New Zealand Canterbury

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. The Christchurch urban area lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula. It is home to 381,800 residents, making it New Zealand's third most-populous urban area behind Auckland and Wellington. The river that flows through the center of the city (its banks now largely forming an urban park) was named Avon at the request of the pioneering Deans brothers after the Scottish River Avon, which rises in the Ayrshire hills near what was their grandfather's farm and flows into the Clyde.

Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1, 180 km north of Christchurch. Kaikoura became the first local authority in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve recognition by the EarthCheck Community Standard. At the time of the 2013 census, the permanent resident population was 1,971, a 9.3% decrease since the 2006 census. The town is the governmental seat of the territorial authority of the Kaikoura District, which is politically a part of the Canterbury Region. The District has a land area of 2,046.41 km sq (790.12 sq mi) and a 2013 census population of 3,552 inhabitants.

Methven is a small town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located near the western edge of the Canterbury Plains. It is a rural service town throughout the year, but undergoes a stark transformation in winter. Mount Hutt skifield is around half an hour away from Methven, the closest town. As such, a number of cafes, bars, and restaurants lie relatively dormant over the summer months. In addition to skiing, another popular attraction is hot air ballooning, the annual Mountain Thunder motorcycle street-races and the annual rodeo.

Hanmer Springs is a small town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. The town is named after Thomas Hanmer, an owner of Hawkeswood Station near the Conway river during the 1850s. Hanmer Springs is a popular tourist destination, and the town's population swells during holidays. Bungy jumping, jet boating, mountain biking and bush walking are common tourist activities, and there is an airline service available for the viewing of the town's alpine surroundings. A Visitor Information Center next to the hot springs provides information about the area and booking facilities for transport. Trampers can obtain weather information, maps and guidance from the Department of Conservation. Budget accommodation includes a new Youth Hostel.

Timaru is a major port city in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand. Caroline Bay beach is a popular recreational area located close to Timaru's city centre, just to the north of the substantial port facilities. Timaru has been built on rolling hills created from the lava flows of the extinct Mt Horrible volcano, which last erupted many thousands of years ago. The result is that most of the main streets are undulating, a clear contrast with the flat landscape of the Canterbury Plains to the north. Its primary attractions include museums, parklands, brewery, and more. Timaru has many nightclubs, bars and restaurants with many of them open every night.

Twizel is the largest town in the Mackenzie District, in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island. Nearby Lake Ruataniwha supports sailing, water skiing and prominent rowing events, while the Ohau Skifield and the Round Hill Ski Area attract winter tourists. Twizel is also on the route of the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail. The area boasts one of the world's cleanest, driest and darkest skies, and has long drawn astronomers to Twizel and the surrounding area Since 2012, Twizel has been a part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark-Sky Reserve, one of only five such reserves in the world recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association.