The Bay of Islands, Pēwhairangi in te reo Māori, is a wide, sheltered bay on the east coast of Northland, about three and a half hours’ drive north of Auckland. Its 144 islands, forested headlands and quiet coves make it one of New Zealand’s favorite places for sailing, kayaking, dolphin cruises and lazy summer days, in a climate that is warmer and more subtropical than most of the country. It is also where modern New Zealand began. Polynesian voyagers settled here centuries ago; European whalers, traders and missionaries followed in the early 1800s; and on 6 February 1840, Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown signed the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) on the lawn of the Treaty House at Waitangi, now the country’s most important historic site. The bay’s three main towns each have their own character: Paihia, the busy tourist hub and boat harbor; Russell, across the water, once a lawless whaling port and now a charming village of colonial buildings; and Kerikeri, inland, with orchards, the country’s oldest stone building and a small airport. Summer, from December to March, is the peak season, but the bay is mild and lovely well into autumn.
Right now in Bay of Islands (Paihia)
- Thu8–20°C47–67°FMostly clear
- Fri9–19°C49–66°FMostly clear
- Sat14–18°C57–65°F1 mm rain
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Bay of Islands at a glance
- Best months: December to April for boating, swimming and island hopping; February and March are warm and less crowded than the Christmas to January holidays. Winter (June to August) is mild but wetter.
- Time needed: two to three days for Waitangi, a boat trip and Russell; four or five to add Cape Reinga and the kauri forests.
- Getting there: about 230 km (143 miles) and 3.5 hours by car from Auckland; daily coaches; or a 45-minute flight from Auckland to Bay of Islands (Kerikeri) Airport.
- Costs (as of October 2026): prices in New Zealand dollars; Waitangi Treaty Grounds admission is NZ$78 for international adults (about US$44) and NZ$39 for New Zealand residents.
- Before you go: entry rules, the NZeTA and visitor levy, and biosecurity are in our New Zealand travel guide.
The Bay of Islands’ towns and who each one suits
Paihia
The main town on the bay has the waterfront wharf where most cruises, ferries and fishing trips leave, plus motels, hostels, restaurants and the start of the walk to Waitangi, 2 km (1.2 miles) north. The best base for first-timers, families and anyone without a car.
Russell (Kororāreka)
A 15-minute passenger ferry ride across the bay, Russell was once known as the “Hell-hole of the Pacific” for its whalers and grog shops. Today it is a peaceful village with a historic waterfront hotel, Christ Church (the oldest surviving church in New Zealand), Pompallier Mission, B&Bs and a lovely evening atmosphere once the day-trippers have left. Ideal for couples and anyone wanting quiet.
Kerikeri
About 25 minutes inland, Kerikeri is the region’s largest town, set among citrus and kiwifruit orchards, with cafés, markets, wineries, the airport and the historic Kerikeri Basin. Good for travelers with a car who like food and history.
Ōpua, Waitangi and the islands
Ōpua, south of Paihia, has a marina and the car ferry to Russell. Waitangi has resort hotels beside the Treaty Grounds and golf course. A few lodges and DOC campsites on Urupukapuka Island give the chance to sleep on an island.
Top things to see in the Bay of Islands
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
New Zealand’s most important historic site stands on a grassy headland above the bay. Here you can see the Treaty House, the 1830s home of British Resident James Busby, where the treaty was signed on the lawn in 1840; Te Whare Rūnanga, a carved meeting house representing iwi from all over the country; and Ngātokimatawhaorua, a 35 m (115-foot) war canoe that is the world’s largest ceremonial waka, launched each Waitangi Day. Two museums, Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi (the story of the treaty and its place in New Zealand today) and Te Rau Aroha (the Māori contribution to New Zealand’s armed forces), are well worth the time.
Admission is valid for two consecutive days and includes a 50-minute guided tour, a 30-minute Māori cultural performance, entry to both museums and access to all heritage buildings.
| Waitangi admission | 1 Oct 2025–30 Sep 2026 | From 1 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, international visitor | NZ$74 | NZ$78 |
| Youth (13–17), international visitor | NZ$37 | NZ$39 |
| Adult, New Zealand resident (ID required) | NZ$37 | NZ$39 |
| Youth (13–17), New Zealand resident (ID required) | NZ$18.50 | NZ$19.50 |
| Child (0–12) with a paying adult | Free | Free |
The grounds are open every day except Christmas Day: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from 1 March to 24 December and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 26 December to 28 February. Guided tours run several times a day (four times daily from late April to Christmas, more often in summer), and cultural performances at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. outside summer. On Waitangi Day, 6 February, there is a free festival at the grounds, but all buildings are closed. A hāngī dinner and evening concert are offered on some nights. Kiwi live on the wider estate, so dogs are not allowed, even in cars.
