Delve a little deeper and the playful peninsula will reward you with an abundance of unexpected delights. Breathe in the ocean air from a seaside café and admire the town’s history and architecture as you explore the township’s vibrant gardens and boutiques.
OUR HISTORY
Open hearts
and open minds.
Akaroa is one of New Zealand’s first
European settlements with a rich Māori
and French history.


A treasure
and an icon.
Well before Captain Cook set his sights on Akaroa Harbour in the 1770s, Ngāi Tahu Māori had already established a vibrant and thriving way of life amongst the beauty of two extinct volcanoes.

In 1840, Akaroa became New Zealand’s only township to be established by French settlers becoming the region’s first substantial European settlement. The area became well known as a safe haven for early whalers and sealers braving the southern oceans beyond its headlands.

Photo Credits: Akaroa Museum Collection.
A) Regatta Day, J.L. Buckland, 1931. B) Akaroa Post Office, J.L. Buckland, c.1930. C) T.E. Taylor Merchant Premises, T.E. Taylor Studio, c.1900.
What's on
Banks Track Specials | Akaroa Nature and History Tour
$20 off (normal price $120)
Book this 3-hour tour, departing Akaroa at 12:15pm directly with Marie Haley at https://theseventhgeneration.org/akaroa-nature-and-history-tour/ or Call 033047654
Use the Promo Code: Banks Track
This wide-ranging tour visits five of Aotearoa New...
Akaroa's Eastern Bays Scenic Mail Run School Holiday Special
School Holiday Special:
1 child travels for free per paying adult.
Akaroa French Film Festival 23
5 - 11 October 23
Join us for an unforgettable cinematic journey through the heart of France. Coinciding with the Akaroa French Festival celebrations, Ethels Cinema Akaroa is hosting its own week-long inaugural...
Akaroa French Festival 2023
The next Akaroa French Festival will be held from the...