Compare hotels in Canterbury from AU$56

The Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island is picture perfect. Imagine a patchwork of rolling green farmlands, milky turquoise lakes and rugged alpine peaks dusted with snow year-round. Often referred to as Waitaha after the early Maori tribes who settled here, Canterbury is dominated by the dramatic Mount Cook (also known as Aoraki), a massive 3754-metre mountain and New Zealand’s highest peak. Why not check out our Canterbury hotels to explore it all on your next trip?

If you love to swim and surf, Canterbury is also home to many beautiful beaches and great dives, with the submarine trenches providing a cosy backdrop for whales, dolphins and seals. Mount Cook also provides the perfect backdrop for hiking, bush walking and mountain climbing, for those of you that feel so inclined!

For a complete chill out, book a massage, facial or pedicure in Hanmer Springs, a lovely spa town filled with natural thermal baths. Not far from here, in Kaikoura, you can get up close and personal with the third-largest whales in the world – sperm whales – as well as dolphins and seals. If the country life is more for you, visit Akaroa, a lovely French village where you can channel your inner food connoisseur and bite into French pastries and delicious croissants.

If culture and art is more your thing, head to the Aigantighe Art Gallery in Timaru or check out some Maori culture at the Akaroa Museum. At the Arts Centre of Christchurch you’ll find over 40 different art and craft studios.

If you’re looking for what’s on in Canterbury, why not visit the Oxford Water Colour Festival or the Artist’s Eye Exhibition held in November in Rangiora. For more foodie fun, try some tasty morsels at one of the loads of regional farmers’ markets springing up across the region. From the Pages Community Market to the Oxford Farmers Market, the Cust Village Market and the Ohaka Farmers Market, you’ll find plenty of local produce, fresh fruit and vegetables, dips, preserves and local cheeses to tuck into. Ready to shop for more? Check out the designer fashion in Christchurch before heading out to one of the many local restaurants, cafes or bars, particularly along the Food and Wine Trail in the Waipara Valley.

To get to Canterbury, hop on one of our flights to Christchurch and you’re there! Then take a bus to explore the many surrounding areas of this beautiful region. Alternatively, take the scenic Tranz Alpine rail journey from Christchurch to the beautiful Arthurs Pass village, at the centre of the highest and most spectacular pass across the Southern Alps.

You can visit Canterbury all year round depending on the kind of experience you’re chasing. Come and ski the highest mountains in winter, then dive through the waves in summer. From beautiful lakes to foodie haunts and cultural escapades, the Canterbury region has anything and everything in between! So don’t just dream about it, check out our Canterbury accommodation below to plan your next unforgettable holiday.