Bay of Islands

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This was published 14 years ago

Bay of Islands

A premier tourist destination with perfect weather and lots of activities

If you enjoy fishing, sailing, golf, or just lying in the sun and cruising around a 16km-wide inlet, then you will find your days are full of glorious holiday activities when you stay in the Bay of Islands.

Located 237 km north of Auckland (about a three hour drive) it has been claimed that the bay has the bluest skies in the world. Certainly on a perfect day everyone feels as though they are in paradise and to see people lying on the beaches, sailing across the bay and around the many islands, or just wandering along the streets of the main towns – Paihia and Russell – is to be reminded that this is one of the most glorious regions on the planet.

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Maori had lived in the area for at least 600 years before Captain Cook sailed into the bay in 1769 and named it the Bay of Islands.

Once Europeans had explored the coastline, and it became widely known that the waters between the islands offered safe harbour, the region became popular with whalers, sealers and itinerant sailors. In the early years it developed a terrible reputation.

Russell, the first town, was known for a time as the “Hell Hole of the Pacific” and it had a well-deserved reputation for prostitution and wild living.

By 1814 missionaries had arrived and the Church Missionary Society established missions around the bay (Kerikeri in 1819, Paihia in 1823) in an attempt to curb the debauched behaviour of the sailors. It was on the shores of the bay that the famous Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 and for a short time the bay was recognised as the defacto capital of the whole of New Zealand.

By the end of the 19th century discriminating residents of Auckland were realising that the Bay boasted near perfect weather and were starting to establish holiday homes around the Bay. By the 1930s it was a chic and desirable holiday option for people wanting to fish (it became famous for deep sea fishing in the 1920s when the American author and obsessive fisherman, Zane Grey, started to visit regularly) and to enjoy the milder climate. Visitors noticed that when the tides turned at a certain time of the year the water in the Bay became noticeable warmer.

Today the Bay of Islands is New Zealand's premier seaside resort destination. Its beaches are pleasant and quiet, the region boasts some of the most exclusive lodges and resorts with exceptional golf courses and fine dining, and the walks around the coastline are impressive.

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THINGS TO SEE

Paihia

The main town in the Bay of Islands is Paihia. With a population of less than 2000, Paihia has been the starting point for tourists to the region since the 1930s. It has inevitably evolved and today is notable for a number of good restaurants, excellent accommodation options and ferry terminals for travellers planning to explore the bay or travel across to the historic township of Russell. In summertime the town attracts large numbers of holidaymakers. Be sure you book ahead as it can get crowded. Head for the town's main wharf where bookings for most of the region's attractions can be made.

Waitangi

No visit to Paihia and the Bay of Islands is complete without spending time 3km north of Paihia at Waitangi. It was here in 1833 that James Busby, the British Resident Minister, took up residence. The following year 35 Maori chiefs from the North Island gathered, drew up the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand and on 28 October 1835 signed a document recognising the sovereignty of the country. It was at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds on 6 February, 1840 that a treaty between Maori and the British Crown was signed.

Today the Waitangi Treaty Grounds are a superbly maintained complex. It offers guided tours which tell the stories of the Maori and the treaty and provide an opportunity to see a huge traditional war canoe, explore the Treaty House Museum, and enjoy a meal in the excellent restaurant in the grounds. Of particular interest are the superb carvings at the Whare Runanga – Maori meeting house. Check out http://www.waitangi.net.nz for more details.

Russell

In the early years of the 19th century Russell was a wild town. It used to boast more brothels than pubs and it was a popular haunt for convicts who'd managed to escape from Sydney Town as well as sealers and whalers.

Previously known as Kororareka, it was the first permanent European settlement in New Zealand and, in spite of its reputation, was the country's unofficial capital until 1842 when Auckland received the official title (losing it to Wellington 24 years later).

