The magical Bay of Islands
Written: Jan 22 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: I have stumbled upon paradise .
Cons: I wish I had a holiday home here.
The Bottom Line: You just HAVE to make time to visit the Bay of Islands.
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| hollynz's Full Review: Bay of Islands |
Thanks to Di for adding this to the database
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Located about 2 - 3 hours drive north of Auckland, the Bay of Islands is a popular weekend retreat for jaded Aucklanders. It is also a very popular destination for holidaymakers from both the international and domestic market.
The bay is a hidden gem and now I have discovered it I have been smitten. To say it is scenic does not do it justice, to try to describe it is near impossible but take my word for it, you will fall in love with it straight away.
The bay is large and sheltered and sprinkled with 144 islands … some tiny little bush covered knolls and others large imposing islands. In 1769 Captain Cook named it ‘The Bay of Islands’ but I’m sure he could have put a bit more effort into this one.
Due to the natural shelter of the bay the water is as flat as a pancake and the waves lapping to shore only make it calf height at the most. The picturesque bay is shaped like a large horseshoe and the small townships of Paihia and Russell sit snugly opposite the large bay from each other. A couple of other settlements of houses can be seen between these two villages and the whole area is smothered in thick native bush covering the protective hills surrounding the bay and dripping into the water. Yachts are moored in all the little coves and the bay is dotted with small sail boats, and all manner of water craft. Water related activities seem to be the main form of recreation around here and the bay is a hive of activity.
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The other claim to fame of the region is Waitangi, the very place that The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the British Government and The Maori back in 1840.
This area was the first to be settled by Europeans and quite a large community lived in Russell in the early 1800’s. Maori were already living here in large numbers when Captain Cook rode on in and not long after the first settlers arrived and the Maori set up a thriving trade selling Kauri timber and gum.
Russell became known as “The hell hole of the Pacific” due to the large amount of brothels, alcohol and lawlessness in the town. The missionaries arrived to try to put some order in place but it wasn’t until 1833 that England sent out a representative to take charge of the new colony.
When the French started to show interest in the region the British put together a treaty document which was then translated into Maori. On the 6th February 1840 the Treaty was signed by 43 Maori chiefs at Waitangi before being taken on a journey around the country where it gathered 500 signatures from tribes nationwide.
The region is very important to the nation and lack of development has ensured that the historic sites have remained intact and accessible to one and all.
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Paihia
This small town is the hub of all the tourist activities in the area and even though the population is tiny with only 1,836 residents, the town seems much bigger due to the amount of visitors that flock here. The road into town from the north follows the sea and across the road are loads and loads of motels and holiday rental houses. Up and over a small hill and you are in the township itself. A couple of the larger resort hotels have the prime roadside position but because they are across the road from the beach the place does not feel enclosed at all.
The small shopping centre seems to focus itself around the very busy pier. We found a park ... not easy in this tiny town ... and went on an orientation walk. At the pier you will find the all important Information Centre. Here you can get advice on everything from accommodations to tours and everything in-between We managed to find a room for $100 at the A1 motel back on the other side of the hill.
(NZ)$100 was to steep for the room but in a resort town like this in the high season we had no option. If we had been certain of dates etc we could have booked somewhere cheaper as there are loads of private rentals and B & B’s but rolling into town in the late afternoon was not too wise.
After unloading our gear we went back into the township once more. I wanted to book a boat trip for the next day so we headed back to the pier again. There is a large waterside building where you will find the major tour companies, head here and browse the selection for something that suits your needs. There are bay cruises galore from the quick 1 ½ hour speedboat trips to the all day and even overnight affairs. The dolphin tours looked a lot of fun and if we had more time I would have loved to do that but we were a bit pushed this time as hubby wanted to be back in Auckland the next night.
There are numerous road tours from here as well and the trip out to Cape reinga via 90 Mile Beach looked like it could be worth taking if you didn't fancy driving yourself there..
We were drawn to the jet boat tour to ‘ The Hole in The Rock ‘ so I made the booking and pulled out my 10% discount coupon I had discovered on the net. They accepted the crumpled coupon without a fuss thankfully.
We wandered along the pier and another thing caught my eye, a place to rent a small boat to do a self-drive tour of the bay. These boats ranged in size from 40h/p to 90h/p and could take 1 -6 people. With prices ranging from (NZ)$65 - $85 an hour it seemed like a fun activity without being to outrageously priced. We watched various groups coming and going and they were obviously easy to handle for novices. The small bays and coves were perfect for exploring and with dead calm water it would make for a great adventure.
We called in to have a drink at a restaurant / bar on the pier. There is a large indoor aquarium here displaying fish found in the bay which was quite intriguing. The size of the eels was a bit unnerving to say the least. The outdoor tables had great views of the bay and the over water setting made it all the more pleasant.
