Akaroa Harbour
photo by Robert Young

Akaroa is a charming town on Banks Peninsula in Canterbury. It is the only French settlement in New Zealand.

Getting there

Akaroa is accessed by SH75 coming from Christchurch, which winds over the hills of the peninsula with breathtaking views. You can also take a shuttle from Christchurch.

See

Akaroa's harbour is home to an array of wildlife, most notably the rare Hector's dolphin. Cruises and dolphin swimming are popular attractions.

Things to do

A popular drive is to Pohatu Marine Reserve, centered on nearby Flea Bay. The marine reserve is set aside to protect the natural marine environment. The drive takes about forty minutes, sometimes on steep and exposed shingle roads. The drive has excellent views back over Akaroa Harbour.

Sleep

Backpackers

  • Akaroa Dolphin Backpackers, 108 Rue Jolie, 03 304 7136. From $NZ 30.

  • Chez La Mer Backpackers, 50 Rue Lavaud, 03 366 4556, 0800 800 575 . $NZ 25-80. Lowest prices offered to BBH members.

Contact & location

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The photos displayed on this page are the property of one of the following authors:

Robert Young, Geof Wilson, Aidan Wojtas, Scott Thompson, Torpe, empty007

Some photos courtesy of: . The photos provided by Flickr are under the copyright of their owners.

This travel guide also includes text from Wikitravel articles, all available at WikitravelView full credits

Huttite, J Moody, Adrian and Nick Roux

This travel guide also includes text from Wikipedia articles, all available at WikipediaView full credits

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