What A Wonderful World

Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway

Wild seal on the rocks of Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway

Crayfish BBQ

" One of the best decisions I ever made! "

" One amazing place there that left me with profound memories was Kaikoura. Located in the east coast of South Island, this seaside town is famous for its crayfish (or what we know as lobster).

On my first summer day in Kaikoura, I went on a "whale-watching" tour. Unfortunately, it was not my lucky day. After three hours at sea, rocked by ferocious wave, I was dizzy with seasickness and there was not one whale in sight.

Due to my seasickness, I extended my stay in Kaikoura for extra day as I was not fit to travel to Christchurch, my next destination. As i was free the next day, Karen my new roomate in dormitory hostel, invited me for a walk on a hiking track - the famous Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway - 2km away from our hostel.

We set off at noon. It was sunny and a cool wind was blowing - perfect weather for a walk. There are well-built stairs leading up to the cliff of the track. Along the track, we were able to glimpse Kaikoura's picturesque landscapes with the calm blue sea strecthing endlessly with misty faraway mountain in the background.

There were fur seals playing or having a snooze on the rock s nearby the coastline. I took a video because photos alone were not enough to document this wonderland!

The track is very user-friendly as there are various facilities provided. Elevated platforms serving as lookout points are positioned strategically throughout the track so tourists can enjoy a panoramic view of Kaikoura. There are benches so that tourists can take a short rest. The track itself is quite flat so it's easy hike. Therefore, it was no suprise to see senior citizens as well as couples carrying babies in baby carriers.

At the endof the track, we noticed a very large white area. It turned out to be the seabed which would be covered with seawater when the tide is high. We descended from the cliff to explore the seabed.

On the naked seabed, we saw lots of abalones (paua to the Kiwis), stuck to the seabed.However, tourists were prohibited from gathering the abalones for their own consumption. In fact, the New Zealand Fisheries Ministry even dictated that only abalones of certain size, which can take up to eight years to develop, are allowed to be gathered by license abalones divers.

Walking on the seabed was definitely not easy -  there were jagged rocks as well as slippery "jellyfish" all around. Walking further along we were delighted at the sight of some sleeping fur seals. It was a surreal experience. However, we could not proceed further as more sleeping fur seals were getting in our way. Disturbing them was a major concern for us as they were known to react wildly if they were jolted from their slumber. So, we turned back to the trail.

The hike took about five hours. After tucking into some yummy fish and chips and crayfish at the famous Kaikoura Seafood BBQ kiosk, we hitched a ride back to our hostel."


" A safe ride, a wonderful walk and a new friend - all free of charge. New Zealand is simply lovely "

CREDIT :  Alyssa Yean
CREDIT :  Star2travel