We wanted to take the scenic drive that we could see on the visitors map we had so we picked up a takeout pizza and stopped off at the beach for a while.I cant recall the name of the pizza place but it was upstairs on Williams Street, try it out if you are in town.
We were still in awe of our surroundings and could'nt quite believe what we had stumbled upon. From the picnic table we were at we overlooked a golden beach where a handful of holiday makers were swimming. A couple of kayakers glided by while further out someone parasailing and another was water skiing. A large yacht lay at anchor with smaller ones cruising past from time to time and it was all being accompanied by the soft swish of the gentle waves. Even the local seagulls were well behaved and not crowding us for handouts ... now thats saying something!
We took the road to a lookout at Bledisloe Mountain and drove through the manicured grounds of the Waitangi National Trust. Here you will find the Waitangi Golf Course, the Waitangi Bowling Club and Yacht Club and tucked into a quiet corner is the Copthorne Hotel and Resort.
As we drove along we were a bit perturbed by the signs warning motorists to 'Beware of Golf balls'. The view from the golf course was spectacular and it was quite a popular drive to take. We managed to get through without being hit by a ball or hitting any golfers.
Just past the Club House the road becomes unsealed as it makes its way up a hill. We got to the top and walked the short trail to the lookout. A sign informed us that this was kiwi habitat and that at sunrise and sunset the kiwi could be heard calling. We kept our eyes and ears pealed but all we saw was a large wood pigeon sitting in a low branch beside the track.
The track went through bush before opening on to a clearing on a hill. The views were quite extensive of the bay as well as inland. A small monument and a bench seat were the only adornments.
We made our way back to the township, left the car at the motel and went for a walk along the beach to cool off. Lots of people were strolling along the beach and we went into the village for a while before heading back to our motel.
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Waitangi
The next day we set off to check out the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. We wandered up to the Visitor Centre and found out that there is an entrance fee if you wanted to access all of the grounds. Children were free but it was $10 adult. . It is all a bit tricky really as there is Free Entry to certain parts of the grounds but Ticket Entry to other parts. It seems the only thing separating the two is your conscience.
to clear up any confusion we paid the fee and were each given a program and told to keep it visible as proof we had paid.
We checked out the display at the centre (ticket entry only) but didn’t bother with the film (ticket entry only) so we wandered off toward the Treaty Grounds. The boardwalk through the bush was fun and the native birds were singing and trilling away merrily.
These grounds are part of the 504 hectare estate that Lord Bledisloe bought in 1932 and then gifted to the people of New Zealand. Luckily he had the foresight to do so as looking at the property today there is no doubt it would have million dollar homes on it with views to match.
This site is possibly the single most important historical site in the whole country as on this very site is the spot where the first Maori Chiefs put their signature to the Treaty of Waitangi, which is the founding document of New Zealand.
We wandered through the grounds and checked out the Maori Waka ( canoe) on display. This huge canoe is 35 metres long and needs at least 76 paddlers to keep it moving. Named Ngatoki Matawhaorua after the waka of the ancient Maori explorer Kupe, it makes an awesome sight and its prow is heavily carved with the most intricate patterns.
From here we wandered up a small hill to where the flagpole stands to mark the very spot that the Treaty signing took place on Feb. 6th, 1840. The flagpole stands in the foreground and set a way behind it is the Treaty House. This was the Bristish Residency and was erected in 1833 - 34. It was pre-cut in Sydney, Australia and shipped to New Zealand. We went inside to tour the house and while I had been through in about 10 minutes, I seemed to have misplaced hubby. I wandered around the gorgeous English cottage garden admiring the flowers and butterflies waiting for him to appear and when he didn’t I and to go looking. I found him in the part of the house that I thought was the least interesting .. the part describing the assembly. He pointed out the wooden pegs and roman numerals that were visible ... I think I made the appropriate oohs and ahhs as I manoeuvred him outside once more.
From here we went to the Maori Meeting House named Te Whare Runanga ( Whare meaning - house and Runanga meaning - to assemble to discuss ) The huge figure of Kupe holding a paddle sits at the top of the carved roof at the entrance. When entering a meeting house it is customary to remove your shoes before heading inside. Once inside the large hall like structure is surprisingly large. The walls are covered in carved and woven panels of the most intricate design and pattern. In this particular house visitors are welcome to take photos but this is not the case in many other meeting houses. The difference is that in this house the carvings represent the many different tribes of the nation but in the tribal houses, the carvings are of ancestors.
Leaving the grounds we wandered back to the car park on a lovely bush walk accompanied by a very friendly Tui who sang and chortled away happily. The Tui is also known as the Parson Bird because of its appearance. It is mainly black with a white tuft under its neck. It is quite a big bird and easy to spot in these parts, as it flies and the sun catches its plummage you get flashes of iridescent green. Its call is all over the place and it the master of mimicry; it copies the sounds of all the other bush birds around which is quite weird. We have a Tui at home that sits in our trees from time to time and squawks like a Myna bird ... very strange.
