Northland – Bay of Islands

In Northland (Te Tai Tokerau) you’ll gain an insight into the coming together of two peoples, Māori and Pakeha. Northland is renowned for its spectacular coastlines, marine reserves and kauri forests. The natural landscape is a specialty, full of amazing opportunities to connect with the land, sea and forest. Northland attracts visitors for its pristine white sandy beaches, maritime sports and a relaxed pace, authentic Māori culture, natural wonders, and stories about the heritage and people. Find out more at northlandnz.com

Major Centres: 

Whangarei
Kerikeri
Paihia
Dargaville
Kaitaia

Airports: 

Whangarei Domestic Airport
Kerikeri Domestic Airport

Ahipara Horse Treks

+64 4 9 408 2532

Ahipara Horse Treks is a locally owned and operated business. We are located in Ahipara, at the base of Ninety Mile Beach, just 10 minutes drive west of Kaitaia. We provide 1 and 2 hour treks along one of New Zealand’s most beautiful west coast beaches, and may include, where practical gently rolling grasslands and the excitement of ocean riding. Our horses are very safe and suitable for all ages and riding abilities, allowing you to enjoy the stunning scenery accompanied by our friendly and experienced guides!

Awesome Adventures Hokianga

+64 9 405 8224

Take an adventure and step back in time!

Awesome Adventures Hokianga's experienced Māori Guides will take you back in time to 925AD, when Kupe, the great Polynesian explorer, landed right here in the Hokianga.

The historical significance of the area is unmatched by anywhere else in New Zealand, and is the only place that Kupe called home.

See and feel what life was like all those years ago. Your guide will share stories not typically found in history books – they have been passed down the generations.

We provide accommodation and a range of adventures, guided and self-guided, around the Hokianga to allow you to experience these rich, historical and cultural stories.

Take the kayaks, or go paddle boarding, hiking, cycling, kayak fishing, jetski fishing, rock fishing, jetski safaris, quadbike safaris, sandboarding on the dunes, seafood gathering and cooking classes, and more!

You choose what you want to do, but be warned, you can't fit it all in one day! Make sure you allow extra days to your stay.

We are passionate about telling the stories about our beautiful home. Awesome Adventures Hokianga has it all!

The spiritual environment of the Waipoua forest provides a natural stage for unforgettable day and night guided walks with local Māori guides and the largest and oldest kauri trees in the world. Our signature fou hour Twilight Encounter night walk is one of two New Zealand and 82 Global encounters that feature in the Lonely Planet publication Code Green: Experiences of a Lifetime. Step into our world and embark on a memorable journey of storytelling, Māori song and interactive interpretation.

Moon Gate Villa's timeless and elegant design offers unique accommodation surrounded by 1.5 acres of gardens, waterfalls and reflective pools. A hidden treasure 2 minutes from Kerikeri village. Nearby is the Kerikeri basin, cradle of modern New Zealand and steeped in Māori and European history. Lionel, your host is native Māori, and would be delighted in assisting you to discover our local Māori culture.

NZ Surf Experience

+64 21 024 17794

We teach our surf students about surfing life in New Zealand. We offer a full week of surf lessons, surf cinema, meteorology talks from our local radio weather man, a cultural exchange at local marae that includes a powhiri and karakia to keep our students safe in the water. We conduct beach clean ups and donate our time to give back to the local community - oh and we cook! As a chef with 30 years experience who loves to teach our international students about the local kaimoana (seafood) delicacies like the tuatua that lay right under our feet as we surf.

Taiamai Tours Heritage Journeys

+64 9 405 9990

The Bay of Islands is home to Taiamai Tours heritage journeys and the Ngapuhi nation is New Zealand’s largest tribal Māori group. Our interactive Waka (traditional Māori war canoe) experience provides a rare and unique insight into our ancient customs, rituals and traditions. We invite you to join us on a voyage into our world where you will gain an understanding of our culture. We share our histories and stories as we paddle our 50ft Waka Taua (War Canoe) together on the tidal estuaries of the Waitangi River.

The Kauri Museum

+64 9 431 7417

The award winning Kauri Museum is famous for its hospitality and the legacy left behind by the ancient kauri trees which once covered northern New Zealand. The New Zealand Kauri  (Agathis australis) has cultural significance, to Māori and more recent settlers alike. Their prized timber and gum, formed the industries that shaped modern New Zealand. In addition to preserving our past, the Museum has a role to play in conserving their future, collaborating to “Save our Forests” by raising public awareness to control the spread of the Kauri Dieback disease and promote forest ecology.

Create meaningful connections with the locals through authentic cultural experiences.
Kia ora and welcome to Northland, where you will meet the beautiful indigenous people of the land and experience our breath-taking coastlines and landscape.
Step right off the tourist trail and discover the gateway to Northland, Whangārei, New Zealand’s northern-most city with a passionate, knowledgeable and fun-loving Māori couple.  
"Tu Tika" means "Stand True". It reflects the integrity and truth that your hosts, Mervyn and Rangimarie Harding, live and breathe every day and want to share with you. They can’t wait to welcome you and give you a truly personal, meaningful, one-of-a-kind experience.
This is the type of travel experience that captivates you right from the start. An encounter you’ll never forget. With Tu Tika Tours and Transfers, you will create friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

Waitangi Treaty Grounds

+64 9 402 7437

Waitangi Treaty Grounds welcomes you on a journey of discovery through Aotearoa New Zealand's most important historic site, where in 1840 New Zealand's founding document was signed: the Treaty of Waitangi.

Enjoy an inspiring and interactive full-day experience through Waitangi’s two contemporary museums, powerful Māori cultural performances in an authentic Meeting House, informative guided tours, engaging visitor centre, lush native forest and gardens, inspiring art gallery and carving studio, traditional Māori waka (canoe) and hāngi, tranquil café and so much more, all with stunning views over the Bay of Islands.

The award-winning Waitangi Treaty Grounds is a must-do for all visitors to the Bay of Islands.

Whispering Trails

+64 21 047 8516

When you venture into our environment you hear the whispers of our ancestors. It is their history, stories, thoughts and memories that guide us. We would like to share these with you. Once you learn about our connection to the land and environment you will better understand our culture. Let the whispers guide you along trails that bring the past to the present for our future. With shared wisdom and knowledge handed down through generations, your guided experience will become a timeless journey.

Accommodation
Adventure
Art Retail
Bushwalks
Cultural
Cycling
Dining
Fishing
Geothermal
Guided Tour
History
Horse
Hunting
Performance
Waka
Wellbeing
Wildlife

© 2024 NZ Maori Tourism Society