How to spend a trip to the Bay of Islands – Paihia and beyond
The Bay of Islands, situated in the Far North, is an unmissable destination to add to a New Zealand itinerary. With no shortage of places to explore, whether in the form of beaches, trails, towns, islands, there will be something to suit your desires.
Flights ✈️: For the best, cheapest flight options to New Zealand, check out Skyscanner, or for flights with cashback, WayAway.
eSIM: Check out Yesim or Drimsim to avoid roaming fees in New Zealand. Set up your eSIM before your trip and stay connected from arrival.
Accommodation 🛌: Booking.com and Agoda have a great range of accommodation options in the Bay of Islands area. If you’re on a budget, head over to Hostelworld.
Car hire: If you want the ease of a car for your trip, you can book one here on Rentalcars.
Travel Insurance: Travel Insurance through SafetyWing will leave you with peace of mind on your trip, whether travelling long-term or on a short trip.
Activities: For activities and tours in New Zealand, GetYourGuide and Viator have many options available, including various boat tours and more around the Bay of Islands.
How long to visit the Bay of Islands for?
Dedicate at least 3-4 days to a Bay of Islands trip, my itinerary tips will show you how you can easily fill this time.
I actually spent 8 nights in the Bay of Islands, probably more than most opt for. I wasn’t on a tight schedule and was sticking around for a running race. This meant I had a good amount of time to explore, relax and experience this beautiful area of New Zealand – if you’ve got time to spare, it is worth staying a week or so.
How to get to the Far North?
Intercity bus from Auckland. The bus takes just under 4 hours and was my go-to in this instance seeing as I already had an Intercity pass (it is the cheapest public transport option). I took the bus to Paihia, as this is the best place to be, specially as a solo traveller.
Alternatively, depending on your budget and if perhaps you’re not travelling solo as I was, renting a car is also an excellent option. This will, of course, give you a lot more freedom when you get there.
Where to base yourself for a Bay of Islands trip?
Paihia:
As mentioned, I took the bus to Paihia. The town of Paihia was my base for my far north, Bay of Islands travels. I definitely recommend staying here – it is the gateway to the islands and also a good middle ground for exploring further north or even south.
A predominantly tourist town, in peak summer it tends to be bustling with visitors. When I went in November, however, it was neither overly busy nor too quiet, creating a good travel atmosphere.
Accommodation?
Visiting the Bay of Islands is excellent because the accommodation, at least in Paihia, caters to all budgets.
Backpacker budget: Paihia is backpacker friendly – great for the solo travellers out there. That’s to say, there are a fair few hostels to choose from. The hostels in Paihia tend to have high ratings, you can take a look at them here:
- Bay of Islands Lodge Paihia (rated 10 on Hostelworld)
- Haka House Bay of Islands (rated 9.4 on Hostelworld)
- Peppertree Lodge (rated 9.3 on Hostelworld)
- Centabay Lodge (rated 8.4 on Hostelworld)
Bay of Islands Lodge (formerly YHA Bay of Islands Paihia) was my accommodation choice. This hostel has been updated in more ways than just its name since I was there. Currently, it is rated with a solid 10 on Hostelworld – it has only gotten better over time!
On the other hand…..
If you want to live more of a ‘high-class’ life while in the Bay of Islands, don’t worry, there are plenty of options for you too! Paihia can really suit every traveller, and, because it’s a small town, no accommodation is far from where you will want to be. I recommend using Booking.com or Agoda to find an accommodation that will suit your desires!
Itinerary tips – What to do in and around Paihia:
Using my own experience as a guide, here are some tips/ideas of what to do on a trip to the Bay of Islands.
Paihia
In Paihia itself, you can take some time to relax on the beach and wander around the town centre. Williams Road is the main road of the town where you can find various shops, supermarkets, cafés, restaurants, etc.
You won’t miss the ferry port, which you will likely become familiar with. This is situated by the Bay of Islands i-SITE Visitor Information Centre – do head here if you need some extra information for your trip!
