Christchurch Travel Guide

Christchurch is the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island and is certainly a pleasant city, but it’s best used as a stopping point at the beginning or end of a tour of all the magical things to see and do on the South Island. All the other travelers in town feel like they are just coming from or going to somewhere else so a visit of about one day is normal. If you are thinking of coming to New Zealand to see its cities and enjoy its culture you might want to think twice about that. The pleasures of Kiwi Land are away from the towns.

What To Do

Christchurch, appropriately enough, has an impressive cathedral that is worth a visit. There is an interesting Air Force Museum with full-size replicas of various warplanes from the 20th Century. There are a few other museums and galleries around town to check out if you want to unwind and hang around for a day or two at the end of an adventure trip, and the nightlife scene is well developed and very centralized if you feel like throwing back a few pints or watching some football on the telly. But most people tend to hang around the many internet cafes, which can be rare in rural New Zealand, and be content to trade stories with other travelers at the hostel.

Getting There

You can arrive in Christchurch by bus as part of a regional tour, but chances are you’ll be flying in or out of Christchurch International Airport (code: CHC). Most of the flights go to Auckland, Queenstown and Wellington, but you can also reach Christchurch from parts of Australia as well as Japan and Singapore. There is a regular bus service that takes 30-40 minutes from the airport to the city center as well as a few reasonably priced shuttle services.

Where To Stay

The city center is rather compact and there are loads of hostels in Christchurch that cater specifically to the many backpackers cruising through town. They can book up early during peak times so plan ahead. There are also plenty of hotels in Christchurch with many of the more affordable ones being a little away from the city center. If you are coming in a campervan and don't care much about the nightlife this might be a good option since there isn’t much parking in the center.

Study Abroad With CSA
Center For Study Abroad