Things to do in the Bay of Islands

The towns: Paihia, Russell and Kerikeri

Paihia is the main town for visitors, with about 1,640 people, a wharf that every cruise leaves from, a strip of motels and cafes along the beach, and the Waitangi Treaty Grounds a short walk north across the bridge. It is practical and busy in summer, and it is where we put most people. Henry and Marianne Williams set up a mission here in 1823, and New Zealand's first printing press ran in Paihia from 1835.

Russell, fifteen minutes away on the passenger ferry, is the quieter and prettier choice. As Kororāreka it was a whaling port and the first European town in the country, rough enough to be called the hellhole of the Pacific. The Duke of Marlborough on the waterfront was issued New Zealand's first liquor licence in 1840. The name Russell belonged at first to Okiato, 7 km south, which Governor Hobson chose as the first capital in 1840; the capital moved to Auckland in 1841, and the name moved to Kororāreka later. Christ Church, the Pompallier Mission printery and the walk up Flagstaff Hill fill a slow afternoon.

Kerikeri is the largest town in the bay, about 25 minutes north of Paihia, set among orchards rather than on the open water. It has the Stone Store and Kemp House, the oldest stone building in the country (1832 to 1836) and the oldest surviving European building (1822), both from the mission founded there in 1819. It is a good base for a longer stay and for the Far North, less so for a two night stop built around the water.

Things to do in the Bay of Islands

Get out on the water; that is what the bay is for. The classic trip runs from Paihia out to Cape Brett, where the boat noses through the Hole in the Rock at Motukōkako if the swell allows, and back past the outer islands, often with a stop at Urupukapuka, the largest island, for a walk or a swim. It takes most of a day with the island stop, a half day without. Bottlenose dolphins live in the bay and the boats see them often, but since 2019 swimming with them has been banned and viewing time is limited, because the Department of Conservation found boat traffic was hurting the population. Operators who still promise a dolphin swim here are out of date.

• Waitangi Treaty Grounds: the Treaty House where the Treaty was signed on 6 February 1840, the carved meeting house Te Whare Rūnanga, the great war canoe Ngātokimatawhaorua, and two good museums. Allow at least three hours. The guided tour with a cultural performance is on 31 of our itineraries, and our guide to Māori culture for visitors explains why it matters.
• Russell: take the passenger ferry across for the afternoon. 16 of our itineraries include a short guided tour of the town.
• Sailing: the R. Tucker Thompson, a gaff-rigged schooner, and smaller yachts sail the bay by the day or for a sunset run. Quieter and slower than the motor cruises, and on 3 of our itineraries.
• Cape Reinga: the northern tip of the country is a full day by coach, about three hours each way along Ninety Mile Beach, or a short flight. 14 of our itineraries fly up with a guided tour on the ground. See our Ninety Mile Beach page for the road version.
• Walks: Haruru Falls is a short drive or a longer walk from Paihia through mangroves; the Flagstaff Hill loop above Russell takes about an hour; Urupukapuka Island has an archaeological walk past old pā sites and some of the best beaches in the bay.
• Fishing: the bay has been a big game fishing base since the American writer Zane Grey made it famous between the wars, and charters leave Paihia and Russell for marlin in summer.

How to get to the Bay of Islands

The drive from Auckland is 229 km, about three and a quarter hours, on State Highway 1 through Warkworth, Whangārei and Kawakawa, where the public toilets were designed by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and are worth the stop. It is a good road but a busy one on summer weekends, and the Brynderwyn Hills section south of Whangārei has been closed by slips more than once in recent years, sending traffic on long detours. Check the NZ Transport Agency journey planner before you set off.

The return by the west coast takes longer and is the better road trip: across to the Hokianga Harbour, through Waipoua Forest past Tāne Mahuta, the largest living kauri, and down to Dargaville before rejoining the main road. InterCity coaches run between Auckland and Paihia daily, taking about four hours. Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Kerikeri, which saves a long drive if you are short of time. Between Paihia and Russell there is a passenger ferry that takes about fifteen minutes, and a car ferry from Opua to Okiato that runs through the day.

How long to stay in the Bay of Islands

Two nights is the minimum we would sell, and it is what 77 of our itineraries give it. One full day goes on the water, a morning goes to Waitangi, and the evening you arrive and the afternoon you leave take care of Russell and a walk. With three nights, which 18 of our itineraries allow, you can add Cape Reinga or a sailing day. One night is possible, and 8 of them do it, but it leaves you choosing between the water and Waitangi, and both deserve the time.

A day trip from Auckland is not worth doing. It is six and a half hours of driving for a few hours in Paihia, and you miss the evening, which is when the bay is at its best. If you have only a week in the North Island, our North Island itinerary shows how to fit the bay in with Rotorua without it becoming a rush.

Weather and the best time to go

Northland is the warmest part of the country. Paihia averages highs of about 24°C in summer and about 17°C in winter, with around 1,400 mm of rain a year and 2,000 hours of sunshine. The rain comes in bursts rather than steady drizzle, and in late summer the tail of a tropical cyclone can bring a few very wet days. The sea is warm enough to swim from December to April.

January is the busiest month by a long way: New Zealand families are on holiday, the bay fills with boats, and accommodation is scarce and expensive. February and March are our pick, with the warmest sea of the year and the school holidays over. Winter is mild, green and quiet, the cruises still run, and prices drop. Waitangi Day, 6 February, brings a large public commemoration to the Treaty Grounds; it is worth seeing if you are here, and worth avoiding if you want the grounds to yourself. For the forecast, use MetService for Paihia.

Where to stay in the Bay of Islands

Stay in Paihia if you want the cruises and restaurants on the doorstep, Russell if you want quiet evenings and are happy to use the ferry. The properties our itineraries use most, with the number of our tours that sleep in each:

• Sea Spray Suites, apartments in the centre of Paihia, on 26 itineraries.
• Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands, on the Waitangi side of the bridge beside the Treaty Grounds, on 13.
• Arcadia Lodge, a bed and breakfast in Russell, on 13.
• Kingsgate Hotel Autolodge, on the main road in Paihia, on 10.
• Admirals View Lodge in Paihia, on 6; and the Duke of Marlborough on the Russell waterfront, on 3.

Beyond those there are motels along the Paihia waterfront, holiday parks, backpackers, lodges on the headlands and a lot of holiday homes. Book early for January and Easter. Our Bay of Islands guide goes further into choosing a base, and every tour that stays here is on our Bay of Islands tours list.