Okay, so you’ve heard about the earthquakes and aftershocks and wonder if there’s anything left of Christchurch to see. Well, you’d be glad to know that despite such, it remains to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Christchurch is the only part of the planet that you can get up close and personal with wildlife on land and in water, ski at a first class alpine resort, visit posh wineries and gardens, and engage in other physical activities like wind surfing, golf, bungy jumping, and cycling – as often as you want.

With so much that Christchurch has to offer, we reckon these are the top 3 things you can do when you visit or decide to stay in the city.

Cruise Along
Hands up all those who want to 1. Swim with Dolphins! That’s right, with Black Cat Cruises you’ll get to swim with some of the smallest, friendliest, rarest dolphins in the world.

If, however, you’d rather watch them, instead, and see other sites, the 2. Akaroa Nature Harbour Cruise will bring you around an extinct volcanic crater, other brilliant scenery, and wildlife like Hector’s Dolphins, penguins, and other sea birds.

Got sea legs? Go on a picnic at Quail Island, a recreational reserve home to many native birds like the fantail, kingfisher, silvereye, and rare white flippered blue penguins.

Check the City Scenes
We asked the Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism (CCT) what they think would be the top attractions, particularly for young adults and the say,  ”The city is currently in an exciting transitional stage, a great example of this is a creative urban regeneration initiative called 3. Gap Filler. Gap Filler temporarily places creative projects in vacant sites to make for a more interesting, dynamic, and vibrant city. Examples of past projects include a bicycle powered theatre and a dance-O-mat, where a washing machine is used to play music and allow a space to dance. They are always changing, but you can keep up to date with that is currently filling gaps on the Gap Filler website.”

After work and on weekends when you just want to chill, the 4. Re:START Mall in Cashel Street is the place to be, according to CCT.  Brightly coloured shipping containers have been transformed into the funkiest place to shop in Christchurch; with an eclectic mix of high end retail, food caravans, buskers, and much more.

After the quake, many restaurants and bars have relocated to suburbs, but there is also a host of new ones within the four avenues of the CBD, including those that are housed in containers, trucks, and buses. How cool is that? CCT says Cargo bar, CBD Bar, The Smash Palace, and Revival Bar are among the new favourites.

Get High on Adrenalin and Go Out
If you’re into thrills and aren’t afraid of heights, CCT recommends that a good way to spend the weekend would be at the 5. Adrenalin Forest. It has 6 pathways and over 102 challenges, including a multi-level aerial obstacle course. So you and your friends can keep going back.

For nature lovers, Christchurch is a haven. You can go punting on the avon, hike and explore the great outdoors, ride a gondola or quad bike, dip in a thermal pool, or just bask under the sun.

In Christchurch, there’s always something to do, somewhere to go that you’ve either not yet been to or just can’t get enough of.

Have you been to Christchurch? What are your favourite spots?