The experts have voted, and yet again our beautiful shores have come up trumps! Need any more convincing?
Three days is just long enough to get a taste of some of the top sights and activities in the Bay of Islands that showcases nature, some history, and a splash of outdoor adventure.
On the Northernmost tip of the Aupouri Peninsula, you’ll find a remote spot where two oceans meet and Maori spirits return to their ancestral homeland.
There’s something utterly romantic about this small township, a historic seaside setting full of cafes, art galleries, and family activities.
Paihia is the perfect place to get amongst it in the Bay – whether you’re a single backpacker or part of a large family group. Here are some tips on how to make the most of it.
Kerikeri is an awesome place to start a relaxed Bay Of Islands escape. Or, the perfect place to begin an action-packed outdoor adventure. There really is something for everyone.
When we weren’t wining and dining at The Duke’s waterfront restaurant, we were essentially doing the same on the water, which of course the Bay of Islands is best known for.
We’re sitting in the front row of the whare runanga at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The Treaty itself was signed just outside. A small concert group puts on a daily half-hour show celebrating Maori culture, music and history.
As New Zealanders, we are awkward enough about our own history, let alone explaining the complexity of it to foreigners. With overseas tourists flooding into Paihia and the incomparably beautiful Bay of Islands, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds may well be the perfect place to start that conversation.