[tigerlily]

This week I've fallen in love with Akaroa- well, ok, it's an internet crush. I'm wondering if there is any where on the beautiful Banks Peninsula which would have a reasonable commute to the city centre of Christchurch? Any other thoughts on the area would be helpful. Thank you.

[Richard_from_Long Beach]

Wait until you actually get to Akaroa--then you'll REALLY be in love. The Banks Peninsula is really beautiful, but it's a long way to be making a daily drive into central Christchurch. Others here will tell you about the peninsula towns closer in.

[GeorgeM]

Governor's Bay is about 30 mins to Cathedral Square. Diamond Harbour about 45 mins. Both very pretty and worth considering if you don't mind a bit of a drive. (But you need to be careful about choosing a house so that it doesn't lose the sun too early and has a reasonable amount of shelter when the winds blow...)

Charteris Bay, just before DH, is a small village which has a very pretty (but often very steep) golf course - views of Mount Herbert when playing one way and views down the bay towards Lyttleton when you turn to play the other way. Green fees $15 for 18 holes - you just turn up, put your money in an envelope, place it in the honesty box and tee off.

[ZEEland]

We shall be heading for Malborough although we had initially considered Akaroa or Queenstown. Akaroa is every bit as beautiful as it appears in the tourist books, and more so. I have visited a couple of times from Christchurch City and I recall that the one way trip took around 1.5hours at a leisurely pace.

Would/could you consider finding work in Akaroa? Small settlement, expensive houses.

[adamsat]

Akaroa is a great place to visit, not sure I'd want to live there though - It's a lot like many pretty little seaside villages around the UK. A bit too twee and touristy to be true. The drive, although not that too far in distance for a daily communte, around 75km, is not one I'd want to make every day. Fine during the summer, but coming across those hills on the way home in winter would not be for me.

[tigerlily]

I've heard that the road is sometimes closed in winter. Perhaps if I were to play the lottery a bit more....

[JCM]

I don't know your personal circumstances tigerlily but if you have kids who are 12+ years old, you might be better off in Chch for schooling.

[tigerlily]

The kids are almost 3 right now (twins), so schooling is in the forecast. I would dearly love for them to be able to walk to school, so Banks Peninisula might have to wait until the kids go to university! Thank you.