On a clear day, Akaroa hums with locals and visitors walking the promenade, swimming or cruising on the warm waters of the harbour, and exploring the town's mountain backdrop.
Backpackers often lead a hand-to-mouth existence - and now the hostels that accommodate them in Christchurch are facing a similar predicament with closures likely.
Southern Lights scenic flightsSee the Southern Lights from your passenger window on a special charter flight as it heads for Antarctica from Christchurch in March next year with Viva Expeditions....
A Kiwi woman with flights booked for later this month says she feels abandoned by the country she calls home because she can't book a voucher for managed isolation.
Will they compromise or will a South Island district end up with three international airports? Mark Price questions Christchurch and Queenstown airport representatives - but finds neither is backing down.
New Zealand's managed isolation hotels are nearly completely booked until Christmas, locking out some Kiwis who had planned trips home to see loved-ones.
Expensive flights, visa issues and fluctuating lockdowns could offer a new opportunity for Queenstown as the international destination from within for young Kiwis.