What to do in Akoroa

Hi everyone,

Planning excursions for our Princess cruise to NZ in December/January next year & the only place I am struggling with ideas for things to do is Akoroa.

I have read very mixed reviews on the train (& the expense of it). I was wondering if anyone could give their advise on things to possibly do or see?

DH & I are in our mid 30s.

You can hire a car and do your own thing. The last time we were there, some friends did this and the hire company picks you up at the pier and drops you off there later.

Or, for something unique, you can join the mailman on his daily run and see all the sights of the area. Bookings are essential for this.....

http://www.akaroa.com/tours/akaroas-eastern-bays-scenic-mail-run

I have heard nothing but good reports about this tour.

Hi everyone,

 

Planning excursions for our Princess cruise to NZ in December/January next year & the only place I am struggling with ideas for things to do is Akoroa.

 

I have read very mixed reviews on the train (& the expense of it). I was wondering if anyone could give their advise on things to possibly do or see?

 

DH & I are in our mid 30s.

The Web Link suggested by Fletch has many ideas...worth checking out.

We are visiting Akaroa (again) in December and I have booked the Golden Wing Sidecar tour for my wife and two kids...I will be waiting for them at one of the bayside establishments with a jar :D

Any one of the tours that go around Summit Rd are good and a visit to the pub near the top is well worthwhile.

Going to Christchurch is in my view too far...and no way can you get the Train Tour. A visit to the Antarctic Experience near the Christchurch Airport is however worth considering.

cheers

Hi everyone, Planning excursions for our Princess cruise to NZ in December/January next year & the only place I am struggling with ideas for things to do is Akoroa. I have read very mixed reviews on the train (& the expense of it). I was wondering if anyone could give their advise on things to possibly do or see? DH & I are in our mid 30s.

As noted by others, Akaroa is some distance away from key attractions and potentials. BUT, there are good options to consider in and around this super scenic part of NZ's South Island. Sadly, Christchurch is still badly damaged and the key parts of its downtown are a long ways from being fixed and made beautiful again.

While we are about three decades older than you folks in your mid 30's, what we did was so totally exciting, fun and very thrilling!! What? The combined Tranz Alpine train AND, most important, the JetBoat ride. Was it good? Awesome!! Need positive proof? Below is some of my photo evidence that I am submitting. Plus some added details. Need more documentation?

As noted in the live/blog below, we got off of the Solstice in February. Check out these postings for more info/background on the many great ports we visited in NZ, Aust., etc.

Reactions and added questions? Happy to supply more info, etc.

Here is more on Akaroa, its wonderful/scenic harbor and the history from when the captain of the French whaler first sailed into the area in the 1830's. France was thinking about the possibilities for colonization. The deep water could be a great port. Plus, the timbered hills and climate were attractive. The French were also concerned the British might gain control in these South Island ports to threaten their whaling operations. Whale blubber create oil used to light the streets of Paris and other cities. The North Island was already well populated by the English, requiring action if the South Island was to become a French colony.

This French captain felt that Akaroa would make an excellent base and began forming plans to take the South Island for France. He obtained signatures from 12 local Maori leaders and bought most of Banks Peninsula. But, by the time the French captain returned, the Treaty of Waitangi had been signed between the Maori Chieftains and the British at the Bay of Islands. Some French settlement happened, but this area became part of the UK-controlled region.

In Māori, Waimakariri has several meanings, one of which is "river of cold rushing water". The river rises on the eastern flanks of the Southern Alps, eight kilometres southwest of Arthur's Pass. As the river approaches the Canterbury Plains, it passes through a belt of mountains, and is forced into a narrow canyon (the Waimakariri Gorge), before reverting to its braided form for its passage across the plains. It finally enters the Pacific north of Christchurch. From

http://www.jetthrills.com

http://www.alpinejet.co.nz

there is more info on these jet boats, the area, visuals, etc. They note in the promotion info: "skim the shallows, spin in your own length, feel the power of our Hamilton Jets"!! True?? Absolutely and more.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 63,466 views for this fun posting.

