ROAD TRIP: DRIVE NORTH OF KAIKOURA

Driving north from Kaikōura is like re-enacting a scene from a Hollywood movie, only instead of white California beaches, rough surf crashes into jagged rocks. The coastal stretch of SH1 extends as north as Clarence but it doesn't take long to get the picture. Drive for just 20 minutes to find board-riders chasing waves at Mangamaunu, a beloved beach for surfing, and carry on to find plenty of lookout points to stop and stretch the legs. Beach shacks serving up fresh seafood are dotted along the highway, including the famous Nin's Bin (see page 126) and Karaka Lobster (karakalobster. com), a restaurant with a larger-thanlife crayfish erected on its roof. Most motorists take a break about 20km north of Kaikōura to peer over the edge of the Ōhau Point to watch seals wriggling on the rocks. The stretch of highway was closed for 13 months after the earthquake and, now that it's up and running again, driving it is considered an essential experience for locals and visitors alike.