Russell’s historic waterfront
Walk Russell’s waterfront Strand past the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, which holds the first liquor license in New Zealand, to Pompallier Mission, an 1842 printery and tannery where Catholic missionaries printed books in te reo Māori; guided tours show how it worked. Christ Church, built in 1836, still has musket-ball holes from a battle in 1845. Climb Flagstaff Hill (Maiki), where the chief Hōne Heke cut down the British flagpole four times, for views across the bay.
Cruises to the Hole in the Rock
The classic day trip is a boat ride from Paihia out to Cape Brett and the Hole in the Rock (Motukōkako), a sea arch that boats pass through when the swell allows, with stops to look for bottlenose and common dolphins and a chance of whales in season. Many cruises call at Urupukapuka Island, the largest in the bay, which has beaches, an archaeological walk past old pā (fortified village) sites and a café in summer. Since the bay’s resident bottlenose dolphin population has declined, swimming with dolphins is no longer allowed in the Bay of Islands; boats must also limit time near them.
Kerikeri Basin: the Stone Store and Kemp House
At the Kerikeri Basin are the two oldest European buildings in New Zealand: Kemp House (1822), a wooden mission house, and the Stone Store (1836), the country’s oldest stone building, still a shop. Behind them, a riverside track leads through forest to Rainbow Falls (about an hour each way, or drive to the falls’ car park), and across the river is Rewa’s Village, a reconstruction of a pre-European Māori fishing village.
Haruru Falls and the mangrove walk
A boardwalk and track from the Waitangi Treaty Grounds follow the Waitangi River through mangroves to the horseshoe-shaped Haruru Falls, about 5 km (3 miles), roughly 1.5 hours one way. It’s an easy walk with good birdlife.
Other things to do in the Bay of Islands
- Sailing: day trips on tall ships and modern yachts, or charter your own.
- Sea kayaking: paddle to Haruru Falls or around the islands, with guided tours from Paihia.
- Fishing: big-game fishing for marlin from about January to April, and reef fishing year-round.
- Diving: the wreck of the Rainbow Warrior, the Greenpeace ship sunk by French agents in 1985, lies off the Cavalli Islands to the north.
- Walking: the Cape Brett Track (a challenging 16 km one way to a hut at the lighthouse) and the coastal walks around Russell and Urupukapuka.
- Skydiving and parasailing over the bay.
Food and drink
Seafood is the star: fish and chips on the Paihia waterfront, local oysters, snapper and kingfish. Kerikeri has a Sunday farmers’ market, chocolate and fudge makers, citrus and avocados from the orchards, and a handful of wineries. Russell’s waterfront hotels and cafés are the place for a sunset drink.
Day trips from the Bay of Islands
Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach
At the northern tip of the North Island, Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua) is where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet, and the departure point of spirits in Māori tradition; respect it as a sacred place and don’t eat or drink at the lighthouse. Full-day coach tours from Paihia (about 11 to 12 hours) drive along Ninety Mile Beach, a legal highway at low tide, and stop to slide down the giant sand dunes at Te Paki. Rental cars are not allowed on the beach.
Waipoua Forest and Tāne Mahuta
About two hours southwest, on the west coast, Waipoua Forest has Tāne Mahuta, the largest known kauri tree, estimated to be over 1,000 years old, reached by a short boardwalk. Stay on the boardwalks and use the shoe-cleaning stations to protect the trees from kauri dieback disease.
Whangārei and the Tutukaka Coast
An hour south, Whangārei has a 26 m (85-foot) waterfall in town, and the Tutukaka Coast is the gateway to the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, one of the world’s best subtropical dive and snorkel sites.
Matauri Bay and Whangaroa
North of Kerikeri, Matauri Bay has a monument to the Rainbow Warrior, and Whangaroa Harbour has volcanic domes and good walks.
Nearby destinations
- Auckland191 km
Getting there and getting around
From Auckland
The drive north on State Highway 1 takes about 3.5 hours via Whangārei; the toll road north of Auckland (Northern Gateway) saves time and can be paid online. InterCity coaches run daily from Auckland to Paihia. Bay of Islands (Kerikeri) Airport has Air New Zealand flights from Auckland of about 45 minutes; it is 25 minutes by road from Paihia.
