Bay of Islands
A 144 Island Subtropical Bay In The Country'S Far North, The Site Of The 1840 Treaty Of Waitangi That Founded Modern New Zealand, Now Known For Game Fishing, Dolphin Watching Cruises And The Hole In The Rock Sea Tunnel At Cape Brett, Reached From The Twin Towns Of Paihia And Russell · Paihia, Northland
Bay of Islands is a 144-island subtropical bay in New Zealand's far north, about three hours' drive from Auckland and centred on the twin towns of Paihia and historic Russell across the water. It is best known internationally for game fishing, dolphin-watching cruises and the Hole in the Rock, a natural sea tunnel through an islet at Cape Brett that tour boats pass through on a clear day. The bay is also the site of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Maori chiefs - the founding document of New Zealand as a nation, and still part of the national conversation about Maori rights and partnership. Russell, originally called Kororareka, was New Zealand's first permanent European settlement and briefly its first capital. Beaches here are calm, sheltered and subtropical rather than surf-beach dramatic, better suited to swimming, kayaking and sailing than big waves. The bay's warm water and year-round boat traffic make it one of the country's most popular places for sport fishing and charter cruises.
New Zealand's far north, about 3 hours from Auckland, centred on the twin towns of Paihia and Russell, Paihia, Northland, New Zealand
The bay itself and its public beaches have no gate and are accessible at any hour. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds visitor centre and museum are open daily, typically 9am to 5pm, with guided tours and a cultural performance running on a fixed daytime schedule - confirm current showtimes before visiting since they vary by season. Dolphin-watching and Hole in the Rock cruises depart on fixed morning and afternoon timetables from Paihia wharf and are cancelled rather than delayed in genuinely rough weather. The car ferry between Paihia and Russell runs continuously through the day but stops overnight.