching is well developed and swimming with or near dolphins. There is also a large and readily observed colony of southern fur seals at the eastern edge of the town. At low tide, better viewing of the seals can be had as the ocean gives way to a rocky base which is easily navigable by foot for quite some distance.
- The town has a beautiful setting, as the Seaward Kaikōura mountains, a branch of the Southern Alps, come nearly to the sea at this point on the coast.
- Mt. Fyffe owes its name to the first family to settle in Kaikōura, the Fyffe family. The cottage that they lived in, built in 1842, still stands, and is now a tourist attraction operated by Heritage New Zealand. The construction of the cottage is unusual in that the supporting foundations of the house are made of whalebone.
