Akaroa

A classic Canterbury day out: climb Dyers Pass to the Sign of the Kiwi for harbour views, drop to Governors Bay and swing around the bays and over Gebbies Pass before the long run down SH75 to Akaroa. The return via Little River, Lake Forsyth and Lake Ellesmere adds big water views and plenty of sweeping corners back through Tai Tapu. Fill up in Halswell or Lincoln before you start, as fuel on Banks Peninsula is limited to Little River and Akaroa, and the Little River Cafe is the pick for coffee.