Kaikoura

Kaikoura roughly translates as “meal of crayfish” (Kai – food; koura – crayfish). It was the whaling industry that led to the first European settlement here. Today, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, and varying other wildlife and water based trips are the main income earners for the town. Kaikoura is in a beautiful setting, nestled between the mountains, covered with snow for much of the year and the vast Pacific Ocean. The Kaikoura coastal drive is jaw-dropping.