Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is one of the best places to go in New Zealand for fishing, sailing, and other watersports. The Bay of Islands is about three hours by car from Auckland. This gorgeous region is made up of 144 islands between Cape Brett and the Purerua Peninsula.
What's there to do in the Bay of Islands? Get on or in the water! Try scuba diving with Paihia Dive's intro-to-diving course. You will be ferried far out into the bay to explore a whole new underwater world.
Or, get up close and personal with the marine life in the Bay of Islands on a Fullers GreatSights Dolphin Eco Experience. You'll get to view dolphins and whales from the boat and, if conditions allow, swim with wild dolphins.
For accommodations in the Bay of Islands, we recommend spending a night at the historic Duke of Marlborough hotel, which has the distinction of holding the oldest pub license in New Zealand.
Don't leave the Bay of Islands without seeing the Hole in the Rock, an opening in a rock formation that you can sail through when the tide is right.