11 days in Bay of Islands Itinerary

11 days in Bay of Islands Itinerary

Created using Inspirock Bay of Islands trip builder

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Plan created by another user. Make it yours
Start: Christchurch
Fly
1
Paihia
— 10 nights
Fly
End: Christchurch
Tue, Dec 10 - Fri, Dec 20 Edit
S M T W T F S
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10
nights
Paihia

R. Tucker Thompson ©
The main tourist town in the Bay of Islands area, Paihia gives visitors a good range of accommodations, a convenient town center, long sandy beaches, and interesting architecture.
You've now added R. Tucker Thompson to your itinerary. Kids will enjoy Waitangi Treaty Grounds and Dolphin & Whale Watching. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Paihia: Russell (Tapeka Point Track, Oneroa Bay, &more), Whangarei (Town Basin, Whangarei Falls, &more) and Matai Bay (in Karikari Peninsula). Next up on the itinerary: see some colorful creatures with a scuba or snorkeling tour, get a dose of the wild on a nature and wildlife tour, admire the sheer force of Haruru Falls, and fly like a bird with a parasailing or paragliding tour.

For photos, ratings, reviews, and more tourist information, read our Paihia driving holiday app.

Christchurch to Paihia is an approximately 5.5-hour flight. You can also do a combination of car and ferry; or do a combination of bus and ferry. Finish your sightseeing early on the 20th (Fri) so you can travel back home.

Things to do in Paihia

Outdoors · Parks · Tours · Wildlife

Side Trips

Kerikeri, Russell, Whangarei, Kawakawa, Tane Mahuta Walk
Find places to stay Dec 10 — 20:
Hotels on TripAdvisor
Homes on Airbnb
Highlights from your trip
R. Tucker Thompson ©
Day Trip
R. Tucker Thompson
5.0
Ocean Beach ©
Beach
Ocean Beach
4.8
Oneroa Bay ©
Beach
Oneroa Bay
4.8
See timeline
See Bay of Islands Travel Guide

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See more trips
See also:

Bay of Islands travel guide

4.4
Historic Sites · Swim with Dolphins · Dolphin & Whale Watching
World-renowned place for big-game fishing, the subtropical microregion of Bay of Islands has enjoyed fame ever since the adventure novelist Zane Grey released "Tales of the Angler's El Dorado, New Zealand" in the 1930s. Your own Bay of Islands trip can be as adventurous as you like, with great opportunities for spotting whales, dolphins, marlins, and penguins, as well as popular dive spots. Don't forget to turn your gaze upward from the abundant sea: the sky here is the second-bluest in the word, according to a scientific study conducted early in the 21st century. The bay's many islands have great hiking trails, and long sandy beaches stretch along the coves and inlets on the mainland.