New Zealand: Paihia and the Bay of Islands

Paihia is in the Bay of Islands, at the north tip of the North Island of New Zealand. It is a typical tourist town.

 A view of Paihia from the top 
A view of Paihia from the top

 Centabay Hostel where we stayed.

The main pier from where Bay of Islands, Dolphin cruises, and Hole in the Rock cruises take place

Hole in the Rock in Bay of Islands. You take a cruise for 3 hours just to see this hole in the rock! And the boat drives through the massive hole, while all the tourists scream in ecstasy like 5 year old children. "Do you want me to go through the hole?" "YEEEEEES!!!!"


Hole in the Rock up close, in Bay of Islands, Paihia


The main centre at Paihia. We had some great gelato at Cellini's.
A kiwi gifting me a sea urchin to eat raw at Tapeka Point Beach. I tried it, but it was too salty and I couldn't gulp the fishy flesh down. Finally spat it out because my oesophagus rebelled.

 Tapeka Point Beach on Russel Island, Paihia
A local farmer setting up shop with his produce of tangerines at the market at Paihia.

 Pickled Parrot Backpackers, way out of town, where we stayed the second day

A hammock at Pickled Parrot Backpackers


At Waitangi Treat Grounds: Maori performers after the song and dance show, dressed in their traditional centuries old costume. They were only too happy to pose with us for a photograph! 

On the way from Waitangi Treaty Grounds to Haruru Waterfalls at Paihia.

 Haruru Waterfalls. It was an exhausting ride on our cycles, mainly because we were cycling for several kilometers on a gravelly road. It is a small waterfall, but the scenic journey was worth itself.

Bay Beach Hire, from where we hired cycles to go to Waitangi Treaty Grounds and see Haruru waterfall.

 Paua Shells in the local souveigner shop. These are shells of Rainbow Abalone, a marine seasnail.

This was a huge tree dwarfing the bungalow. It looked like a pine tree.

 Russel Wharf : An angler had just caught a huge swordfish, and was in the process of measuring it. It weighted over 65 kgs

If I had known, I would have rented out this cheap camper's van at NZ$15/person/day! It is the cheapest accomodation out in Paihia.

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