Kaikōura means, roughly, a feed of crayfish, and the town has been honest about its priorities ever since. It’s the spot where the mountains drop straight into the sea, the whales hang about year round, and the seals act like they own the place, which, fair enough, they basically do.

The 2016 quake gave the coast a shake and lifted the seabed in spots, but the town’s tough and the road’s long since reopened. It’s small, scenic and built on fishing and tourism, with a tight community and not a lot of houses going spare.

There are 16 suburbs and settlements under the district. This page gathers them so you can compare properly: who lives where, what it costs, how the school sits, and which spots put you closest to the water.

Crayfish, whales and a view that does half the talking. Pick a suburb and have a look around.