Panorama of the bay on which Purau, on the Banks Peninsula, is built. The panorama was taken at low tide on an overcast day, with dramatic cloud formations low over the old volcanic hills of this rugged landscape. Some of the houses and cottages of Purau can be seen along the far side of the road lining the bay.

Purau Bay - Banks Peninsula visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Purau Bay' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Canterbury.

The small settlement of Purau rests in a deep inlet on the southern side of Lyttelton Harbour on the Banks Peninsula, between Diamond Harbour and Port Levy. This is the end of the 2 lane road around this part of the Banks Peninsula and further progress east towards Port Levy increasingly narrow and windy, ascending up to a dramatic pass over the hills.

The surrouinding hills worn from the flanks of the long extinct volcano provide good walking and cycling. Aside from the Purau Bay Holiday Park Campground and one or two farm stays / Bed and Breakfast places, there is not a lot of holiday accommodation at Purau, making it ideal for those looking for a remote retreat close to nature. Purau is also home to the small Purau Reserve, a park with no facilities.

As an aside, 'Purau' is also a shrubby tree widely distributed along tropical shores, which are far removed from the rugged temperate shores of this part of New Zealand.

Road: Purau is about 33km from Christchurch, 30km from Lyttelton and 20km from Governors Bay.