Local restaurants
The historic 1885-built Pier Hotel, right on the waterfront at 1 Avoca Street, is now a cosy gastropub with an open fire, dishing up robust local seafood and pub favourites (+64 (0)3 319 5037; www.thepierhotel.co.nz).
Local bars
Perched on a limestone cliff, boutique Kaikoura Winery has amazing ocean and mountain views. Two kilometres south of Kaikoura at 140 State Highway 1, it’s open daily for tastings of its award-winning wines and tours of an underground cellar (+64 (0)3 319 7966; www.kaikourawinery.co.nz) .
Local cafés
At 33 Beach Road in Kaikoura, Hislop’s Café, which doubles as an organic wholefoods store, mills its own flour for its freshly baked goods. Pop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner to sample its vibrant local menu and quaffable selection of regional wines (+64 (0)3 319 6971; www.hislops-wholefoods.co.nz).
Worth getting out of bed for
It’s just a 20-minute walk down to acclaimed surf beach Mangamaunu Bay, or explore the area on one of the hotel’sfree mountain bikes. The small eco-marine town of Kaikoura is a 15-minute drive away and is the hub for aquatic activities including whale watching (www.whalewatch.co.nz) and dolphin encounters (www.dolphin.co.nz).
Diary
June Brave the cold over the Queen’s Birthday Weekend in June, when the O’Neill Coldwater Classic surf competition comes to Kaikoura (www.oneill.com/cwc). October With such an abundance of good food and wine in the region, it’s only right that it’s celebrated with a big annual festival. Seafest takes place the first Saturday in October and features the best of food and wine from Kaikoura, Marlborough and North Canterbury, plus entertainment too (www.seafest.co.nz).
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Smith extra at Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses
A pre-dinner cocktail each