Getting around the bay
- Passenger ferry between Paihia and Russell: frequent sailings, about 15 minutes.
- Car ferry between Ōpua and Okiato (for Russell): a short crossing that saves a long drive around the bay.
- Cruises and water taxis: to the islands and Cape Brett.
- By car: the easiest way to reach Kerikeri, the falls and the beaches; local bus services are limited.
When to go and how long to stay
The Bay of Islands has a warm, humid, subtropical climate. Summer (December to February) brings highs of about 24–25 °C (75–77 °F), warm sea temperatures and the busiest weeks of the year from Christmas to late January. Autumn (March to May) is often the most settled, with warm sea for swimming into April. Winter (June to August) is mild, with highs around 15–16 °C (59–61 °F), but it is the wettest season. Spring (September to November) is changeable and windy. Tropical storms occasionally bring heavy rain between January and March.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain | Rain days (≥1 mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 °C (76 °F) | 16 °C (60 °F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 7 |
| Feb | 25 °C (76 °F) | 16 °C (62 °F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 7 |
| Mar | 23 °C (74 °F) | 15 °C (59 °F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) | 9 |
| Apr | 21 °C (70 °F) | 13 °C (56 °F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 10 |
| May | 18 °C (65 °F) | 11 °C (52 °F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) | 13 |
| Jun | 16 °C (61 °F) | 9 °C (48 °F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) | 14 |
| Jul | 16 °C (60 °F) | 8 °C (47 °F) | 174 mm (6.8 in) | 15 |
| Aug | 16 °C (61 °F) | 8 °C (47 °F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 15 |
| Sep | 18 °C (64 °F) | 10 °C (49 °F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 13 |
| Oct | 19 °C (66 °F) | 11 °C (52 °F) | 77 mm (3.0 in) | 10 |
| Nov | 21 °C (69 °F) | 12 °C (54 °F) | 76 mm (3.0 in) | 9 |
| Dec | 23 °C (73 °F) | 14 °C (58 °F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 9 |
| Year | 20 °C (68 °F) | 12 °C (54 °F) | 1,289 mm (50.7 in) | 131 |
Figures are NIWA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for Whangārei, the nearest station in NIWA’s published table, about 60 km (37 miles) south of Paihia; the Bay of Islands is similar, with slightly lower temperatures inland at Kerikeri.
Events worth planning around
- Waitangi Day (6 February): the national commemorations, with a free festival, cultural performances and the waka launch at the Treaty Grounds (buildings closed). The 2027 public holiday is observed on Monday 8 February.
- Auckland Anniversary Day (observed Monday 1 February 2027), also a holiday in Northland.
- The Russell Birdman and other summer festivals, and the Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues festival in winter.
- Game-fishing tournaments from January to March.
Dates change every year; check the organizers’ sites before you book.
How long to stay: 2, 3 and 5 days
- Two days: Waitangi Treaty Grounds and the Haruru Falls walk on day one; a Hole in the Rock cruise and an evening in Russell on day two.
- Three days: add Kerikeri’s Stone Store, Rainbow Falls and the farmers’ market, or a day sailing and kayaking.
- Five days: add Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach, and Waipoua Forest on the way back south.
Where to stay in the Bay of Islands
- Paihia: motels, hostels and apartments near the wharf; convenient and lively.
- Russell: historic hotels, B&Bs and holiday homes; quieter and more romantic.
- Waitangi: resort hotels beside the Treaty Grounds.
- Kerikeri: motels, lodges and orchard stays for those with a car.
- Islands and remote bays: a few lodges and DOC campsites, such as on Urupukapuka Island.
Prices include 15% GST. They rise sharply from Christmas to late January and around Waitangi Day, when bookings fill months ahead.
Typical costs in the Bay of Islands
| Item (as of October 2026) | New Zealand dollars | About US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Waitangi Treaty Grounds, international adult | NZ$78 | US$44 |
| Waitangi Treaty Grounds, New Zealand resident adult | NZ$39 | US$22 |
| Hole in the Rock cruise, adult | about NZ$120–170 | about US$65–95 |
| Paihia to Russell passenger ferry, return | about NZ$15–20 | about US$8–11 |
| Cape Reinga day tour from Paihia | about NZ$150–200 | about US$85–110 |
| Fish and chips | about NZ$15–20 | about US$8–11 |
| Motel room in Paihia, per night | about NZ$150–280 | about US$85–155 |
Waitangi admission prices are official 2026/27 figures. Cruise, ferry, tour, food and motel prices are typical ranges, not official prices. Conversions use about US$0.56 to NZ$1.
