Whale watching isn’t for people without sea legs or experience on the ocean. Those trips are like miniature cruises and span hours during which you’ll be out in the middle of nowhere, trying to catch the whales in their natural habitat. You better bring something to do while the whales are away; you won’t be seeing them every minute of the time, you are out there and you might go a whole trip without seeing one at all if it’s just not your day.
If you were to go out from a spot like Kaikoura in New Zealand, basically surrounded by water on all sides, you should be able to find some whales. There will be plenty of beautiful sights to see besides the animals too.
New Zealand is a beautiful country. If you have ever seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies, you have a good idea what the place looks like already. There really are rolling meadows, wide and broad plains, waterfalls and earthy caves, making the landscape varied and interesting. It would be a nice place to visit even if you didn’t plan on spending a lot of time on the ocean watching for whales. Since the country is essentially a large island, you can settle into whatever part you prefer and you’ll have access to all the wildlife you could want.
Because of the season, now could be the best time to visit New Zealand. It’s as warm as it’s going to be all year and that means fair weather while you are on the water. Kaikoura isn’t centrally located but being out of the way makes it a nice getaway spot. It still has accommodations and for about £40 a night, you can stay nearly anywhere you wish in town. The Panorama Motel has excellent views and fair rates. Other facilities are present if the location doesn’t work for you but since Kaikoura is bordering the ocean, access to the water will be a simple matter wherever you stay.
The only thing left to worry about is access to good food, another thing you need not worry about while in Kaikoura. Enjoy some delicious ethnic food at restaurants like White Morph, a place known for its tasty chowder. The clams or other meat are undoubtedly fresh, perhaps pulled right from the ocean you can smell in the air, the same day you sit down and order it to eat. You might expect to pay a lot for fresh food like that back home but it seems to be the norm on islands like New Zealand. Take advantage of that and have some amazing food while you are watching for the whales; you’ll have plenty of tales to tell upon your return.
