Bay Of Islands Itinerary
We've put together a suggested itinerary for your stay in the beautiful Bay of Islands in Northland.
Day 1 - Russell -
Paihia
- Head across to Russell by ferry for the morning and explore the township's numerous historic buildings, including Christ's Church, Pompallier House and the Russell Museum (2 hours).
- Walk up Flagstaff (Maiki) Hill and read of the flagstaff's history and the exploits of Maori chief Hone Heke, who cut the previous four down in protest (30 minutes).
- Return to the waterfront for lunch.
- Cross again to Paihia and take a stroll along the beachfront to Waitangi (30 minutes). Here you'll find the Shipwreck Museum (30 minutes), which is also a café.
- Continue to the Waitangi Treaty House Reserve and explore the marae (meeting house), waka (canoe) and grounds (2.5 hrs).
- Either have dinner in Paihia or take the ferry to Russell and dine at the atmospheric Duke of Marlborough - the first hotel in New Zealand to receive a licence.
- Stay overnight in Paihia.
- Russell travel guide
- Waitangi travel guide
- Paihia travel guide
- Paihia accommodation
- Paihia attractions
Day 2 - Paihia
- Spend a half or full day on the water. Operators include Dolphin Encounters, the Cape Brett 'Hole in the Rock' cruise, the Cream Trip, the tall ship R Tucker Thomson and Dolphin Discoveries.
- Lunch is often included during an island stopover.
- If on a half-day outing, return to Paihia for an afternoon of shopping at the Cabbage Tree - an award-winning outlet. Try one of the centre's numerous restaurants in the evening.
- Stay the night in Paihia.
- Paihia accommodation
- Paihia attractions
Day 3 - Paihia
- Take a fishing, diving or kayaking adventure with Tornado, Coastal Kayakers or Dive North - Rainbow Warrior. Alternatively, take to the skies with Flying Kiwi Parasail for a bird's eye view over Paihia.
- Stay the night in Paihia.
- Paihia accommodation
- Paihia attractions
Day 4 - Paihia - Kerikeri
- Drive to Kerikeri (30 mins) and have a complimentary steam-heated coffee or tea at the Collins Bros Steam Sawmill.
- Pick up an arts and craft trail brochure while in Kerikeri and visit the Kerikeri Historic Basin, which incorporates Kemp House (40 minutes), New Zealand's oldest house; the Stone Store (20 minutes) and Rewa's Village (1 hour).
- Take a walk to the 20m Kerikeri (Rainbow) Falls two kilometres upstream from the Basin (1 hour).
- For lunch either return to Kerikeri or find an eatery along the arts and craft trail.
- Spend the rest of the afternoon tailoring visits to the various arts and craft outlets and call at some of numerous roadside fruit stalls to sample the region's produce.
- Stay in Kerikeri or at one of the surrounding bed and breakfasts.
- Kerikeri travel guide
- Kerikeri accommodation
- Kerikeri attractions
Day 5 - Kerikeri - Kaikohe - Ninety Mile Beach - Kaitaia
- Head inland towards Kaikohe (30 minutes from Kerikeri) along SH12.
- Call at Monument Hill, which has a Memorial to Maori chief Hone Heke (1869-1909).
- Visit the Pioneer Village with its 19th century buildings, sawmill and fire station.
- Have morning tea before rejoining State Highway 1 and heading towards Kaitaia (70 minutes) for lunch.
- Head west to Ahipara, the gateway to Ninety Mile Beach. Visit the beach (famous for its fishing) and call at Ahipara Hill, four kilometres south-east of Ahipara township. The land at the base of the 150m high hill is a former kauri gum field, now a historic reserve.
- Alternatively, visit New Zealand's northernmost winery, three kilometres out of town at Okahu Estate.
- Return to Kaitaia and continue along State Highway 1 to Awanui, seven kilometres north. Call at the Ancient Kauri Kingdom and Café for afternoon tea and view the kauri furniture and arts and craft.
- Returning to Kaitaia, call at the Nocturnal Park, which features kiwis, glow-worms, short-fin eels and bushwalks. Night tours start at dark.
- Dine and stay overnight in Kaitaia.
- Kaikohe travel guide
- Ahipara travel guide
- Kaitaia travel guide
- Kaitaia accommodation
- Kaitaia attractions
Day 6 - Cape Reinga - Kaitaia
- Drive or take a tour to Cape Reinga. Operators include Sand Safaris, Harrisons Cape Runner and Tua Tua Tours. Pack a picnic lunch if driving yourself. Contrary to popular belief, Cape Reinga is not the northernmost point of New Zealand; that honour belongs to Surville Cliffs, 30km east of Cape Reinga.
- Call at Wagener Park & Museum (1 hour) at Houhora Heads, 40km north of Kaitaia, and take morning tea at its beachfront licensed cafe.
- Continue northwards to Cape Reinga (114km north-west of Kaitaia). See the famous lighthouse, Spirits Bay and the meeting point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
- Return to Te Paki with its impressive sand dunes. There are many tour companies supplying toboggans and all supply lunch.
Return to Kaitaia to dine and stay overnight.
- Cape Reinga travel guide
- Kaitaia travel guide
- Kaitaia accommodation
- Kaitaia attractions
Day 7 - Kaitaia - Rawene - Waipoua Forest - Dargaville
- Once again head towards Ahipara to regain State Highway 12. Head southwards to Kohukohu for the crossing to Rawene on the vehicle ferry Kohu Ra Tuarua.
- Call at Rawene's historic Clendon House (30 minutes) or take a cruise on the Alma Working Museum.
- Walk the newly completed mangrove walk and stop for morning tea at the Boatshed Café and Crafts.
- Continue southwards to the twin settlements of Opononi and Omapere, which access the sand dunes across the inlet.
- Lunch at either Opononi or Omapere.
- Continue south through the Waipoua Forest and make a side trip to see Tane Mahuta, a kauri tree thought to be some 2000 years old. A variety of forest and coastal walks are available, ranging from 20 minutes to a few hours.
- Head towards Dargaville for the night, with the Blah Blah Blah café a dining option.
- Rawene travel guide
- Opononi travel guide
- Omapere travel guide
- Dargaville travel guide
- Dargaville accommodation
- Dargaville attractions
Day 8 - Dargaville - Matakohe - Whangarei - Auckland