Safety in the Bay of Islands
- Sun: the northern sun is very strong in summer; use high-SPF sunscreen, a hat and shade.
- Boating: wear a lifejacket in small boats and kayaks, check the marine forecast, and watch for fast changes in wind out at Cape Brett.
- Swimming: most bay beaches are calm, but tides and currents can be strong around headlands and on the west coast’s surf beaches.
- Marine life: keep your distance from dolphins and whales; swimming with dolphins is not permitted in the bay.
- Driving: Northland roads are winding and narrow with logging trucks, gravel sections and one-lane bridges; keep left and allow extra time. Rental cars are not allowed on Ninety Mile Beach.
- Kauri dieback: clean your shoes at stations in kauri forests and stay on tracks.
- Car break-ins: don’t leave valuables in cars at beaches and trailheads.
- Emergencies: call 111.
Practical tips for the Bay of Islands
- Time zone: New Zealand Daylight Time (UTC+13) from 27 September 2026 to 4 April 2027.
- Use your two-day Waitangi ticket: come back for the cultural performance or a museum you missed.
- Book summer trips early: cruises, sailing trips and accommodation fill up from Christmas to January.
- Free things: the Haruru Falls walk, Russell’s waterfront and Flagstaff Hill, Kerikeri Basin and Rainbow Falls, and the beaches.
- Tipping: not expected.
What to pack for the Bay of Islands
Pack summer clothes, a swimsuit, reef-safe sunscreen, a sun hat and sunglasses, walking sandals or shoes, a light rain jacket, insect repellent and a warm layer for evenings on the water. In winter, bring a sweater and waterproof jacket.
Bay of Islands travel FAQ
How much does it cost to visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds?
From 1 October 2026, NZ$78 for international adults and NZ$39 for international youth aged 13 to 17 and for New Zealand resident adults; children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Tickets are valid for two consecutive days and include a guided tour and cultural performance.
What are the Waitangi Treaty Grounds’ opening hours?
Every day except Christmas Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from 1 March to 24 December and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 26 December to 28 February. Buildings are closed on Waitangi Day, 6 February.
Paihia or Russell: where should I stay?
Paihia is more convenient, with the boat wharf, more accommodation and restaurants. Russell is quieter and more historic, a 15-minute ferry ride away.
Can you swim with dolphins in the Bay of Islands?
No. Swimming with dolphins is no longer permitted in the Bay of Islands, to protect the declining local population. Cruises still watch dolphins from the boat.
How do I get from Auckland to the Bay of Islands?
Drive about 3.5 hours north on State Highway 1, take an InterCity coach to Paihia, or fly about 45 minutes to Kerikeri.
Is Cape Reinga worth the day trip?
Yes, if you have a full day: the coach tours include Ninety Mile Beach and the Te Paki sand dunes. It is about 11 to 12 hours from Paihia.
When is the best time to visit the Bay of Islands?
February to April, for warm water and calmer, less crowded days after the summer holidays.
How many days do you need in the Bay of Islands?
Two to three days for Waitangi, a cruise and Russell; add a day for Cape Reinga.
What is the Hole in the Rock?
A sea arch in Motukōkako Island off Cape Brett at the entrance to the bay. Cruise boats pass through it in calm conditions.
Can I drive a rental car on Ninety Mile Beach?
No. Rental agreements don’t allow it; take a guided tour on a purpose-built coach.
Plan your trip
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Sources · last reviewed 5 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 5 October 2026. Waitangi Treaty Grounds admission prices, inclusions, opening hours, tour and performance schedules and Waitangi Day closures come from the Waitangi National Trust; volcanic alert levels (Northland, Level 0) from GeoNet; climate from NIWA’s 1991–2020 normals for Whangārei; holiday and daylight saving dates from Employment New Zealand and Govt.nz; exchange rates from the European Central Bank. The number of islands, historic dates and buildings, the dolphin-swimming ban, distances and drive and flight times, tour durations, event months, and cruise, ferry, tour, food and motel prices are general references and flagged for checking. Prices and schedules change, so check the official sites before you go. For entry rules, biosecurity and driving, see our New Zealand travel guide.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Sea temperature: NOAA CoastWatch · Rates: ECB · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)