Bay of Islands and Northland: the subtropical top of the country

Northland is the long finger of land above Auckland, and it is the warmest part of the country. It is also where New Zealand's written history starts: the Treaty of Waitangi was signed here in 1840, and the towns around the Bay of Islands carry that story more visibly than anywhere else.

The Bay of Islands

• Paihia — the main visitor base, with the wharf that most boat trips leave from.
• Russell — across the water by passenger ferry, once a rowdy whaling port and now a very pretty waterfront village with New Zealand's oldest surviving church.
• Waitangi Treaty Grounds — the founding site, with a carved meeting house, a waka (canoe) house and guided tours that explain the Treaty properly. Worth several hours.
• Kerikeri — inland, with the Stone Store and Kemp House, two of the oldest European buildings in the country, plus orchards and cafés.
• The islands themselves — best seen from the water. Boat trips run out towards Cape Brett and the Hole in the Rock, and dolphins are often seen, though sightings are never guaranteed.

The west coast and the far north

• Waipoua Forest — home to Tāne Mahuta, the largest known living kauri tree. Boardwalks and shoe-cleaning stations protect the trees from kauri dieback disease; use them, and stay on the boardwalk.
• Hokianga Harbour — Ōpononi and Ōmāpere sit under enormous golden sand dunes on the far side of the water.
• Cape Reinga — the lighthouse at the top, where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean visibly collide, and a place of deep spiritual significance in Māori tradition.
• Ninety Mile Beach — a legal road, but a road that swallows vehicles at the wrong tide. Do not drive it in a rental car; go with a licensed operator who knows the tides.

Distances people underestimate

How long to give it

Two nights in the Bay of Islands is the minimum that feels unhurried: one day on the water, one day between Waitangi, Russell and Kerikeri. Add a third if you want the Hokianga and the kauri forests, which are best done as a loop back to Auckland down the west coast rather than retracing State Highway 1.

Season notes

Northland is subtropical: humid summers, mild wet winters, and it rarely gets cold. Summer and early autumn are the reliable months for boat trips. Winter boat trips still run but are more weather-dependent.