2 Best Sights in Kaikoura, Upper South Island and the West Coast

Kaikoura's oldest building, erected soon after Robert Fyffe's whaling station was established in 1842, is now a small museum. Partly built on whale-bone piles on a grassy rise overlooking the sea, the house provides a look at what life was like when people aimed at whales with harpoons rather than cameras.

Visitors are welcome to wander this working 5-acre farm, where rows of heavenly scented lavender stretch out against the stunning backdrop of the Seaward Kaikoura Range (catch the harvest from December to February). In the shop, lavender hangs from the ceiling and lavender mustards, chutneys, soaps, oils, and salves line the shelves. There's a café serving tea and coffee, ice creams, cold drinks, and a few lavender-flavor treats. They also have two rustic self-contained B&B cottages in the garden, which is just a 15 minutes’ drive north of Kaikoura.