{"id":9704,"date":"2019-08-09T15:45:38","date_gmt":"2019-08-09T02:45:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/?p=9704"},"modified":"2023-07-24T14:36:37","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T02:36:37","slug":"things-to-do-in-akaroa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/things-to-do-in-akaroa\/","title":{"rendered":"Things to do in Akaroa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have a French holiday in New Zealand! Yes, you read that correctly. Tucked away in the Banks Peninsula in the South Island lies a darling little town called Akaroa<\/a>, which was once settled by the French explorers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their French influence is very much still a part of the Akaroa culture today, seen in the names of the streets and abundance of delicious wine, cheese and other French delicacies, you really will feel like you\u2019re in Europe (minus the fact the Pacific Ocean is staring right at you!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you decide what to do in Akaroa, we\u2019ve compiled a list of our top nine things to do. For where to stay in Akaroa take a look at our Akaroa accommodation<\/a> options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See our top 9 things to do on your trip to Akaroa<\/em><\/strong>…<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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1. Swim with the smallest dolphins in the world <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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As if you really need any more convincing, Akaroa is any dolphin lover\u2019s dream come true. The smallest dolphin in the world, known as the Hector dolphin, calls the Banks Peninsula home and often hangs out in the Akaroa Harbour. Black Cat Cruises<\/a> offer visitors the opportunity to swim with Hector dolphins daily and chances are you\u2019ll get to see other amazing wildlife including Albatross and Blue Penguins! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Rent a kayak in Akaroa for the day <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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One of the best ways to explore Akaroa is by renting a kayak<\/a>. True to the laid-back Kiwi style, there\u2019s no formal shop in Akaroa to rent these; you simply walk up to the wharf, exchange your cash for a kayak and off you go! There are several bays in the Akaroa Harbour to check out and you can rent both single and double kayaks so your whole family can come along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Take a cooking class in Akaroa<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The French are known for their superb cooking, so it is no surprise Akaroa offers an amazing selection of cuisine and the chance to learn from some French cuisine master chefs! The Akaroa Cooking School<\/a> are run by a husband and wife who offer intimate cooking classes like \u201cGourmet in a Day\u201d and \u201cA Day in France\u201d. Are your taste buds salivating yet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Get the best fish and chips in the South Island <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Akaroa Fish & Chips shop<\/a> offers the most delicious fish and chips and you\u2019d be crazy to not go there at least once. There\u2019s often a queue out the door, but the shop moves fast and you won\u2019t be disappointed. We recommend getting takeaway and heading out to the Akaroa Wharf at sunset so you can dine al fresco with the ultimate Akaroa view! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. Taste test at Barrys Bay Cheese <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Calling all cheese lovers! A trip to Barrys Bay Cheese<\/a> is one of the best local Akaroa experiences you can have. With all their milk coming from local grass-fed cows – you literally can\u2019t get any fresher. They often have fresh samples for those who enter the shop and it\u2019s near impossible to leave empty-handed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6. Hang out with the alpacas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The alpacas at Shamarra<\/a> are so fluffy it will be hard to contain yourself! These alpacas are super cute, sometimes diva-ish and always photogenic. There are over 160 alpacas on the farm, with their wool being used to make luxurious New Zealand made alpaca knitwear. You can only meet these fluffy little creatures through an organised tour of the farm<\/a>, so make sure you book well in advance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7. Explore the Banks Peninsula <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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One of the best ways to fully appreciate the beauty of Akaroa is by taking a scenic drive. The one road in and out of Akaroa will take you to the top of the hill, where a scenic drive has been designed to give you the most surreal views of both sides of the Peninsula. There are numerous other bays to check out, including Okains Bay and Tumbledown Bay – both perfect places to catch some waves or head off on a walk. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8. Get your French on at the Akaroa FrenchFest <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Every October the Akaroa FrenchFest comes to town to celebrate the combining of both the Maori and French cultures – which formed the basis of this charming little town. There\u2019s lots of street entertainment, a traditional Maori powhiri, a re-enactment of the first French settlers arriving into the Harbour and a French-themed market (say hello to unlimited crepes!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9. Pit-stop in Little River <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"9.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unless you are arriving in Akaroa by helicopter, there is only one path to get to Akaroa – which means that you will pass through the adorable village called Little River. Enjoy a pit-stop at their caf\u00e9, which boasts a great barista team and a wonderful art gallery. We won\u2019t be surprised if your pit-stop turns into something a bit longer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dreaming of your next French-inspired Akaroa escape?<\/a> Check out our Akaroa holiday homes<\/a> and start planning your escape!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have a French holiday in New Zealand! Yes, you read that correctly. Tucked away in the Banks Peninsula in the South Island lies a darling little town called Akaroa, which was once settled by the French explorers. Their French influence is very much still a part of the Akaroa culture today, seen in the names […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134,"featured_media":35914,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Things To Do In Akaroa - Bachcare Holiday Homes","_seopress_titles_desc":"Behold Akaroa, a charming town in the Banks Peninsula with a French flair. We've rounded up the top 9 things to do in Akaroa to help inspire your next trip!","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[53],"class_list":{"0":"post-9704","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-akaroa","8":"tag-things-to-do"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/134"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9704"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9704\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35917,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9704\/revisions\/35917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}