Bay of Islands

The townships are infused with both Maori and European history ensuring holidays to Bay of Islands provide a rich experience for all. Your holiday in the Bay of Islands will allow you to discover why it is the birthplace of New Zealand as a bi-cultural nation and how Maori culture and lifestyle have adapted to modern times. There are plenty of recreational activities in the blue-green world of island and beach to keep you occupied during your Bay of Islands holiday such as chartering a yacht, diving, snorkelling, kayaking in and out of the islands' nooks and crannies and swimming with the dolphins

Paihia is the main tourist town in the Bay of Islands. Until the mid-1990s, Paihia consisted of little more than a fish and chip shop and Paihia holidays were far from the tourist map. Today holidays to   Paihia are extremely popular with its two-kilometre-long string of waterside motels, restaurants and holiday homes, party-oriented bars and hotels. The Paihia holiday tourist boom has not however ruined the destination with low-rise developments that are sympathetic to its three beautiful, flat beach-side bays. The bays look towards Russell and the Bay of Islands and are encircled by forested hills.  A holiday in Paihia provides a great location to explore the Bay of Islands and beautiful sub-tropical north of New Zealand. Paihia is a bustling seaside town where the local people enjoy a great lifestyle, and take delight in sharing it with the thousands of visitors who go on holiday to Paihia each summer. Paihia is proud to be recognised as 'the Jewel of the Bay of Islands' and there are a number of scenic walking tracks that will help work of all the great food you will have eaten during your holiday in Paihia.

About 160 miles or 260 kilometres, it's just three hours north of Auckland by road, but feels like a world away from city life. Your journey to the Northland region will take you through beautiful lush countryside, rural towns and past golden sandy beaches to the waterfront township of Paihia.  A plane from Auckland to Kerikeri Airport takes about 40 minutes.

The Bay of Islands enjoys a semi–tropical maritime climate, created by the southerly flow of warm water from the South Pacific. 

The "Winterless North" offers fishing, swimming, boating and other water-based activities, which can be enjoyed year-round. Visitors can enjoy a warm climate throughout the year in the Bay of Islands, with temperatures reaching up to 25°C (75°F), even during winter. Occasionally a light frost can occur. Summer temperatures in the Bay of Islands can reach into the low 30°C's (around 90°F). The warmest months are January and February. Occasionally in summer, the Bay of Islands can experience stormy conditions from a weakening cyclone. Average daily temperatures in the Bay of Islands range from 15°C to 27°C (60°F to 80°F). The Bay of Islands has an average yearly rainfall between 1500mm to 2000mm and enjoys an average of 135 sunshine days.