Land Transport

The Drive That Actually Earns Its Reputation

The coastal stretch of SH1 between Oaro and Kekerengu is genuinely one of the better drives in the South Island. Pull-overs everywhere, big Pacific views, the Seaward Kaikoura Range looming behind you, and a seal colony at Ohau Point if you time it right. The road itself is also a bit of an engineering story after the 2016 earthquake wiped out whole sections of it.

Just know what you're signing up for on either side of that stretch. SH1 from Christchurch down to Oaro is pretty drab, and north of Kekerengu isn't much to write home about either. The good bit is the good bit, and it doesn't extend much beyond Kaikoura itself. Plan your driving time around that and you won't be disappointed.