Kaikoura Surfing

This zone is the lowest latitude destination in the Southern Hemisphere, so think cold. Cross-over boarders may be more interested in the winter snow capped peaks rather then the white capped ones in the sea. While much of South Island, like the West Coast or Dunedin, rely on quality beachbreaks, here is a zone littered with right pointbreaks, helping hardcore surfers avoid ice-cream headache paddle outs. South Island, aka Te Wai Pounamu meaning Jade Island, with 3,200km (2000mi) of coastline has a small population so expect few crowds at the worst. Archaeological remains indicate that Moa Hunters inhabited the Kaikoura Peninsula 900 years ago. To the Maori this is a place of great historical significance. The foothills of the Seaward Kaikoura Range extend down to the Pacific coast leaving a narrow corridor for rail and road access. Fishing settlements, seal and bird colonies cling to rocky shores, from which pods of dolphins and occasionally whales can be spotted.