We had a really lovely time at Sunrise lodge. Located just across the railway tracks from the Whale Watch center it was very conveniently located. Marc and Osi are really friendly and welcoming people and booked our fishing trip for us and even dropped us off at south bay. The free bikes we hired from them were great... I wish my bike at home was as good! - and we had an amazing time seeing the seal colony on the peninsular. The rooms were fresh, clean and spacious and the communal area was cosy and homelike, with free herbs, tea bags and oil!! I would definitely recommend a stay here :)

A very last-minute trip this month saw myself and our 8 year old son head North out of Christchurch on the wonderfully-wobbly Tranzscenic train beyond the ponderously Eeenglish confines of 'The Garden City' properly for the first time.

In the process of emigrating to NZ our family of 3 boys under 10 and we parents have been living out of suitcases in rented accommodation since July this year before the arrival of our container later in the month, so a stress-busting diversion of the fishing kind was definitely in order.

After the rather languorous 3 hour journey a hop skip & jump over the train lines and thru a gap in the chainlink fence led us onto Kaikoura's Beach Road towards Sunrise Lodge. Before we got there a smiley young couple being towed along the footpath by their very cute two year old boy greeted us by name - surprising for sure on any day of the week - they introduced themselves as our hosts Mark and Ossi who were of course expecting us. They directed us to their 'Woofer', Kate, who checked us in and made us feel at home.

After we'd dumped our bags in our spotlessly-clean studio unit (1x queen bed, 1x single, galley/kitchen and seperate shower/wetroom - easy access, all on one level) we noticed some touristas leaning over the picket fence at the house next door... and then we met the most crazy magpie we've ever seen!

Apparently the neighbour cares for two nutcases of the avian kind - the magpie clucked, wolf-whistled and let out a long 'crroooooooo' which had us cracking-up in fits of laughter whilst it mugged us of our McVities digestive biscuits. The magpie also doubles as guard dog apparently - quirky stuff indeed, but great fun! At the back of next door's garden a clearly aloof seagull with a broken wing looked on at its yard companion with what seemed like abject disgust at the crow's affrontery to we new guests, as if to say 'Never seen him before in my life mate!'

A couple of hours later Mark reappeared on his quadbike whilst we were fishing from the beach behind their place (direct beach access from SL) and welcomed us enthusiastically again - then he said 'Aha, so you're here for the fishing then eh?' He looked seawards and then with a glint in his eye back towards us and said 'It's perfect out there - do you want to come out with me NOW?' Well, what could we say, but 'Of course!?' However we were short of a lifejacket for my son, so Mark kindly drove us all around town, and after three no-scores we finally found one of the right size from a local kayaking friend of his. So, with his boat hitched-up we drove over to South Bay to launch-off.

Mark is an intriguing guy - a microbiologist (we think, sorry if that's a bit vague or way-short Mark!) with a passionate interest in marine biology & systems - he walks the walk - ecology & sustainability are definitely his mantra. He and partner Ossi left Israel a few years ago and threw all they had into making a success of Sunrise Lodge, and boy does it show - rarely does one find such motivated people who find time to make that kind of leap of faith - but here they are - and they're definitely loving it!

So we had a couple of hours out on the boat and returned with a good few pounds of red perch and blue cod which we duly battered-up and had for dinner. I asked Mark if I could at least pay for the fuel, but he said 'No, no I wouldn't hear of it lol!', so I made sure that we left them with a bottle of Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc (the best!) just to say thanks for the trip that afternoon. I don't think that they managed to open it however because Mark was called-out to a serious road accident involving a motorbike & a car just after 7pm on the Christchurch to Kaikoura road - he doubles-up as a volunteer paramedic for the local ambulance crew, so a very talented chap he is indeed and again totally passionate in that role as well.

The bottom line at Sunrise Lodge was that our hosts couldn't have done enough to make our stay more enjoyable if they'd tried - aside from keeping the place running like clockwork there is a seperate backpacker block behind the main house which Mark gave us a tour of later on, when we met our fellow guests who were really friendly - lovely bunch! Next day after a great night's sleep we took our fishing charter in the morning, leaving our bags at Sunrise Lodge until our return in the early afternoon, when we had to bid our hosts farewell - until the next time.

If you want to experience Kaikoura hands-on let them be your guides - they can arrange trips, advise you of local sights and organise things to do - these people are indeed lucky enough to be living their dream. We left for the train with my mind a-buzzing... coolbox full of fish fillets and live crayfish.. what fine people these are. We'll have to get back to KK soon!

Maybe one day I might be able to find the same kind of fulfilment that they clearly enjoy in Kaikoura.

Stay here & lap it up - you won't be disappointed :)

Well worth staying there... really recommend it... short walk to town and sea... got surprise when i found it.

Alex - Brazil

If you are planning to backpack and are looking for somewhere basic, clean and very friendly then this is your place. Great owners who are easygoing and helpful and rooms that are comfy and clean. Really recommend it.