Bay of Islands, New Zealand

The Treaty of Waitangi – signed on February 6, 1840, in the Bay of Islands – is New Zealand’s founding constitutional document. Representatives of the British Crown and Maori chiefs signed two versions of the treaty: one in English and one in Maori. The two versions say different things about sovereignty, and that discrepancy has shaped New Zealand politics ever since. Coming to the Bay of Islands means arriving at the place where the country was made, in a bay that still looks much as it would have looked then: 144 islands scattered across a deep subtropical harbour, warm water, dense coastal forest, and a horizon that ends in open Pacific.

Waitangi Treaty Grounds

The Treaty Grounds occupy a headland north of Paihia and are New Zealand’s most visited historic site. Entry for international adults is $70 (NZ resident $35), valid for two consecutive days. The ticket covers access to Te Kongahu Museum of Waitangi (the Treaty story through multiple perspectives, with immersive audio-visual displays), the Treaty House (home of British Resident James Busby, the oldest surviving house in New Zealand), Te Whare Runanga (a carved meeting house completed in 1940 with carvings from every region of the country), and cultural performances at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm.

Ngätokimatawhaorua, a 35-metre war canoe, is housed near the shore and launched on Waitangi Day each year – one of the largest ceremonial waka in the world. Allow 3-5 hours minimum. The February 6 Waitangi Day celebration draws visitors and officials from across the country; book accommodation well in advance if attending.

Russell

Russell is reached by short ferry crossing from Paihia or by driving around the harbour. It was one of New Zealand’s first permanent European settlements – then called Kororareka, a busy whaling port with a rough reputation. In 1845, Hone Heke cut down the British flagpole on Maiki Hill above the town four times, each time provoking more serious conflict. Walking up to the flagpole takes 20 minutes and the view over the harbour is the best in the bay.

The Duke of Marlborough Hotel on the waterfront holds New Zealand’s oldest continuously held liquor licence and its dining room looks directly onto the harbour. Christ Church on the waterfront is the oldest surviving church in New Zealand, dating to 1836. The Russell Museum on York Street has local history collections and a one-fifth scale model of Cook’s Endeavour.

Paihia

Paihia is the main visitor hub – ferry terminals, tour operators, accommodation, and cafes on a compact waterfront. From the wharf you can book boat tours, fishing charters, kayak hire, and the passenger ferry to Russell.

Things to Do

The Hole in the Rock at Cape Brett is a sea cave and natural arch reached by boat tour from Paihia, about 90 minutes each way. Many tours pass through the cave at high tide. The Cape Brett Walkway is a two-day track to the lighthouse along a ridge with views over both sides of the peninsula – one of the better multi-day walks in Northland.

Urupukapuka Island is the largest of the bay’s islands, accessible by ferry, with walking tracks and a DOC campsite.

Diving in the bay includes kelp forests, rocky reefs, and the Rainbow Warrior – a Greenpeace ship sunk by French secret service agents in Auckland in 1985 and later relocated to the bay as an artificial reef. This is a genuinely unusual dive site and worth the certification effort.

The Twin Coast Cycle Trail connects the Bay of Islands to the Hokianga Harbour on the west coast in a 2-3 day ride through farm and forest.

Where to Stay

Paihia has the widest accommodation range. Russell has quieter B&Bs and self-contained cottages. DOC campsites on Urupukapuka Island give you waking up on the water. Summer (December through February) is the busiest period; March and April offer quieter conditions and water still warm enough for swimming.

Getting There

Auckland to Paihia is about three hours by road via State Highway 1. InterCity coaches run a daily service. The Kerikeri Sunday morning farmers’ market (20 minutes north of Paihia) stocks Northland citrus, avocados, and honey – worth the detour.