The Bay of Islands is a region of 144 subtropical islands scattered across a sheltered natural harbor on the east coast of New Zealand’s Far North. The area combines fantastic water-based adventures with some of New Zealand’s most significant history, all within a short outing from your ship, which anchors in the bay while guests travel ashore by tender.

You can explore the area on your own, or book a curated excursion to experience some of the highlights of the islands, from the water to the wildlife to the region’s founding history.

Key Takeaways

The Hole in the Rock is the Bay of Islands’ best-known sight, and a catamaran cruise brings you up close.

Waitangi is where New Zealand’s founding document was signed, and remains the region’s most significant historic site.

A guided excursion can combine island cruising, wildlife spotting and cultural history in one outing.

Cruise the bay to the Hole in the Rock

On the Best of Bay of Islands Cruise and Hole in the Rock excursion, you’ll explore the region’s coastline by catamaran, traveling through the Bay of Islands northeast toward the tip of the Cape Brett Peninsula. Bottlenose and common dolphins are frequent curious visitors to voyaging vessels in the area, and may accompany your boat through these scenic waters.

Along the way, you’ll get to see the historic Cape Brett Lighthouse and the wave-carved Cathedral Caves, with rugged cliffs and offshore islands providing a dramatic backdrop.

One highlight of the voyage is Piercy Island, or Motukōkako, home to the famous Hole in the Rock. This natural tunnel extends approximately 229 feet (70 meters) through the island and has been shaped over time by the power of the sea carving this opening through solid stone. When weather and sea conditions permit, the catamaran sails directly through the Hole in the Rock, providing an up-close perspective of one of the Bay of Islands’ most recognizable natural landmarks.

A towering rocky sea cliff with a large natural arch carved at its base rises from deep blue water. A smaller rock formation sits beside it, with a distant headland on the right under a clear blue sky.
Explore the Hole in the Rock, the Bay of Islands’ most famous natural arch.

Get out on the water

Explore Motuarohia Island Sanctuary

The Lagoon Bay Cruise excursion also takes you by catamaran through the scenic Bay of Islands to Motuarohia Island, also known as Roberton Island. During the journey, be sure to keep watch for marine life, including possible sightings of dolphins and seals, against a backdrop of the region’s sheltered bays and green-topped island landscapes.

On Motuarohia, you can visit archaeological sites that reveal the area’s long Māori history. These include the remains of defensive pā, or fortified settlements, which provide insight into how Māori communities once lived while protecting strategic locations throughout the Bay of Islands.

As you stroll across the island, you’ll travel uphill to a viewpoint overlooking Twin Lagoons Bay. From this elevated vantage point, you can take in the sweeping views of the distinctive twin lagoons, surrounding coastline and clear waters below before returning to the catamaran.

Fish for snapper in the bay

Whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced angler, the Bay of Islands Fishing Trip excursion is a great way to get a feel for local fishing. An experienced guide and crew takes you and a few other guests aboard a boat, provides all necessary tackle and fishing gear and helps you (hopefully) locate the local snapper, New Zealand’s favored catch. Note that this is a catch-and-release experience.

Kayak the Waitangi Estuary to Haruru Falls

Whether this is your first time or you’re an old pro, this Haruru Falls Kayaking excursion is a great and physically active way to experience the beauty of the area from the surface of the water. You’ll meet your guide at the Waitangi pier and walk across the Waitangi Bridge to your waiting kayak. After a brief safety briefing and instructions, you paddle through the Waitangi Estuary’s sheltered waters, mangrove forests and leafy green fern “tunnels” on your way to Haruru Waterfall. Guests who want a chance to swim can take a dip during a stop at Waitangi Beach before a coach transfer back to Waitangi.

A wide curtain of white water tumbles over a dark rocky ledge into a churning brown pool. Lush green trees, ferns and grassy banks line the river above, with a lichen-covered boulder in the foreground.
See Haruru Falls, where the Waitangi River drops into a natural amphitheater.

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Step into New Zealand’s founding history

Visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds hold a vital place in New Zealand’s history. It was here in 1840 that the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between representatives of the British Crown and Māori chiefs. The treaty is widely regarded as New Zealand’s founding document and remains an important part of the country’s national identity.

On the Waitangi Treaty Grounds - The Birth Of Our Nation excursion, a short drive from the tender pier brings you to the Waitangi Estate, where a local guide leads a private 30-minute tour of the grounds. At the Whare Rūnanga, the carved meetinghouse, you’ll watch a cultural performance of song, dance and haka. You’ll also see the world’s largest ceremonial Māori war canoe, or waka taua. After light refreshments, you can explore the grounds at your own pace, including free entry to Te Kongahu Museum of Waitangi.

Experience a traditional Māori welcome

A visit to a traditional marae, or sacred meeting complex, provides an opportunity to experience Māori culture and customs firsthand. Guests who visit a meetinghouse (best experienced on the Kerikeri, Māori Meetinghouse and Puketi Kauri Forest excursion) are welcomed with a pōwhiri, a ceremonial welcome that brings visitors and hosts together according to traditions passed down through generations.

Māori elders introduce the marae and explain the significance of the intricately carved meetinghouse, including how its carvings and design reflect ancestry, community and cultural traditions. The experience also provides insight into Māori history and the ancestors who first migrated to New Zealand from Polynesia centuries ago.

A carved red wooden figure holding a paddle stands atop the peak of a traditional Māori meetinghouse, with intricate spiral carvings and shell inlays along the roof edge. Leafy green trees and a blue sky with puffy white clouds fill the background.
Discover Māori heritage and history at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

Walk among ancient kauri trees in Puketi Forest

Puketi Forest preserves a remarkable example of the native kauri forests that once covered much of the Bay of Islands region, with trees growing more than 164 feet (49 meters) tall. On the Puketi Forest Nature Walk excursion, a guide leads you around a 0.6-mile (1-kilometer) loop beneath towering kauri trees while sharing the forest’s natural history and the importance of protecting this distinctive ecosystem. Guests who would rather pair the forest with Māori culture can visit Puketi on the Kerikeri, Māori Meetinghouse and Puketi Kauri Forest excursion instead.

The forest supports a diverse range of native plants and wildlife, creating opportunities to listen and look for New Zealand birdlife among the trees. Species associated with the wider forest environment include native birds such as the toutouwai and kōkako.

Looking up at the massive pale trunk of a towering kauri tree rising through a dense canopy of green foliage. Ferns, palms and leafy branches surround the trunk beneath a bright, hazy sky.
Wander beneath ancient kauri giants in the lush Puketi Forest.

Ride the vintage railway and taste the Bay of Islands

On the Scenic Vintage Railway and Flavours of the Bay excursion, a coach takes you to Kawakawa, home to New Zealand’s oldest operating passenger railway. There, you board a vintage train for a leisurely journey through the Bay of Islands countryside. Along the route, the train crosses the Southern Hemisphere’s longest curved wooden railway bridge, a memorable highlight of the historic ride.

As the train travels toward Opua, your guide shares stories about the region’s railway and local heritage while wetlands, native forest and rural landscapes roll by.

Each guest also receives a tasting box of locally inspired canapés, cheeses and dips, paired with a choice of local wine, juice or soda. Together, the heritage railway and tasting experience offer an easygoing way to discover the history, scenery and flavors of the Bay of Islands.

A full day in the Bay of Islands may allow pairing the Hole in the Rock cruise with one additional excursion delving into the region’s history or natural wonders. Be sure to confirm the times and availability of excursions before booking, of course. Or you can simply relax and take in the sights and flavors of this remarkable part of the world on your own.

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