Paihia is great because it is a lovely, scenic town, but of course because it is the gateway to the Bay of Islands. So, what can you do from Paihia?
– Take a boat tour of the Bay of Islands from Paihia
There are various boat tours which leave from Paihia, some of the top ones include:
Hole in the Rock and Bay of Islands Cruise
- This popular, top rated tour takes you on a 4.5 hour cruise which includes encountering dolphins and whales, cruising through the Hole in the Rock and a 1.5 hour stop at the stunning Urupukapuka Island.
Or a very similar option is the Hole in the Rock Cruise with 2 Island Stops. This tour gives slightly less time at Urupukapuka Island – 1 hour, but includes a stop to hop off Motuarohia Island for 40 minutes, allowing you to experience another stunning island of the Bay of Islands.
Island-Hopping Sailing Cruise with Picnic Lunch
- If you prefer a sailing adventure, the Island-Hopping Sailing Cruise with Picnic Lunch is the way to go. This relaxing 6 hour trip includes a stop at a remote island, where you can walk, swim, or even snorkel or use the paddle equipment, both of which are included in the trip to fully enjoy the water.
There are more tour options too, but I’ll let you look for yourself and decide which best suits you.
BOOK BAY OF ISLANDS BOAT TOURS HERE
If you don’t want such a relaxing tour of the Bay of Islands and instead want something a little more exhilarating, you can take a Jet Boat Trip – Paihia: Bay of Islands 30-minute Adventure Jet Boat Trip.
– Day trip to Urupukapuka Island
While some of the boat tour options include a stop at Urupukapuka Island, it really is worth dedicating more time to. You can visit independtly from Paihia, the ferry ride takes just 40 minutes and leaves from Paihia wharf. You can check out the ferry here.
Immerse yourself in the beautiful tranquility of the Bay of Islands by taking a day trip to Urupukapuka Island, the largest island on the Bay of Islands. It is paradisaical from the onset and was one of my favourite trips in New Zealand!
For more information on a visit to Urupukapuka Island, you can check out my post Urupukapuka Island: Paradise in the Bay of Islands
– Go on a Scenic Helicopter Tour from Paihia
Fancy an adventure and seeing the Bay of Islands from ABOVE? The Bay of Islands and Hole in the Rock Scenic Helicopter Tour is for you. There are three options – a 20 minute scenic flight, a tour including landing at the Hole in the Rock on a 35 minute ride, or take a 1 hour flight which gives time for a guided walk at the Hole in the Rock.
Explore along the coast from Paihia:
Waitangi
Explore along the coast from Paihia with a visit to Waitangi, which is just around a 30 minute coastal walk away.
Take a visit to The Waitangi Treaty Grounds. This is a very popular activity option (I didn’t actually make it here but I wish I did!). The admission for the grounds is for two days, so you can really make the most of it.
Want to go further? Continue on to Harura Falls afterwards (a 90 minute walk one way from the Treaty Grounds, or around 4 hours return walk from Paihia – I was both busy and too exhausted to make my way to the falls on feet, but check it out if you’re up for it, or for sure if you have transport).
– Paihia to Opua Coastal Walkway
Explore in the opposite direction from Paihia by taking a walk to Opua, or as far along as you wish, the walkway providing a beautiful coastal route.
– Visit Russell
Dedicate a few hours or half day to Russell, a town with much historic importance, located just across the water from Paihia. Russell is easily reached by a 15 minute ferry from Paihia. The ferry runs once an hour and the ticket can be purchased at the ferry. An adult return costs $16.
Explore the main centre
Wander the streets and take in the history – see the oldest surviving church in New Zealand, Christ Church.
Stroll along the shore front beach, stop for some food or drinks at one of the lovely restaurants or cafés – Russell would be lovely as a lunch/dinner/drinks or a sunset spot.
