Banks Peninsula
The Banks Peninsula reaches out into the south Pacific southeast of Canterbury, with Highway 75 as its main artery. The peninsula, with its two deep natural harbors, Lyttleton on the northwest coast and Akaroa on the southeast, consists of two huge extinct volcanic craters. It has a mild climate in which even frost-sensitive kumara (sweet potatoes) grow.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Okains Bay - Maori and Colonial Museum
In Okains Bay is the Maori and Colonial Museum, which displays objects from the surrounding area and the Chatham Islands. Items of particular interest are the carved Maori meeting house and the old pioneers' houses.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
Disabled
Full facilities for persons with disabilities.
Summit Road
From Akaroa you can drive back to Christchurch on the winding Summit Road, which runs round the edge of the old volcanic crater, with fine views. At Hilltop it meets Highway 75.
The beautiful Summit Road runs along the Port Hills, the rim of the crater, with various side paths branching off to viewpoints. From Christchurch the best approach to the Summit Road is from Sumner, in the east, on the Evans Pass Road to Gebbies Pass. The road, with many bends, has a total length of some 70km. The return route to Christchurch is over Dyer's Pass or via Lyttleton and the road tunnel.
The beautiful Summit Road runs along the Port Hills, the rim of the crater, with various side paths branching off to viewpoints. From Christchurch the best approach to the Summit Road is from Sumner, in the east, on the Evans Pass Road to Gebbies Pass. The road, with many bends, has a total length of some 70km. The return route to Christchurch is over Dyer's Pass or via Lyttleton and the road tunnel.