Today the joy of Russell lies more in its chic cafes and gift shops. Visitors should climb the hills behind the town and admire the views across the bay as well as visiting Pompallier House (which offers an insight into the early life of the region), Christ Church (the oldest church in New Zealand – it still has bullet holes in the walls from the Maori Wars), the Shrine of St Peter Chanel (a missionary murdered by local Maori) and Russell Museum, which is particularly useful for anyone eager to understand the importance of Captain Cook in the history of the Bay of Islands.

Also make sure you see Kemp House (1821-22), which is reputedly New Zealand's oldest wooden house, and the elegant Stone Store (1832-36).

Check out http://www.bayofislands.net/explore/russell for more details.

For those who want a quick overview of Russell, Fullers offer a one-hour tour of the township and the major sites. See http://www.dolphincruises.co.nz/kerikeri-russell/ for more details.

Cruising the Bay of Islands

Most visitors to the Bay of Islands head to the Fullers booking office at the wharf and make sure they book a half day “Dolphin Cruise to the Hole in the Rock” (which runs twice daily) or a full day “Cream Trip Supercruise” or “Best of the Bay” which take in all the sights. Fullers also offer an overnight cruise.

It is hard to imagine anyone going to the Bay of Islands and returning without having experienced the Hole in the Rock, a marvellous natural formation at the opening of the bay, and the Cape Brett lighthouse. They are two of the Bay's essential sites and, if the weather is suitably calm, the catamaran actually goes through the Hole in the Rock. Check out http://www.dolphincruises.co.nz/ for more details.

Cape Reinga

At the wharf at Paihia there's a small office offering scenic flights around the Bay and up to Cape Reinga. It is run by Salt Air Scenic Flights (http://www.saltair.co.nz) and they offer a flight from Kerikeri Airport across to Ninety Mile Beach then up to an airstrip 20km from Cape Reinga where the plane lands.

At that point you get into a 4WD, drive to the Cape, have a relaxed look around, go back to the Giant Te Paki Sand Dunes and then return to Kerikeri via Karikari Peninsula. This is a trip worth doing because, from the air, you can see all the way up 90 Mile Beach (which is actually 64 Mile Beach) and watch the waves breaking on the hard sand and people driving their cars (and buses) up this extraordinary beach.

Cape Reinga is worth a visit. It is beautiful, windy and wild and it is where the Tasman meets the Pacific.

PLACES TO EAT

Bay of Islands Farmers Markets (Sunday Mornings)
Hobson Ave, Kerikeri
www.boifm.org.nz

Mangonui Fish Shop
137 Waterfront Drive, Mangonui
Phone: +64 9406 0478

Neon Cafe
93 Kerikeri Rd, Kerikeri
Phone: +64 9 407 9594

Blue Water Bar & Bistro
3 Beechy Street, Opua
Phone: +64 9402 8008

Island Life
78 Marsden Road, Paihia
Phone: +64 9402 6199
www.islandlifepaihia.co.nz

PLACES TO STAY

Scenic Hotel, Bay of Islands
Cnr Seaview & MacMurray Roads, Paihia
Phone: +64 9 402 7826
www.scenichotelgroup.co.nz/bayofislands
Price: From NZ $140/night

Heron Hill Boutique Accommodation
6 Heron Hill, Kerikeri
Phone: +64 9 4017 047
www.heronhill.co.nz
Price: From NZ $270/night

Carrington Resort, A Heritage Hotel
Maitai Bay Road, Karikari Peninsula, RD3, Kaitaia
Phone: +64 9 408 7222
www.heritagehotels.co.nz/Carrington-Resort
Price: From NZ $300/night

Bay of Islands Lodge
State Highway 11, Opua
Phone: +64 9 4026 075
www.bayofislandslodge.co.nz
Price: From NZ $450/night

The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs
Kauri Cliffs, Matauri Bay Road, Matauri Bay
Phone: +64 9 4070 010
www.kauricliffs.com
Price: From NZ $600/night

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