Discover the Bay of Islands without the crowds on a personalised and interactive afternoon tour. Enjoy a scenic cruise among the Bay's 144 islands. Spot wildlife and stop at two remote island. Enjoy island walks, snorkelling, swimming and paddle-boarding.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Reserve now & pay later: Reserve now & pay later to book your spot without any charges today. Learn more
Duration 3.5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English

Highlights

Discover the Bay of Islands on small-group cruise
Set off on native bush walks to discover breathtaking scenery and viewpoints
Uncover local history and keep a lookout for wildlife with interactive commentary from your passionate local guide
Enjoy snorkelling, swimming, paddle-boarding in the Bay's crystal clear waters
Experience more on a smaller, more personalised and interactive tour

Full description

Check-in at the Salt Air Office at 3.20 PM, before setting off along the sheltered coastline for a scenic cruise. Stop off at Roberton Island (also known as Twin Lagoons) for a 10-minute native bush walk to a breathtaking 360-degree lookout over the bay. After the walk, explore the tidal lagoons before climbing back on board. Cruise among the stunning islands of the Bay, keeping an eye out for wildlife. Then, stopover at one of the Bay of Islands’ most secluded and unfrequented bays to try some new activities. Snorkel and explore the underwater reefs, stroll on an island trail, give stand-up paddle-boarding a try, relax on the beach or jump in the water for a swim. Make the afternoon your own with the activities that interest you most. Finally, board the boat for the return scenic cruise back to Paihia, arriving at 6:30 PM.

Includes

Scenic cruise
Interactive commentary
2 stopovers on remote islands
Wildlife spotting native bush walks
360-degree views from the island lookout points
Use of snorkelling and paddleboarding equipment
Use of beach tents and picnic blankets

Food and drinks

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned

Traveler requirements

All participants who are over 12 years old must present proof of full vaccination

Meeting point

Check-in at the Salt Air Office at least 10 minutes before your scheduled departure.

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Important information

Know before you go

Be sure to bring your own swimsuit and towel
There is a marine toilet onboard the vessel
Tours are limited to a maximum of 20 participants for a more personalised and interactive experience
A minimum number of participants are required, in the unlikely event that these are not reached you will be offered an alternative date or a full refund

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.9 /5

based on 75 reviews

Review summary

Guide
4.9/5
Transportation
4.8/5
Value for money
4.7/5
Safety
4.8/5

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Friendly guide with excellent local knowledge. The boat is well designed for its island visiting purpose. It has a technique for landing on wild beaches involving an extending ramp which means we can walk ashore keeping dry. The boat carries snorkel and paddleboard equipment for passenger use and the guide helps get beginners started.

February 3, 2022

My friends and I had an amazing experience, we got to explore two islands and were able to paddle board and snorkeling in one of them. Gear is provided. We visited Robertson Island and the views were amazing! Our friendly tour guide gave us interesting facts about the history during the tour. Highly recommend this tour :) My highlight was seeing a stingray :)

March 15, 2021

We had an absolute blast on this trip! Would highly recommend. Lynn was super nice and told some great stories about where we stopped, and seemed to make an effort to have a mean convo with everyone. The places we stopped at were gorgeous and we had so much fun snorkeling and paddle boarding.

January 4, 2021

Bay of Islands Small Group Afternoon Cruise & Island Tour

Bay of Islands Small Group Afternoon Cruise & Island Tour

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