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From here we made our way back to Paihia for our jet boat ride.
EXCITOR Jet Boat
When you come to the Bay of Islands it seems almost compulsory to do a tour to 'The Hole in the Rock'. This rock is just off the mainland at Cape Brett. According to our boat driver this rock is part of the core of and ancient volcano and over time, a huge hole has developed right through the hard rock of this small island.
I love jet boats so was quite keen to take this cruise over the others, as it turned out it was a very wise choice.
The 18 meter 1600 h/p jet boat was purpose built for this trip and carries 40 passengers at a time. The seating is comfortable padded bench seats but the front section has what they call the extreme seats
As these seats are right at the front they pick up all the bumps along the way so they require seat belts. Passengers straddle the seats and buckle up for the ride.If you have a suspect back you better stick to the bench seats though, hubby was a bit disappointed but I didn't fancy having to deal with him being laid up and in pain for the next few days so the dispute was over pretty quickly.
After being given waterproof jackets and life jackets we were lined up for the obligatory snapshot before we boarded the boat. Once on board we were run through the life jacket drill one more time before leaving the pier.
The water was as flat as a pancake which made the ride as smooth as silk. Once we got out of the speed restriction area the driver opened the throttle, turned on the music and we raced off into the bay with rock music pumping and forget about your hairdo, the wind will play havoc with it.
It was a straight run out to Cape Brett and we pulled up in front of the ‘Hole in the Rock’. The driver gave a rundown of the history of the area before nudging the boat forward into the hole. He cut the engine as we surged up and down on the swell and made out that we were in danger of drifting onto the rock shelf and joked about paying attention to the safety drill etc.
We made it through the hole and on the other side we noticed two or three shark fins cutting the surface. We circled around trying to sight the sharks, I got a good view of one but he wasn't overly big , big enough to not want to go swimming though but not of man-eater proportions.
The driver informed us that on an earlier run they had spotted a large mako shark out here but he had obviously moved on by now. Hopefully he has managed to evade the deep sea fishermen who also flock to this region.
We cruised slowly around the rock island as the driver pointed out things of interest and then we came to Cathedral Cave. We inched forward into the cave and then they cut the engine again. This was pretty darn freaky for me, this cave has a blow hole that roars and blows spray from the inside out and when inside, that roaring noise and the white veil of spray racing toward you is quite awe inspiring. Be careful of your cameras in here because you WILL get wet.
After we came back out to the safety of the blue sky everybody broke out into spontaneous applause, not sure if it was the relief of getting out or just the exhilaration of it all.
On the way back we took a route through a lot of the islands and the narrated tour was quite informative. We raced back into the open water again and roared off at breakneck speed toward oncoming boats, the driver was targeting the wake of the passing boats to give us a bit of rough and tumble which was fun.
Before we knew it our time was up and we were pulling up to the pier again. This trip was loads of fun and I highly recommend it.
www.excitor.co.nz
Adult $65
Children (14 & under) $32.50
Departs Paihia and Russell daily.
October – April: 8:30, 10:30, 12:15, 2pm, 4pm.
May – September: 10:30, 2pm.
www.fullers-bay-of-islands.co.nz for the 10% discount coupon .
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RUSSELL
The small township sits in a small cove sheltered by a bush covered hill. Large shade trees sit on the grass verge just off the beach and old wooden two storey buildings run along the main street. These old buildings are mainly restaurants, cafes and hotels with gift shops here and there. There is another street immediately behind this one with more shops to be found but basically …that is it.
This gorgeous teeny tiny town is all that is left of the infamous Hell Hole of the past and I learned that the British fled this town for safer ground in Auckland and set fire to it as they went. Only a handful of buildings survived the fire, which is a real shame as its the old historic buildings on the waterfront that give the town it’s quaint and romantic appearance.
With a tiny population of 806 and it’s physical setting in the small cove this village will never become over developed and no doubt will always maintain the romantic feel it has. If you are looking for the perfect honeymoon spot … I think I have just found it for you.
The ferry trip over was once again spectacular and we got off at the pier and marvelled at the scenic township right on the beach. We had lunch at one of the cafes and enjoyed dining at their outdoor tables by the beach. We wandered through the town soaking up the atmosphere but as the afternoon was rapidly disappearing, we only spent about an hour here before catching the ferry back across to Paihia.
The ferries are running constantly and cost $5 adult and $2.50 child one way. You can save a dollar or two by buying a return fare but just make sure you use the same ferry company on the return journey.
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Around 5pm we headed out of town leaving the magic of The Bay of Islands behind us. We both felt a little sad leaving this small wonderland behind and getting back to the real world. Once we had gone over a few hills we were back in that oh so familiar New Zealand countryside once more but now that I know that it exists, I sure do want to back and visit again ... and again ... and again ... and again .............
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
hollynz
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Member: Christine
Location: New Zealand
Reviews written: 142
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~ In memory of Barbara ~
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