Akaroa

Akaroa, cradled by the volcanic cliffs of Banks Peninsula, is famous as the best place to see Hector’s dolphins, the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world. Little blue penguins waddle ashore at dusk, while seabirds hang out around the dramatic headlands. The town itself carries a French influence, but its heart lies in the wildlife-rich harbor, where every cruise or paddle feels like a brush with rarity. The rewilding efforts here cannot be ignored, as the native plantlife is slowly making a comeback.