New Zealand

Bay of Islands

RegionCulture

The Bay of Islands is a sprawling bay on the east coast of Northland with around 140 islands. Paihia is the departure point for boat tours; historic Russell lies opposite, and the Waitangi Treaty Grounds are right next door.

by Felix Gillen

In the Bay of Islands began Māori and European history: whalers, missionaries, 1840's Treaty of Waitangi signing. Paihia has most lodging and tour providers; Russell's quieter, boasting historic buildings. Boat trips go to the Hole in the Rock at Cape Brett or islands like Urupukapuka for trails and coves. Northern Kerikeri holds the country's oldest surviving buildings. Summer is busy; spring and autumn are quieter.

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Kerikeri

Kerikeri is a small town in the north of the Bay of Islands, surrounded by fruit orchards and vineyards. At the Kerikeri Basin stand the Kemp House and the Stone Store, the country's oldest surviving European buildings.

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Paihia

Paihia is the main tourist hub of the Bay of Islands, a small town on a long waterfront road featuring beaches, motels, and restaurants. From the Wharf, boat tours, dolphin trips, and the ferry to Russell set off.

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Russell

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Waitangi

Waitangi lies just north of Paihia, across a small bridge. Representatives of the British Crown and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi here in 1840.

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Sights in Bay of Islands

Discover the most important sights and attractions

Omata Estate Vineyard & Kitchen

Winery with restaurant on road between Okiato and Russell, with terrace and bay views.

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Attraction

Hole in the Rock (Motukōkako)

Rocky island off Cape Brett featuring a natural tunnel, navigable by tour boats in calm seas. Tours from Paihia and Russell often spot dolphins along the way.

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Legacy

The bay is tribal territory of the Ngāpuhi, the largest Māori tribe. James Cook gave it its English name in 1769. From the early 19th century, whalers and missionaries arrived; Korōrāreka, today's Russell, was then a notorious port.On February 6, 1840, representatives of the British Crown and Māori chiefs signed the treaty in Waitangi that New Zealand refers to to this day. Waitangi Day is a national holiday.

On-site adventures

InterCity buses run from Auckland to Paihia and Kerikeri. A passenger ferry shuttles between Paihia and Russell; cars take the ferry from Opua to Okiato. You can reach the islands with excursion boats and water taxis from Paihia and Russell.

Round trips through this region

New Zealand Beach Nature Mix

From Auckland, you drive about three hours north to the Bay of Islands, then head back south via Auckland to the geothermal fields of Rotorua. The journey from the Bay of Islands to Rotorua takes a good six hours and can be split with a stop in Auckland.

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Nearby

Waitangi

Waitangi lies just north of Paihia, across a small bridge. Representatives of the British Crown and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi here in 1840. The Treaty Grounds with museums, a meeting house and war canoe, are Northland's primary historical site.

Paihia

Russell

Russell, in Māori Korōrāreka, was a wild port for whalers and merchant ships in the 1830s. Today, it is a tranquil spot with wooden houses, a waterfront promenade, and some of New Zealand's oldest buildings. Incidentally, the colony's first capital wasn't here, but in nearby Okiato, now known as Old Russell.

Kerikeri

Northland

Northland stretches from Auckland to Cape Reinga at the northern tip. The east coast is rugged and full of bays, especially the Bay of Islands, while the west coast is wild with long beaches, dunes, and ancient Kauri forests. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed here in 1840.