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Bay of Islands Itinerary
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 Day 1
- Head across to Russell by ferry for the morning and explore the township's numerous historic buildings, including Christ's Church, Pompallier House and the Russell Museum (2 hours).
- Walk up Flagstaff (Maiki) Hill and read of the flagstaff's history and the exploits of Maori chief Hone Heke, who cut the previous four down in protest (30 minutes).
- Return to the waterfront for lunch.
- Cross again to Paihia and take a stroll along the beachfront to Waitangi (30 minutes). Here you'll find the Shipwreck Museum (30 minutes), which is also a café.
- Continue to the Waitangi Treaty House Reserve and explore the marae (meeting house), waka (canoe) and grounds (2.5 hrs).
- Either have dinner in Paihia or take the ferry to Russell and dine at the atmospheric Duke of Marlborough - the first hotel in New Zealand to receive a licence.
- Stay overnight in Paihia.
Day 2
- Spend a half or full day on the water. Operators include Dolphin Encounters, the Cape Brett 'Hole in the Rock' cruise, the Cream Trip, the tall ship R Tucker Thomson and Dolphin Discoveries.
- Lunch is often included during an island stopover.
- If on a half-day outing, return to Paihia for an afternoon of shopping at the Cabbage Tree - an award-winning outlet. Try one of the centre's numerous restaurants in the evening.
- Stay the night in Paihia.
Day 3
- Take a fishing, diving or kayaking adventure with Tornado, Coastal Kayakers or Dive North - Rainbow Warrior. Alternatively, take to the skies with Flying Kiwi Parasail for a bird's eye view over Paihia.
- Stay the night in Paihia.
Day 4
- Drive to Kerikeri (30 mins) and have a complimentary steam-heated coffee or tea at the Collins Bros Steam Sawmill.
- Pick up an arts and craft trail brochure while in Kerikeri and visit the Kerikeri Historic Basin, which incorporates Kemp House (40 minutes), New Zealand's oldest house; the Stone Store (20 minutes) and Rewa's Village (1 hour).
- Take a walk to the 20m Kerikeri (Rainbow) Falls two kilometres upstream from the Basin (1 hour).
- For lunch either return to Kerikeri or find an eatery along the arts and craft trail.
- Spend the rest of the afternoon tailoring visits to the various arts and craft outlets and call at some of numerous roadside fruit stalls to sample the region's produce.
- Stay in Kerikeri or at one of the surrounding bed and breakfasts.
Day 5
- Head inland towards Kaikohe (30 minutes from Kerikeri) along SH12.
- Call at Monument Hill, which has a Memorial to Maori chief Hone Heke (1869-1909).
- Visit the Pioneer Village with its 19th century buildings, sawmill and fire station.
- Have morning tea before rejoining State Highway 1 and heading towards Kaitaia (70 minutes) for lunch.
- Head west to Ahipara, the gateway to Ninety Mile Beach. Visit the beach (famous for its fishing) and call at Ahipara Hill, four kilometres south-east of Ahipara township. The land at the base of the 150m high hill is a former kauri gum field, now a historic reserve.
- Alternatively, visit New Zealand's northernmost winery, three kilometres out of town at Okahu Estate.
- Return to Kaitaia and continue along State Highway 1 to Awanui, seven kilometres north. Call at the Ancient Kauri Kingdom and Café for afternoon tea and view the kauri furniture and arts and craft.
- Returning to Kaitaia, call at the Nocturnal Park, which features kiwis, glow-worms, short-fin eels and bush walks. Night tours start at dark.
- Dine and stay overnight in Kaitaia.
Day 6
- Drive or take a tour to New Zealand's most northerly point, Cape Reinga. Operators include Sand Safaris, Harrisons Cape Runner and Tua Tua Tours. Pack a picnic lunch if driving yourself.
- Call at Wagener Park & Museum (1 hour) at Houhora Heads, 40km north of Kaitaia, and take morning tea at its beachfront licensed cafe.
- Continue northwards to Cape Reinga (114km north-west of Kaitaia). See the famous lighthouse, Spirits Bay and the meeting point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
- Return to Te Paki with its impressive sand dunes. There are many tour companies supplying toboggans and all supply lunch.
- Return to Kaitaia to dine and stay overnight.
Day 7
- Once again head towards Ahipara to regain State Highway 12. Head southwards to Kohukohu for the crossing to Rawene on the vehicle ferry Kohu Ra Tuarua.
- Call at Rawene's historic Clendon House (30 minutes) or take a cruise on the Alma Working Museum.
- Walk the newly completed mangrove walk and stop for morning tea at the Boatshed Café and Crafts.
- Continue southwards to the twin settlements of Opononi and Omapere, which access the sand dunes across the inlet.
- Lunch at either centre.
- Continue south through the Waipoua Forest and make a side trip to see Tane Mahuta, a kauri tree thought to be some 2000 years old. A variety of forest and coastal walks are available, ranging from 20 minutes to a few hours.
- Head towards Dargaville for the night, with the Blah Blah Blah café a dining option.
Day 8
- Call at the Dargaville Maritime Museum (30 minutes) to see the Rainbow Warrior masts and shipwreck artefacts.
- Head onwards to the Woodturners Studio (30 minutes), a kauri gallery and working studio.
- Continue along State Highway 12 to the Kauri Museum (2 hours), which has displays about the kauri tree, its gum and timber and pioneering New Zealand.
- Stay for lunch at the Gumdiggers Tearooms and Matakohe House Café.
- Drive to either Whangarei or Auckland to continue your travels around the North Island.
Bay of Islands accommodation
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