Kaikoura TOP 10
Gerald and Lynne Nolan and their great team of friendly staff will greet you at Kaikoura TOP 10 Holiday Park, with stunning views of the Kaikoura ranges and coastline.
Location
The seaside town of Kaikoura is located on State Highway 1, midway between Christchurch and Picton on the East Coast of New Zealand's South Island.
The township of Kaikoura is situated on a peninsula that juts out from the seaward Kaikoura Ranges. The often snow-clad mountains serve as a dramatic backdrop for the picturesque seaside village and rugged beaches. The mountain range rises to heights of over 2,600 metres and under the sea are canyons and trenches that plunge to depths of 1,000 metres very close to shore. This is a place where man can feel insignificant in the presence of nature's wonders.
This makes Kaikoura TOP 10 Holiday Park an ideal location for international visitors to stop and explore this outstanding region, and for New Zealanders to enjoy a pleasant holiday break at any time of the year.
Kaikoura TOP 10 Holiday Park, on Beach Road, is close to food shops and services and just a short walk to the centre of Kaikoura with its cafes, bars, restaurants, tour operators and shopping.
Attractions
Kaikoura is a special place of lush pastures and towering, snow covered peaks that fall to the sea - the deep Pacific Ocean. This rare magic continues just offshore where a deep undersea canyon combines with unusual sea currents to attract an extraordinary abundance of marine life, the most famous being the sperm whale.
Kaikoura's resident sperm whales are the biggest of the toothed whales and the worlds' largest carnivore. They are equivalent in size to four elephants. Each of their teeth can weigh more than a kilogram and grow to 20cm long. Sperm whales dive 2km into the dark abyss of the Kaikoura Canyon to hunt prey such as the giant squid. Many of Kaikoura's sperm whales wear battle scars from close encounters with this monster of the deep.
There is no better place in New Zealand for whale watching and swimming with dolphins or eating lobster (crayfish).
Activities
There are lots of maritime charter and tour options and also a growing number of Maori cultural experiences and wilderness walks. Maori people have inhabited the area for the last 800 to 900 years resulting in a rich history and culture. The original Maori name for Kaikoura was 'Te Koha O Marokura' (The gift of Marokura). Marokura was a god who shaped the area with a magical sword, carving underwater trenches and canyons.
In case your ocean based tour is cancelled it's a good idea to check out the other options so you have a back up plan. Whale watching is also available by fixed wing aircraft and helicopter and back on land you can choose from an exciting array of activities like Horse Trekking, Farm Tours and Four Wheel Farm Bike tours. If you like a bit of adventure then consider Tandem Skydiving or for something more relaxed stroll along the beachfront or into one of Kaikoura's many forest walkways.
Address:
34 Beach Road
Kaikoura 7300
Phone:
+64 3 319 5362
Fax:
+64 3 319 5362
Reservations:
0800 363 638
Website:
www.kaikouratop10.co.nz
Email:
kaikouratop10@ihug.co.nz
Hosts:
Gerald & Lynne Nolan