This picture shows just one example of the THRILLS during these fast, roaring shots up and down this narrow and scenic section of this river. I was fortunately seated right behind our excellent driver, Greg Peacock. I didn't get very wet, but those on the right side got more of the "showers". No extra charge. But, nobody got too wet. It was all part of the fun.:

At a couple points during our about 25-minute trip on the river, Greg stopped at a scenic location in this river/gorge to give us more background on these boats, experiences in doing this work since 1998 for him, etc. Greg's sense of humor was wonderful!! These Hamilton Jet Boats were developed around 1960, including work done at this site to perfect the design and test the models/designs. Notice the great background/dramatic areas that we were "sailing" up and down?:

When pilot Greg put his hand up, as shown here, he was doing a twirling, rotating sign to warn us. It's 360 degree time and the need for us to be bracing as he would be doing a full-circle, high-speed spin in the middle of the river. WOW!! Times ten. Maybe even better. These were so fast and such fun!!:

Now finally, here is a picture that my wife loved. Notice her hands and those of others in our row super tightly gripping the safety bar? That says so much about the speed and thrills while roaring up and down this amazing stretch of scenic river. I showed my wife this picture (and several others like this one of her where the wind was blowing her hair in the opposite direction). She liked this picture so much, that she said to put this one in her obituary (not that this need is upcoming anytime soon). It showed her having fun and she said this ride was the most fun of the whole cruise/trip. We had lots of great moments on this trip, but this one was a unique and special ride in a location that is spectacularly world-class. And, perfect weather with good friends adds to the great joy!!:

Here is one my visual samples for some of what we saw and enjoyed along this route as we moved from the initial, flatter Canterbury Plains in moving towards the dramatic scenes in and around these Southern Alps of NZ's South Island. Notice one of the many tunnels and bridges needed to make this rail route to the western coast work? Not an easy route to engineer, build and maintain.:

Here is one of my visuals that gives a little sampling for the spectacular Waimakariri River gorge seen from the Tranz Alpine Rail trip. Great "drama" in this aspect of the trip, especially with the blue waters that we would later travel "up-close-and-personal" via a JetBoat trip.:

We've been to Akoroa twice now, once by land and once by cruise ship. Lovely town to just walk around but won't take you that long. If you don't want to go too far afield and want to keep your costs down I can recommend the Giant's garden (google it). We had a lovely time there if you are into gardens and art work, its also just a 10-15 minute walk from the wharf where you are dropped off. Also when we were there with a cruise ship there were plenty of tour companies waiting at the wharf offering tours that day.

Also when we were there on a land tour we did the harbour cruise, it was enjoyable but you are already on the water in the harbour so I would hesitate to recommend it as it was not a highlight of our trip.

Before the earthquake I would have recommended Christchurch without a second thought, it was beautiful, but having seen it before all the damage I do not have the heart to go back and see all the wonderful things we enjoyed either destroyed or severely damaged.

TLCOhio,

Great photos and some good suggestions.

Get the best meat pies from Akaroa Butchery. Yum! :)

TLCOhio, Great photos and some good suggestions.

Appreciate so much your kind comments. Glad to know you're a person of such high class, great taste and wonderful judgment to make these generous comments.

As a bonus, below are a few more visuals from this port and area to help boost interest in this scenic port, what's nearby, etc. Much more to see on the full live/blog.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 64,428 views for this fun posting.

These three pictures gives a sampling for Akaroa, its scenic harbor and nearby areas. BUT, it takes time to get out of here, including to navigate the twisting, slow roads. And, getting back, too!! Notice the "truth-in-advertising" sign about the many "S-curves" ahead. The third picture was taken as we were sailing out after an enjoyable day in this region. Lots of visual interest and NZ natural charm in this region.:

This picture gives an idea for the view from the outdoor viewing platform near the front of this Tranz Alpine train. It had a covered roof but open sides to create an ideal location to take photos from the train. No photo glare from trying to shoot through a window. I spent most the time through the mountains in this location.:

There were three boats from our ship group doing this adventure trip and here is a picture that I got of another JetBoat during our fast ride on the river doing this excitement. A picture is worth a thousand words in summarizing how fast these boats travel and the fun being had by those doing this great trip.:

I´m thinking of booking the Eastern Bays Scenic Mail Run from Akaroa. Anybody here who has done this and can share experiences?

Thanks.

We were in Akaroa last week. We tried to book the Mail Run in advance, but it was fully booked.

It is a good thing we did not get on because we would have lost our money.

Akaroa is a tender port; and for awhile that morning, the ship had to cancel all tender services because a stong wind came up and it was too rough for the tendering.

The mail run could not wait for the passengers because it has a schedule to keep. The people on the ship could not get off until around 10:30 or 11:00. They missed their tour.

We ended up taking the 1:00 jet boat ride which was a lot of fun; but not for anyone who is pregnant or has back problems! Bumpy!

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I guess it´s too late for me as I have already booked the Mail Run. I hope that the wind will take a break Feb 3, 2015.