Flagstaff Hill Track
Undertake the short walk to the summit of Flagstaff hill for panoramic views of the Bay of Islands. On seeing the expanse of striking blue water, along with the abundance of islands, boats and the surrounding lush greenery, the small climb is instantly made worth it.
Oneroa Bay (Long Beach)
Head to the beautiful Oneroa Bay (Long Beach). A great spot for relaxing, swimming or even a beach walk. Just a 20 minute walk over the hill from the ferry port.
Note, there is the option to do a 1 hour sightseeing tour by coach from Russell Wharf. For me I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to do this, but if you prefer to be in a tour setting and don’t want to walk too much, this is an excellent option!
– Whangarei + Waipu
Spend a day chasing waterfalls, caves and beaches with a road-trip further south from Paihia for the day. (I met someone with a car which made this possible on my car-less visit, although did actually hitch-hike back to Paihia so that’s always a possibility too!)
Otherwise this is a good option if driving from Auckland to Paihia to stop off on the way, or the return journey.
– Whangarei Falls (55 minute drive from Paihia)
– Waipu Caves (1.5 hrs from Paihia)
– Waipu Cove beach (25 minutes from Waipu Caves)
Take a trip to the top of New Zealand – Cape Reinga
Explore further north, taking a day to travel to the picturesque top of New Zealand – Cape Reinga.
I chose to do a day tour from Paihia to Cape Reinga. Without a car, a tour is the best way to visiting Cape Reinga and some other key Northland sights en route.
Paihia: Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach Trip with Lunch.
Despite the cost on my backpacker budget, I really enjoyed the tour and had no regrets on doing it. I had no other way to visiting Cape Reigna from Paihia, and appreciated the ease of seeing the sights through a tour. For more details on my Cape Reinga tour trip, you can check out my post Cape Reinga Day Tour: Exploring the Far North.
Ideally, if you have a car, or find someone with a car, road-trip it. Hiring a car could be a great shout if there are a few of you. Even make it into a greater tour of the Far North with a couple nights or more stop-over en route to explore some more. You will most likely have to rent the car from Auckland, take a look here to see your options:
I wish I had had more time to take in the beauty of this area of Northland. Tours of course run on a relatively tight schedule, but the tour was the best option for me at this point and I am glad that I did it.
Kerikeri
Around a 20 minute drive from Paihia is Northland’s largest town, Kerikeri.
Buses here are infrequent, and don’t make it easy to give it a visit without a car.
It is a nice town with waterfalls, walks and historic sites. I didn’t actually get the chance to experience these or the real charm of this town – I made it here at one point for only a few hours, lacking time and energy to really explore as I had just run 21.1km!
That brings me to my final tip of what to do around Paihia. This one requires some fitness and to be in the area at the right time – run the Kerikeri Half Marathon!
So, I did something a little different than the average traveller on a Bay of Islands trip – I ran the Kerikeri Half Marathon (signed up 6 days in advance when I realised I would be in the area!). So, if your travels coincide accordingly and you’re crazy enough (I’m a runner, not just super crazy), I highly recommend this race. The best way to keep fit when travelling! I loved it, the locals were out providing support and there was even someone playing bagpipes at one point along the way (what an encouragement as a Scottish gal). Really though, what a way to explore the Northland countryside – 13.1 miles of rolling hills starting in Okaihau and ending in the town of KeriKeri.
So, that is how I spent my time in and around Paihia. That could for sure be compressed into less days than the time I was there for.
It is easy to both keep busy and also relax when in the Bay of Islands. The whole of my last day in Paihia was spent being happy to just chill at Paihia beach. I planned my next travel move after a busy week of walking/exploring/tours/running! I didn’t really want to leave because Paihia was feeling homely after 7 nights, but the road was calling. Having extra time to chill out here was so nice. It allowed me to get a good feel for, and appreciate this area of New Zealand even more.
I would definitely go back to the Bay of Islands and fully recommend putting it on your North Island itinerary!
