Bay of Islands

Located in the far north of the North Island, the Bay of Islands is one of the most breathtaking holiday destinations in New Zealand. This is the region where the earliest contact between indigenous people and the European settlers took place. It was first discovered by Maori navigator Kupe and visited by Captain James Cook in 1769. It has a sandy and rocky coastline and consists of 150 small islands. Historic places include the Treaty House, which houses the famous treaty of Waitangi. There is also the Captain Cook Memorial Museum; Flagstaff Hill (the flagpole was the scene of a historic confrontation between Maori and Pakeha, and was chopped down by the Maori leader Hone Heke); the oldest building in the country (Kemp House), and the oldest Church. One of the more popular attractions though is the giant “Hole in the Rock” off Cape Brett which visitors to the area can best see and experience when partaking in one of the locally operated boat cruises. Boats usually sail right through the ‘hole’ [weather permitting], making this a spectacular highlight of the tour.