Bay of Islands Tours from Your Campervan: Cruises, Sailing and Day Trips

Quick summary: The Bay of Islands is best seen from the water, and the best way to fit tours into a campervan or motorhome trip is to park up in Paihia and let someone else do the driving. Cruises to the Hole in the Rock, sailing trips among the islands, dolphin-watching, kayaking and snorkelling all depart from the Paihia and Russell waterfronts, while day tours reach Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach, the kauri forests and the glowworm caves without moving your vehicle.

Tour type	Why it suits a campervan trip	Browse tours
Hole in the Rock cruises	The bay’s signature trip, from Paihia’s wharf	Hole in the Rock cruises
Bay cruises	Island hopping and beaches without a boat of your own	Bay cruises
Sailing, catamaran and tall ship trips	A slower day on the water	Sailing, catamaran, tall ship
Dolphin-watching	Wildlife in the outer bay	Dolphin tours
Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach	Reaches the beach rental vehicles can’t drive	Cape Reinga tours
Waitangi Treaty Grounds	New Zealand’s most important historic site	Waitangi tours
Kayaking and snorkelling	Active half days close to town	Kayak, snorkelling

Why take tours rather than drive?

Because many of the Bay of Islands’ best experiences are on the water, and some of Northland’s highlights are on roads and beaches that rental agreements commonly exclude. Tours also give you a day off driving. With the campervan parked at a holiday park in Paihia, you can spend the day cruising, sailing or exploring the far north and come back to a ready-made bed.

What are the best tours on the water?

Hole in the Rock

The classic Bay of Islands trip heads out past the islands to Cape Brett and Motukōkako, the rock island with a natural tunnel through it. In good conditions, boats pass right through the hole. Many cruises also stop at Urupukapuka Island or Otehei Bay. See Hole in the Rock cruises.

Bay cruises and island hopping

Longer cruises explore the bay’s inner islands, beaches and historic sites, with time ashore for walks and swimming on islands such as Urupukapuka. See bay cruises.

Sailing, catamarans and tall ships

For a more relaxed day, sail among the islands on a yacht, a large catamaran or a traditional tall ship, with swimming, snorkelling and lunch on board on many trips. See sailing tours, catamaran tours and tall ship tours.

Dolphin-watching

Bottlenose and common dolphins live in and around the bay, and many cruises watch for them, alongside seabirds and occasionally whales. Swimming with the Bay of Islands dolphins is not permitted, to protect the resident population, so trips focus on watching them responsibly from the boat. See dolphin tours.

Kayaking, snorkelling and parasailing

Guided kayak trips paddle the Waitangi River to Haruru Falls or explore the sheltered bays, snorkelling trips visit the clearer waters of the outer islands, and parasailing flights give a bird’s-eye view of the whole bay. See kayak tours, snorkelling tours, parasailing tours and adventure tours.

What are the best day tours on land?

Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach

Full-day coach tours from Paihia travel to Cape Reinga at the top of the country, driving along Ninety Mile Beach in purpose-built vehicles and stopping to sandboard on the Te Paki dunes. Rental agreements commonly exclude beach driving, so a tour is the way to experience the beach itself, and it saves more than 400 km of return driving. See Cape Reinga tours.

Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Guided tours and cultural performances at the Treaty Grounds explain the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and its place in New Zealand today. The grounds are a short drive or walk from Paihia. See Waitangi tours and our Waitangi guide.

Glowworms and kauri forests

Glowworm cave tours near Kawakawa lead underground to grottos lit by glowworms, and guided kauri forest tours introduce the giant trees and their significance to Māori. See glowworm cave tours and kauri forest tours.

Food, wine and craft beer

Tours around Kerikeri and the Bay of Islands visit vineyards, orchards, chocolate makers and craft breweries, with the driving taken care of. See food and wine tours and beer tours.

How do you fit tours around an RV trip?

Base yourself in Paihia for at least two nights. Book water-based tours for the first full day, keeping the second as a back-up in case the weather or sea conditions change. Leave the vehicle at your holiday park on tour days, and save driving days for when you move on. If you prefer a tour shaped around your group, see private tours.

Where can you find all the tours?

Browse every Bay of Islands experience on our tours page, by tour type, or start with our featured tours.

Compare campervan and motorhome hire in Auckland

Frequently Asked Questions