Originally settled by French immigrants, Akaroa is a picturesque seaside town that has retained many of its 19th-century public buildings and cottages. The one-hour drive from Otahuna’s gates takes guests over the crater rim of an extinct volcano with stunning views of the harbour and the patchwork of farms and forests below.
For the active guest, Akaroa offers the opportunity to swim with the world’s rarest and smallest dolphins, the Hector’s Dolphins. Other excursions might include forest and hillside walks, a two-hour harbour cruise or a visit to the "Giant’s Garden" – a horticultural and artistic statement bedecked in mosaic tiles and sculpture.
Perched above the eastern bays of the peninsula, guests can discover Fisherman's Bay Garden - a unique, painter's garden which explores colour and texture through combinations of native plants, perennials and grasses.