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Akaroa Harbour is one of those places that punches above its weight for wildlife. You're inside an ancient volcanic crater, and on a good day you'll tick off Hector's dolphins, fur seals, little blue penguins and a bunch of seabirds all in two hours. The Hector's are the real drawcard though. They're endangered, they're tiny, and when the skipper cuts the engines and they swim right up to the hull, it's pretty hard not to grin like an idiot.

Black Cat have been running this for a long time and it shows. The commentary is genuinely informative rather than scripted-sounding, the crew are consistently friendly across a wide range of reviews, and the boat is well set up. (There's a complimentary hot drink on board, which you'll appreciate if you're out there in the shoulder season.) Promo code RANKERS saves you 10% on the ticket price, which helps keep us going at Rankers too.

Wildlife is never guaranteed, and a handful of reviewers have come back having seen seals but missed the dolphins. That's just how it goes. But the harbour scenery and the sea cliffs are worth the trip regardless, and the refund policy if you don't get decent dolphin time is a decent backstop. I'd go on a calm, clear day if you can time it right.