Things to do in Akaroa

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Wainui

Shamarra Alpacas

Shamarra Alpacas is located in Akaroa on Banks Peninsula, about 73 km from Christchurch, and is a large, alpaca-rich, and famous alpaca farm in Akaroa. Joining the alpaca farm tour offers a chance to pet the alpacas and get up close with these adorable animals. In addition, the farm overlooks the beautiful Akaroa Harbour, with scenery that changes with each season. The farm's barn provides visitors with drinks and home-baked cookies, and the alpaca shop sells a wide array of New Zealand-made handmade alpaca knitwear.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Akaroa

Akaroa Dolphins

Akaroa Dolphins is a highly popular local tour activity. Note: For the convenience of guests jumping into the water to swim with dolphins, the swim-with-dolphins product uses a small boat, while the dolphin-watching-only product uses a larger boat. These are not the same vessel, please be advised.

No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Akaroa

Black Cat Cruises

Black Cat Cruises' jet-powered catamaran offers a safe and comfortable cruising experience for you and the dolphins. During the cruise, you'll enjoy the stunning scenery of Akaroa, encounter adorable wildlife, and even spot an extinct volcanic crater along the way. Here you can find rare local dolphins—Hector's dolphins—as well as the world's smallest penguins (little blue penguins), fur seals, and various seabirds. The cruise also passes by a salmon farm, Cathedral Cave, and historical landmarks of Akaroa's past, including early Māori, French, and British settlements.

Akaroa Museum

The museum is located diagonally opposite the tourist service center. It mainly introduces the history of Akaroa and Banks Peninsula. The museum displays the cultural relics left by the aborigines Maori, the scene of whaling in the early 19th century, and the French colonization and pioneering. historical data, etc. The shop at the entrance sells gifts for you to choose from. In addition, you can visit the Langevar Yatebeno mansion built in 1840 in the park.

The Giants House

The House of the Giants is located in an old house in Akaroa, which artist Josh Martin has turned into a fascinating work of art. This classical British-style garden is romantic and quiet. The larger, especially the garden is full of mosaic art works of different colors, shuttled between huge mosaic sculptures, giving people a feeling of entering Alice in Wonderland. Provide visitors with a wonderful experience full of creativity.

Banks Peninsula

Banks Peninsula (BanksPeninsula) is located in the Canterbury region on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Part of it is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. The land area of the peninsula is about 1,000 square kilometers. Banks Peninsula is the result of violent eruptions of three volcanoes in ancient times. The magnificent coastal scenery of the Port of Akarova and the surrounding bays are the result of intense earth activity.

No. 4 of Best Things to Do in Christchurch

Christchurch Gondola

The Christchurch Aerial Tramway is erected on Mount Cavendish, about 10 kilometers southeast of the city. The cableway spans 862 meters and is very stable and comfortable. From the foothills where the flocks play, it takes about 10 minutes to reach the top of the mountain, which is about 500 meters above sea level. Approaching the crater, take the cable car to the top of the mountain, only 1 km away from the edge of the crater. Port Hills is an extinct volcano with a collapsed crater that erupted six million years ago and guards the sparkling harbour of Lyttelton. Standing on the observation deck, looking west, the Southern Alps seem to be in sight through the pure air; in the east, the endless sea is connected to the sky.

Akaroa Lighthouse

Pohatu penguins/Plunge NZ Ltd

Pohatu Penguin Habitat is a wildlife habitat with many kinds of small animals. It is very interesting to get close to animals such as penguins and baby seals.

No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Christchurch

Christchurch Tram

The Christchurch Tram is a retro-style sightseeing tram route that loops around the city center. Christchurch had trams running through its streets as early as the late 19th century. After tram services ceased in the 1950s, a fleet of meticulously restored vintage carriages returned to the tracks in the 1990s. With their wooden interiors, brass handrails, and the crisp "ding-ding" of bells, riding one feels like stepping onto a time machine. The full loop around the city center takes less than an hour, with over ten stops along the way, allowing you to hop on and off at your leisure and spend as much time as you like at each attraction. The tram connects key highlights of the city center: Cathedral Square, the colorful Spanish-style shops of New Regent Street, the food-filled Riverside Market, the lush Botanic Gardens, and the Arts Centre composed of Gothic-style heritage buildings. A stop is also located near the Avon River punting jetty, while the Cardboard Cathedral, built from paper tubes, is within walking distance. Families with children can let the little ones run wild at the Margaret Mahy Playground. Outside the windows, century-old buildings alternate with post-earthquake landmarks, while the driver provides a guide to the history of these streets—from the reconstruction story of the cathedral to the memorial significance of the Bridge of Remembrance—making the ride both engaging and informative. A few details are worth noting during your experience: the outer sightseeing seats are not fully rainproof, so choose inner seats on rainy days; eating, drinking, and phone calls are not allowed onboard; for photography enthusiasts, waiting for the tram to pass the colorful facades of New Regent Street or cross the stone bridge over the Avon River yields particularly striking shots.