We were in Akaroa last week. We tried to book the Mail Run in advance, but it was fully booked.

 

It is a good thing we did not get on because we would have lost our money.

 

Akaroa is a tender port; and for awhile that morning, the ship had to cancel all tender services because a stong wind came up and it was too rough for the tendering.

 

The mail run could not wait for the passengers because it has a schedule to keep. The people on the ship could not get off until around 10:30 or 11:00. They missed their tour.

 

We ended up taking the 1:00 jet boat ride which was a lot of fun; but not for anyone who is pregnant or has back problems! Bumpy!

Thanks for that, something I hadn't even though of! Perhaps we won't book anything in advance & see what's there once we get off. :)

The folks in the Information Booth on the pier told us that there are other tours with similar itineraries as the mail run, so it is likely they will find something for you!

We were on a Princess land/cruise trip to Australia/New Zealand in January 2013. Here is a link to some photos from Akaroa. There are also some photos and comments about our other port stops on this cruise.

Bob

We were in Akaroa last week and booked the a Celebrity excursion to Christchurch. Akaroa itself and surrounding area is beautiful but we spent almost 5 hours on a coach so didn't get chance to explore.

One of the Celebrity excursions was very late back which delayed sailing by almost 1 hour.

I was in Akoroa a couple of weeks ago and booked the Fur Seal Colony Tour. It was fascinating and we thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, whenever I go back to Akoroa, I will do the same tour again. See contact information and reviews on Trip Advisor.

How far is it from where the ship tenders to the jet boat ride? From TLC Ohio, it looks like there are two hey boat companies. Do they leave from similar parts of the river? Are there taxis available to take you there?

Ladybug: in Akaroa, the jet boat docks right near the tender pier. No taxi necessary. There isn't a river there. The jet boat goes around the bay/harbor. I read TLC's review last year, and, if I remember correctly, I think she took the jet boat ride in a different port.

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We were on a Princess land/cruise trip to Australia/New Zealand in January 2013. Here is a link to some photos from Akaroa. There are also some photos and comments about our other port stops on this cruise.

Bob, thanks for the link. Your photos and blog are great :)

Ok to answer my question: what to do in Akaroa.

We did NOTHING. Well, not nothing, but no paid tours etc. We walked around the town (it is little), down to the lighthouse, we went for a walk along one of the tracks to the French Cemetary (nothing spectucular it's more of a memorial), had coffee at a little shop, wandered around the small shops & some lovely handmade things. We had fish & chips for lunch & then, after being onshore for 6 hours, went back to the boat.

hint: be at the dining room 30 mins early for the tender. they wait til they have 100 people before loading them on. We managed to get on at 7:45am. Friends turned up at 10am to go ashore & had a 90 minute wait!

We were in Akaroa on Boxing Day 2013. We had a great walk around town checking out shops and parks. What a beautiful town. We booked an afternoon Kayaking tour with Pohatu Tours. They picked us up a the pier as promised. We had a beautiful ride with stops over to Flea Bay. The kayaking was wonderful. We saw seals and penguins. It was a little hazy on our way there but the sun came out and cleared things up on the way back and the view was nothing short of spectacular.

The link to my full trip review is in my signature. I hope it helps. Enjoy whatever you choose to do. Safe Travels.

Connie

PAST CRUISES:

Discovery Sun 2003 Freeport Bahamas Day Cruise

Celebrity Solstice 6/26/09 Eastern Mediterranean

Carnival Conquest 08/10/10 Eastern Caribbean

Carnival Victory 06/10/12 Southern Caribbean http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1659913

Carnival Miracle 07/30/13 Alaska http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...8#post39476968

Diamond Princess 12/23/13 New Zealand/Australia http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2112413

Carnival Pride 11/23/14 Exotic Western Caribbean http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2135404

We booked with Black Cat and swam with the dolphins: http://www.swimmingwithdolphins.co.nz/

We had time before our swim to explore the town and after our swim we had lunch in one of the several restaurants with a patio looking over the water. It was a lovely day.

We just came back from Akaroa, it was one of our favorite ports! We really had no interest in spending the time or money for the train ride so we booked a wildlife tour with Akaroa Harbor Tours. We were fortunate enough to get on the boat with "Captain Hector" a Cairn Terrier who bark when he sees the endangered dolphins. We also saw a fur seal colony and some stunning scenery. The tour was offered through the ship but we were able to book it online for about half the price last minute and cancel our ship's tour. The town of Akaroa is absolutely charming, you could easily spend the whole day just walking around.