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    Paihia

    New Zealand

    Paihia

    Town

    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.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    2. Destinations
    3. New Zealand
    4. Bay of Islands
    5. 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. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are reachable on foot via the bridge to the north.

    Sehenswürdigkeiten

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Paihia Wharf
    Attraction

    1Paihia Wharf

    Jetty in the town center. From here, ferries depart for Russell, boat tours to the Hole in the Rock, and trips to the islands of the bay.
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    Opua Forest Lookout
    Attraction

    2Opua Forest Lookout

    Short, steep forest path from School Road up to a viewpoint over Paihia and the Bay.
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    Essen & Trinken

    1

    By George NZ

    Fish and Chips on Marsden Road, takeaway to the beach opposite.
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    2

    The Picnic Box, Bay of Islands

    Small cafe at Paihia Wharf offering coffee, snacks, and picnic boxes for your boat trip.
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    3

    Sandwich Craft

    Sandwich shop on Marsden Road, good for a quick lunch.
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    4

    TIPSY OYSTER

    Bar and restaurant on Marsden Road with oysters and water views.
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    5

    El Cafe

    Café on Kings Road with breakfast and lunch.
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    6

    Terra Restaurant

    Restaurant on Marsden Road with New Zealand cuisine and a wine list; evening reservations recommended.
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    7

    Zane Grey's Restaurant and Bar

    Restaurant and bar right on Paihia Wharf, with a terrace over the water, fish, seafood, and steaks.
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    8

    Bad Habits

    Bar and restaurant on Marsden Road with steaks, cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere.
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    Exploring locally

    The town is small and easily explored on foot. InterCity buses stop at the Wharf. The passenger ferry to Russell runs regularly during the day; the trip takes about 15 minutes.

    Accommodations in Paihia

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    Nearby

    Bay of Islands

    Bay of Islands

    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.
    Waitangi

    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.
    Russell

    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

    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. A walking trail leads from here along the river to the Rainbow Falls.
    Northland

    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.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Pexels, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI