If you're desperate to see the whales and dolphins at Kaikoura, plan a few days in the area just in case. Our boat trip was called off for bad weather and the coach driver reckoned it happens about 30 per cent of the time.
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The whale watch boats go way out to sea, and the trips are usually very bumpy, and many people become quite unwell. Children don't usually appreciate what whale watching is all about, so be careful spending so much time (and money!) on something adults will probably enjoy and appreciate, but children might not... add in the risk of weather-cancelled trips and being seasick...